Junín, Cooperative Reforestation Project (Peru)

The Peruvian Amazon received 40,700 new trees of 14 varieties of fast growing trees planted under the supervision of APRODES (Asociación Peruana para la Promoción del Desarrollo Sostenible).

The project objectives included three training programs on the propagation of fast growing forest species, an income generating sub-product for the making of boxes used in transport of fruit produce from Chanchamayo (the central forest region of Junín). The trees were planted in 100 properties of small farmers in Valle de Cañete, Peru.

A total of 120 farmers were taught how to manage fast growing species and apply appropriate methods to propagate these in their own lands. The training will enable them to sustain their own supply independently.

A nursery and seed-bank was established and made accessible to the farmers. In addition, some 60 farmers were trained on coffee growing. Each farmer also received 3,000 coffee plants from the nursery to rehabilitate their coffee growing lands. Prior to this period, extensive land, which previously was used for coffee growing had been unused.

One of the major contributions of the project was ensuring that the farmers received official land titles to their farmlands. Agrarian reform in Peru had left small farmers vulnerable, without legal documentation of their property.

The program raised the farmers’ understanding on the advantages of re-forestation and the problems that deforestation brings to the natural environment.

In addition, the program provided commerce based training to increase the farmers’ negotiation capacity. Eight committees to promote commercialisation of coffee were consolidated. Various agreements were secured for the provision of fertilisers, continuing training and technical assistance. Cooperatives were formed so farmers could enter into agreements for the purchase of supply and the sale of common produce. This program was jointly funded by Reledev Australia Limited and AusAID.