The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAGRI) is planting a total of 550,000 offshoots of pineapples in hectares where illegal coca leaves used to be grown in order to provide a real alternative for the comprehensive and sustainable development of the producers in the valley of the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro rivers (Vraem).
As part of the Agricultural Productive Restructuring process that is being led by the Minagri, the installation of temporary shades to grow cocoa and coffee in 246 hectares was completed in Vraem.
The group in charge of the productive reconversion of the second group of 261 hectares confirmed that, so far, they would install pineapple crops in hectares within the communities of the districts Pichari, Kimbiri, Silvia, and Anchihuay; as well as 73 thousand offshoots of banana that will provide shade for the installation of cocoa and coffee.
In addition, there will be economic disbursements for 627 producers from Vraem so they can manage their parcels during the planting to harvest period.
To consolidate the development of the installation process, a group of specialists from AGROIDEAS has been visiting the various communities of Vraem to provide the beneficiaries of the program technical advice and ongoing monitoring on composting, soil preparation and proper planting of legal crops.
Meanwhile, AGROIDEAS has initiated the process for the productive conversion of 410 additional hectares of illegal coca corresponding to the third group.
To date, the uprooting of the coca leaf plantations has been completed, the disbursement of the financial allocations for the management of land in the first quarter and for the wages for uprooting have been carried out, and the tools and fertilizers for soil preparation and installation of temporary shade, respectively, have been delivered.
In this third group, the business plans prepared by AGROIDEAS -in coordination with the farmers-include the installation of legal crops, i.e. 288 hectares of cocoa, 111 hectares of coffee, and 11 hectares of pineapple, which will benefit 400 small and medium organized producers from the valley, with an investment of about 20 million soles.
The process of restructuring the agricultural production is an initiative promoted by the Minagri -through Agroideas and Provraem- in order to provide Vraem with a real alternative for sustainable and comprehensive development through the cultivation of legal crops such as cocoa, coffee and pineapple; and the execution of social infrastructure projects that benefit the communities.
Julio Salazar, national head of the Agroideas Program, stated that the progress of the process was a sign that the population of Vraem had a desire to develop.
"The farmers are discovering that the restructuring of their agricultural production is a clear process that benefits them and their community. The formalization of their activities, far from being a challenge, is an opportunity for them," he said.
Source: andina.com.pe