Resilience
and adaptive management in the face of COVID: The project’s key stakeholders – conservation agreement signatories, the protected area coffee cooperative, rangers, and technicians – continue
to be supported by the project,
and have found a way to maintain
the implementation of crucial field activities.
The Alto Mayo Protected Forest REDD+ project has conducted a prestigious Q-Grader certification course at the coffee laboratory, training cuppers from around the world. The project activities are expanding into Afforestation and Reforestation (ARR) activities, with field data collection underway ahead of verification and validation. A new women’s association has been established, with >200 women participating from 15 communities.
COVID has profoundly impacted the project, introducing challenges due to increased migration into the AMPF and buffer zones, while at the same time providing new opportunities for the implementation of diverse sustainable natural resource- based ventures. Political obstacles have delayed a planned expansion of the project area and the next round of verification.
In the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peruvian people struggled to survive as their economy and health services literally collapsed. In spite of this, the Alto Mayo project team continued supporting its community, including: the COOPBAM cooperative, subscribers of the conservation agreements, surveillance committees and any individuals who reached out for help during this difficult time. In the midst of economic unrest, the project’s initiatives have flourished.
Strengthening the foundations for durable conservation: Deepening partnerships with the community and Peruvian Government during the ongoing COVID pandemic.
Diversification and expansion of green economic development continues to deliver durable conservation and community resilience in the Alto Mayo Protected Forest.
13 high-quality coffee containers produced by the cooperative and exported to specialty markets – North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Traditional practices to produce coffee is the main driver of deforestation, turning this to sustainable coffee required the linkage to specialty markets to halt deforestation.