The implementation of agroforestry systems as an integrated solution – climatic and economic, for Amazonian highland zones.
The Selva Alta and the ecotone where the Amazon rainforest scales the Andean walls, taking biodiversity to the slopes of the mountains. In this impressive natural setting live farmers who, for hundreds of years, have been producing on slopes of 45 degrees, using slash and burn as an agricultural method. The drastic increase in population, the accentuation of climate change and the consequent degradation of the soil, threaten the prosperity of local production.
LaGrama produces, promotes and exports turmeric and ginger in an organic system in this Peruvian jungle scenario – they are the largest employers and local buyers, offering a price premium to all outgrowers who are committed to improving the production system and meeting the standards of the various certifications they have.
Despite being already certified organic (and biodynamic) in several countries, LaGrama is not satisfied with a production system that obeys norms of substitution of inputs but does not change the logic of productive restoration of the landscape. Faithful to the motto “Organic is not enough”, the LaGrama demand sought to design a regenerative agroforestry system that could serve as a model, not only for its own outgrowers, but for all farmers in the area. PRETATERRA took on this challenge, designing, training and implementing a new production model for Selva Alta.
We use a logic of adherence to the local way of agriculture, implementing a forest layer composed of long-cycle timber and fruit trees, interspersed with service lines (biomass production and erosion control), based on participatory rural diagnoses in the region.
In addition to the joint implementation of the pilot module, the training of local farmers took place with demonstrations of planting in collective effort and with the presentation of the system's intelligence; previously undesired species, such as pine chuncho (Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum) and yungor (Cecropia sp.) received significance in the light of the logic of service species, in their functions of maintaining sloping soil, nitrogen fixation and mobilization of phosphorus.
The intensification of climate change is felt primarily by forest-dependent peoples – followed by loss of fertility, degradation and migration. With the new agroforestry ginger production model, we hope to reduce the negative impacts of climate change, increasing production and economic gains. Smart strategies for productive diversification in line with the demand of more demanding and sensitive markets, create pioneering scenarios for the development of integrated agroforestry solutions.
PRETATERRA innovates in the conception of systematic, adherent and replicable designs that meet specific demands and generate lasting and effective solutions.
We produced a documentary series on our YouTube channel telling a little about the agroforestry implementation of Pichanaki's design.
agroforestry taken seriously 
