The third edition of the “Biodiversity Festival: Building a shared future for all forms of life” was held on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 at Parque de la Exposición and was attended by various enterprises from different regions of Peru. This initiative was promoted by the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), the Municipality of Lima, Profonanpe, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Peruvian Association of Consumers and Users (ASPEC) and the National Association of Ecological Producers of Peru (ANPE).
The event provided a space for knowledge and dissemination of the work of Peruvian farmers and producers. During the inauguration, Anton Willems, CEO of Profonanpe, highlighted the importance of the active participation of the population in the consumption of products offered by Peruvian biodiversity. Likewise, Modesto Montoya, Minister of the Environment emphasized that “it is important to continue promoting the participation of family agriculture producers in local and national markets.”
Three initiatives promoted by Profonanpe participated in the festival. The GIAHS Project was present through the traveling fair Kusikuy, which was attended by agricultural producers from the regions of Cusco, Puno, Huancavelica and Apurimac; as well as the traveling museum that, through recreational activities, allowed to learn more about agrobiodiversity and the ancestral wisdom of farmers. It also highlighted the announcement of the first application for the sale of ancestral products, which will allow farmers to connect with consumers in Lima through digital transactions. The application will be available from May 31.
The Kusikuy fair is the first interactive museum of Peruvian agrobiodiversity.
The Nagoya Project presented the interactive space “BiodiversidadConCiencia”, which through 5 stations allowed to learn about the importance and benefits of biodiversity. Representatives of the Nuqanchik Maronijei Noshaninka Network, who maintain their native languages of Quechua, Ashaninka and Matshiguengasellos, shared the experiences of their communities with the attendees and delighted them with native songs in their language.
The “BiodiversidadConCiencia” route made it possible to discover the benefits of Peruvian biodiversity products.
In the area of entrepreneurs, the Marine-Coastal Adaptation Project (AMC) presented 4 initiatives of women producers and artisans from Huaura and Talara, who are strengthening their technical-productive capacities in the face of the impacts of climate change on their economic activities.
One of them is Marleni Lapu, president of the Association of Biofertilizer Producers of Carquin (APROBIOSPECC), who commented that the work they do in their enterprises is aimed at helping the environment and the farmer. This initiative participated together with AMARTEMM, women from Medio Mundo (Huaura) who work with reed accessories; Perlas de Cabo Blanco, artisans dedicated to the production of pearl shell jewelry; and Bandurria, artisans from Huacho who work with reed.
Women entrepreneurs, representatives of Amartemm and Aprobiospec, presenting their products.
The Biodiversity Fair allowed us to recognize and value the work of producers and farmers from different regions of the country. Profonanpe, the Peruvian private Environmental fund, continues its commitment to participate and promote spaces that encourage and strengthen the knowledge of biodiversity, as well as the work of farmers and producers.
