In order to address one of the greatest environmental and social threats in the Amazon region, the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SERFOR) and the Regional Government of Amazonas held a capacity-building workshop on forest fire prevention as part of the actions of the Regional Forestry and Wildlife Control and Surveillance Board, which is supported by Profonanpe through the Joint Statement of Intent (JSI) financial mechanism.
The workshops, held on May 7 and 8, brought together more than 30 participants, including public servants, community leaders and civil society representatives, who strengthened their capacities to prevent and respond to forest fires through sustainable alternatives.
A problem that demands immediate action
Forest fires are a recurrent problem in the country: in 2024 alone, the loss of 41,146 hectares of vegetation cover and 11,644 hectares of crops at the national level was reported, according to INDECI. Faced with this situation, the Government published Supreme Decree No. 097-2024-PCM, which declares a state of emergency in the districts of Amazonas, San Martin and Ucayali, demonstrating the urgency of implementing preventive strategies.
Practical organizational workshop for forest fire prevention, May 8, 2025 (Photo: Amazonas Regional Environmental Authority).
Preventive actions and response to forest fires.
The workshop combined technical presentations with field demonstrations led by SERFOR specialists to meet the following objectives:
- To publicize alternatives for not burning in the high Andean zone and in the Amazon.
- Identify and promote the responsibility and participation of local stakeholders.
- Contribute to the strengthening of inter-institutional groups and/or committees.
Participants received theoretical and practical training on alternatives to stubble and pasture burning, such as the use of agricultural residues to produce food with biofertilizers and the implementation of agroforestry systems. They were also trained in the organization of brigades for first response to forest fires and in the proper use of tools and personal protection equipment.
Participants are expected to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to develop forest fire prevention actions in their communities, thus contributing to the protection of the environment and the well-being of the population of Amazonas.
Forest Fire Prevention Workshop, May 7, 2025 (Photo: Amazonas Regional Environmental Authority)
About the Joint Statement of Intent (JSI) – Phase 2
The Joint Statement of Intent is a voluntary cooperation agreement signed by the governments of Peru, Norway and Germany in 2014 to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions produced by deforestation and forest degradation. In the addendum signed for the period 2021-2025, the United Kingdom joined.
The JSI is led by the Ministry of the Environment and executed by Profonanpe as the financial mechanism, with the participation of the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, through SERFOR; the Ministry of Culture; the regional governments of San Martín, Huánuco, Ucayali, Loreto, Amazonas and Madre de Dios; and the indigenous organizations AIDESEP, CONAP and ANECAP. It is also financed by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation – NORAD. Learn more here.
