Photo: Mining and Energy Magazine
Since 2020, the Association of Agricultural Producers of the Native Community of Puerto Rico has worked to strengthen the banana value chain in the Cusco region. Under the Payanty brand, local producers have managed to transform this traditional crop into quality flour and plantain chips.
The project not only seeks to improve income, but also to offer sustainable alternatives to the community. Today, Payanty is not just a brand of banana-derived products, but a reflection of a community that has decided to commit to long-term sustainability and well-being.
César Condori Quispe, president of the association, recalls the beginnings: “The road has not been easy. We received a project from the municipality in 2020 to improve banana production, and in 2021 we formalized the association. When the project ended in 2023, we decided to move forward and continue improving our products.».
César adds that with the support of local authorities, such as the Municipality of Megantoni, they were able to set up a facility and acquire machinery to process the bananas, allowing the community to maintain its production and marketing.
New paths for development
The partnership has been key to the economic evolution of Puerto Rico, a community that historically depended on activities such as logging:
Our grandparents worked in logging, but with Payanty we've found a different way to generate income without harming our environment. We're proud of what we've achieved.», César comments.
At the Payanty plant, the women are the ones who transform the plantains into products like plantain chips and flour. “They are the ones who produce the most, while the men work in the fields. Many of these women are mothers who have found in this work a source of income that allows them to support their families and ensure a better future.”César Condori comments.
Entrepreneurs by Nature, a competition that promotes the sustainable use of resources in Protected Natural Areas, has found in the Payanty project an opportunity to strengthen the banana value chain and promote local sustainability.
Thanks to the support of Emprendedores por Naturaleza, the association will be able to advance in improving its infrastructure and promoting its products at regional fairs. “Profonanpe and SERNANP are helping us to continue growing and become an example of sustainability in the Amazon.», César concludes.
