Approximately 50 representatives of institutions, social organizations and NGOs committed to work for local initiatives.
Climate change is affecting the ecosystems of the Puna and the services provided in the southern high Andean zone of Peru. One of the consequences is a decrease in rainfall and longer periods of drought, affecting water availability in the regions of Arequipa, Puno, Apurimac and Cusco, where 80% of the population depends on rain-fed agriculture.
In an effort to help address this problem, public and civil society organizations, as well as conservationist associations, artisans, producers, among others, met in Arequipa to learn about the Puna Competitive Fund of the Resilient Puna Project, which will allow high Andean communities above 3500 masl to develop productive initiatives that contribute to the conservation of the Puna in Arequipa.
The Puna Competitive Fund will provide financing and technical assistance to local initiatives in 12 districts of Arequipa that contribute to increasing the adaptive capacity of high Andean communities in the face of climate change, as well as protecting their ecosystems and livelihoods.
Resilient Puna is financed by the Green Climate Fund, the Peruvian government, through the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) and the Ministry of Environment (MINAM), through the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP), the German government, through the BMZ, and the Government of Canada. It is executed jointly by MIDAGRI, SERNANP, Profonanpe, Peru’s environmental fund, the Mountain Institute (IdM) and German development cooperation, implemented by the GIZ.
A commitment to restore and conserve ecosystems
Around 50 representatives of public institutions, civil organizations and associations of Arequipa committed to work together to promote local initiatives that contribute to the resilience of high Andean areas located at 3500 masl.
The vice-governor of Gore Arequipa, Ana María Gutiérrez, inaugurated the workshop, which was attended by the Sumac Pallay Artisans Association, the director of the Resilient Puna Project, Peter Hauschnik, and the manager of the Competitive Fund, Edgardo Cruzado.
The Puna Competitive Fund of the Resilient Puna Project, implemented by Profonanpe, Peru’s environmental fund, will identify, select and finance local initiatives that combine Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures, such as qochas (water reservoirs), conservation and recovery of grasslands, implementation of infiltration ditches, natural soil management, recovery of terraces, among others, and that include Climate Resilient Value Chains (CVCR) such as camelids or high Andean crops (quinoa, potato varieties), among others.
In this first call for applications, priority has been given to the following districts of Arequipa: San Juan de Tarucani, Chachas, Choco, Orcopampa, San Antonio de Chuca, Yanque, Cayarani, Salamanca, Cotahuasi, Huaynacotas, Pampamarca and Puyca.
Producers’ associations, alpaqueros and farming communities consulted about the Puna Competitive Fund at the workshop.
About the Puna Competitive Fund
The Puna Competitive Fund will identify and finance initiatives in 58 districts located in the regions of Arequipa, Puno, Apurimac, Cusco and the province of Yauyos (Lima) in the coming years.
It is expected to benefit more than 31,000 people and conserve and restore more than 23,000 hectares in the high Andean areas of these 5 regions, contributing to the implementation of 127 local initiatives.
