For the second year, sustainable business projects developed in the Cotahuasi Sub-basin Landscape Reserve (Arequipa) will have the opportunity to access financial support to strengthen and improve their initiatives based on the sustainable use of natural resources.
This, with the launch of the second edition of the “Entrepreneurs for Cotahuasi” contest, an initiative promoted jointly by the National Service of Protected Natural Areas by the State (Sernanp), an agency of the Ministry of Environment; the headquarters and the Management Committee of the Cotahuasi Sub-basin Landscape Reserve and Profonanpe, the Peruvian Environmental Fund
This contest will provide total financing of US$25,000 (between US$5,000 and US$8,300 per project) to projects based on the sustainable use of wild flora and fauna resources (molle, tara, medicinal plants, vicuna fiber, among others) and/or domestic resources (honey, fruit trees, beef, alpaca fiber, hydrobiological resources, semi-permanent crops, quinoa, quiwicha, corn, among others).
Legal entities with legally constituted business projects and residents in the reserve area with 10 or more partners/community members, including micro and small businesses, organizations incorporated for the use of natural resources, cooperatives and rural communities, are eligible to apply.
In addition, with the objective of empowering the role of women in the conservation and sustainable development of our biodiversity, it is established that approximately 20% of the winning proposals must be led by women.
To apply, projects must promote the improvement, expansion and consolidation of business projects that provide a service and/or generate a product, through actions such as the improvement of equipment, infrastructure, use of technological tools, development of technical capabilities, among others. In addition, proposals must be related to conservation, excluding activities that jeopardize the integrity of ecosystems and their biodiversity.
The application process will be carried out virtually through Profonanpe’s competition portal: www.profonanpe.org.pe/concurso-emprendedores-por-cotahuasi-2/. The deadline for applications is June 22.
