The fund was created with an ambitious goal: to improve the livelihoods of families living above 3,500 meters above sea level and protect the ecosystems that sustain their economy, culture, and future. To this end, it is committed to local initiatives that combine ancestral knowledge, productive innovation, and ecosystem-based adaptation measures in a territory highly vulnerable to water scarcity, grassland degradation, and changes in climate cycles.
During the first call for proposals, 12 districts in Arequipa were prioritized and 22 proposals were received. After several months of technical support, seven initiatives made it to the final stage and will receive a total of 3 million soles in funding. These proposals will be developed in strategic areas such as the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, its buffer zone, and the Cotahuasi Sub-Basin Landscape Reserve, where the impact of climate change is already tangible for hundreds of families.
Each winning initiative reflects the organizational capacity of the region’s communities. In Cotahuasi, forty-three families from the Quillunza Association of Organic Agricultural Producers will conserve native crops such as quinoa and tarwi, which are essential for coping with climate variability and protecting their food security. In Choco, the Association of Alpaca and Llama Breeders (ASCALLA) will restore qochas, conserve wetlands, and strengthen water availability—a key effort in an area facing increasing water stress.
In San Antonio de Chuca, twenty-three families from the Arotaña Joccamayo Association will strengthen vicuña conservation and the sustainable use of their fiber within the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, contributing to one of the region’s most representative supply chains. Meanwhile, in San Juan de Tarucani, the rural community will implement measures to conserve its water sources and protect the breeding of alpacas and vicuñas, an activity that is central to its family economy.
Photo: Profonanpe
The district of Yanque brings together three initiatives that stand out for their community leadership. The Joya del Colca Association, made up of twenty-three families and led by women, will promote alpaca breeding and artisanal production to strengthen their economic autonomy. The Kollawas Women’s Association of Chalhuanca will improve pasture management, strengthen hydrological monitoring, and train its members in sustainable practices. At the same time, the Colca Camel Association, which has a business plan approved by Agroideas, will implement actions to regenerate pastures and wetlands and reduce calf mortality, helping to boost the alpaca industry.
The Puna Competitive Fund is part of the Resilient Puna Project implemented by Profonanpe, Peru’s environmental fund. Its objective is to identify, finance, and support local initiatives that promote adaptation to climate change in high Andean communities. During its four years of implementation, the project seeks to finance 127 local initiatives, restore or conserve more than 23,000 hectares, directly benefit more than 31,000 people, and invest nearly €15 million.
It offers three types of financing aimed at community organizations, productive associations, cooperatives, and small producers that need to invest in climate change adaptation measures. This flexibility allows it to cater to different levels of organizational and productive maturity, with grants ranging from 400,000 soles for rural communities to 800,000 soles for community enterprises and micro-enterprises with established supply chains.
The Puna Competitive Fund is part of the Resilient Puna project, a multisectoral initiative supported by the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (Midagri), the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp), the Ministry of the Environment (Minam), Profonanpe, Peru’s environmental fund, the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), and the Mountain Institute, with funding from the Green Climate Fund and the governments of Germany and Canada.
For more information and access to the application guidelines, please visit the website.
