Andina

Best Peru cacao produced in natural protected areas

17:32 | Lima, Oct. 3.

The best Peruvian cacao is produced in seven Natural Protected Areas (ANPs), meeting high-quality standards and positioning the Inca country as the world's second-major organic cacao producer, the National Service of Natural Protected Areas (Sernanp) affirmed.

Said territories are located in Megantoni National Sanctuary (Cusco region), Ashaninka Communal Reserve (Junin and Cusco), San Matias-San Carlos Protection Forest (Pasco), as well as Tingo Maria (Huanuco), Abiseo River (San Martin), and Cordillera Azul (San Martin, Loreto, Huanuco, and Ucayali) national parks. 

In this sense, Sernanp —an agency attached to the Ministry of Environment (Minam)— stressed the importance of natural areas as they add value to the crop. 

Sernanp's Head Pedro Gamboa indicated one of the agency's major challenges is to promote national consumption of this sort of resources, which are given sustainable use in well-protected areas. 


Within this framework, Abiseo River National Park (PNRA) offers one of the best cacao agroforestry experiences. 

It should be noted, PNRA's Huicungo and Pachiza districts replaced illegal coca-growing areas with organic cacao related-activities over the past 10-15 years. 

Sustainable use 

On the other hand, the "Economic Value of the Rio Abiseo National Park" report —by Universidad del Pacifico Research Center— shows that ANP's ecosystem services contribute to generating greater productivity and incomes for cacao producers in comparison to other production areas. 

(END) NDP/MAO/RMB

Published: 10/3/2018