Independent fishermen and textile MSE´s sin Peru will benefit from socio-productive projects

More than 600 members of the 53 associations of independent fishermen of Southern Peru benefited from the project to restock, and establish a responsible and sustainable management of the water resources, while close to 200 textile micro-enterprises from five regions in the country received training in the implementation of best practices for fair and ethical trade. 

The innovative initiatives are summarized in the publication "Nuevos caminos para el desarrollo" (New roads for development), presented today, in addition to the achievements of these projects promoted by CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, and the General Fund for Italian Cooperation, in alliance with the Ministry of Production and the Vice-Ministry for Fishing, in the first case, and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and PROMPERU, in the second. 

The study "Estudio del recurso pesquero artesanal en el sur del Perú" (Artisan fishing resource in the South of Peru) was executed in association with the Istituto Per la Cooperazione Universitaria (ICU) (Institute for University Cooperation), and enabled the training of Social Organizations of Independent Fishermen (OSPA's, for its acronym in Spanish) from Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna to restock the species that had been overexploited, such as chanque and limpets; and cultivation of algae and sea urchins, which are marine products that are currently marketed by Sustainable Fishery Trade Peru, a company created as a result of the project, in renowned gourmet restaurants in the country, such as the Gastón Acurio Chian, among others. 

It should be noted that this project has had a high level of innovation in Peruvian aquaculture, as it implemented the first hanging system for the cultivation of red algae in Peru, the first artisanal cage managed by fishermen, the first import experience, and restocking of sea urchins. 

In summary, the restocking project and cultivation of marine species helped advance in matters regarding management, innovation, sensitization, and sustainability in the management of marine resources and the economies of families, with a national market which is potentially international. 

At the same time, the project "Sistema de comercio justo y ético en el clúster peruano de textil y confecciones en Perú" (Fair and ethical trade system in the Peruvian textile and manufacturing cluster), helped train, in association with Altromercato and PROMER, about 200 micro and small enterprises from Arequipa, Cusco, Junin, Lima, and Puno, and implement Best Practices of Fair Trade, based on respect, transparency, and dialogue, involving socially and environmentally responsible practices while considering a voluntary and fair commercial relation between producers and consumers, in which quality and equity are key to determine the value of a product.  

The SME's that participated in the project took on the challenge of improving diverse aspects such as management, designs, diversification of products, relationship with the value chain, and the evolution of the productive process to increase quality and competitiveness.  

The initiative allowed 13 SME's to obtain the Fair Trade certification, access the commercial network of Fair and Ethical Trade, participate in Peru Moda and other well-known international fairs, and enter that niche in the world market and increase the volume and value of exports. 

According to PROMPERU, the total exports of about one hundred enterprises that participated in the project went to the United States, Germany, France, Japan, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, and Ecuador, among others, exceeding USD 23 million, which represents an increase of 15 percent over the past four years. 

It is noteworthy that 70 percent of the labor force in these SME's is made up of women with ample traditional knowledge regarding the knitting, spinning, and artisan production processes of items such as coats, jackets, capes, ponchos, sweaters, hats, gloves, and scarves, among others, with materials such as alpaca, baby alpaca, and pima cotton.

The presentation of the results of both projects appearing in the publication of "Nuevos caminos para el desarrollo" (New roads for development), included the participation of Eleonora Silva, CAF's Director Representative in Peru, Miriam Guimaray, delegate from the Italian Agency for Foreign Trade, and Ricardo Limo, Deputy Director for exporting development at PROMPERÚ.

The execution of these initiatives shows that it is possible to promote socio-productive projects that generate inclusion, as well as reduce inequality and poverty through initiatives promoted by international cooperation, local authorities, NGO's, and an organized population. These types of successful experiences are aimed at strengthening innovating entrepreneurship, generation of knowledge, entrepreneurial development, sustainable productive linkages, and productive and socially inclusive competitiveness, in order to mobilize international resources toward the countries of the region, seeking their sustainability and replicability.