„Establishment of development and extension center in the Peruvian

Amazon“

Project in the Program of Czech International Development Aid:

Basic information about the project

• Donor: Ministry of Agriculture ČR

• Execution: ITS, CUA in Prague

• Duration: 2003 – 2006

• Overall budget: 4 950 000,- Kč

• Budget for the year 2003: 1 683 000,- Kč

• Project site: Peru, Ucayali, Pucallpa

Project staff

• Ing. Bohdan Lojka (agroforestry)

• Ing. Jana Lojková (socio-ekonomy, marketing)

• Ing. Jan Banout (engineering)

• Ing. Zbyněk Polesný (etnobotany, agricultural systems)

• Ing. Martin Kočárek (pedology)

Basic information about project site

• Region Ucayali population: 430 000

• Pucallpa population: 250000

• Amazon Basin• 150-200 m.a.s.l.• precipitation 1500 mm• Climate – tropical humid• Tropical Rainforest

Current situation in the project area

• One of the least developed region in • Since 1960s colonization by the new

settlers• Extensive deforestation• Slash-and-Burn farming• A lot of large development project failed• Low interest of the government for

development (low investment, bad infrastructure)

Objectives of the project

• Improvement of the agricultural systems

• Generation and extension of the improved agroforestry practices

• Economic evaluation of agroforestry systems

• Improved marketing of local agriculture products

• Including ITS students into the project

Major activities in year 2003

• Selection of 6 participating communities• Monitoring of current agricultural systems –RRA,

PRA, semi-structured interview• Pedological survey• Beginning of PTD process• Cooperation with local governmental as well as

non-governmental organization• Extension of improved agroforestry practices• Cooperation with UNU (agroforestry nursery,

student thesis)• Other activities

Selection of communities

Participating communities were selected from 2 distinct agro-ecological zones:

A) Seasonally flooded areas along Ucayali river:

- Santa Teresa- Santa Isabel de Bahuanisho- Monte de los Olivos

B) Upland areas along the Pucallpa-Lima road:- Nueva Belén- Antonio Raymondi- Pimental

Santa Teresa

Bahuanisho

Monte de los Olivos

Antonio Raymondi

Nueva Belén

Pimental

Participation monitoring

• key informants

• Semi-structured interviews– 3-4 farmers in each community

• Participation diagnostic workshops– 2 in each community

• Starting of PTD process

Data collection

Growing calendar and map of the farm

Participation diagnostic workshops

Results of the workshops

Results of the diagnosis

• Main problems in the floodplain areas:- pest and diseases

- market prices of the agricultural products

- transport of the products to the market

- lack processing

- small diversification of production

• Main problems in the upland areas:

- deforestation

- loss of soil fertility

- weeds

- fires

Methodology of PTD process

• Global community diagnosis• Defining priority problems and their diagnosis

(What and why)• Looking for things to try and designing the

experiments• Trying things out - measuring• Evaluation and sharing the results

Cooperation organization

• UNU – Universidad Nacional de Ucayali

• FUSEVI – Fuerza por la Selva Viva

• UNAS – Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva, Tingo María

• Ministry of Agriculture - Pucallpa• SENASA – Servicio Nacional de la Sanidad Agraria

• ICRAF – World Agroforestry Centre

• INIA – Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agraria

Generation of improved technologies

• Biological control against pest and diseases (Cosmopolites sordidus, Fusarium sp.)

• Support of vegetable growing – providing improved and certified seeds

• Fruit processing• Weed control – providing small mechanization

for 3 communities• Improved agroforestry system with Inga edulis• Support of pepper (Piper nigrum) growing with

the use of agroforestry methods

Biological control of Cosmopolites sordidus

Weed control

Improved AF systems with Inga edulis

Pepper growing with the use of agroforestry methods

Distribution of tree seedlings (live posts for pepper) in Pimental

- Bolaina (Guazuma crinita)- Tahuari (Tabebuia serratifolia)

Cooperation with the National University of Pucallpa UNU

• Establishment of Agroforestry nursery for native fruit trees– Part of production for germaplasm conservation in the

botanic garden– Part of production for promotion among farmers– Part of production for market

• Student thesis – Feasibility study of citrus processing in the Mashangay region

Establishment of agroforestry nursery – initial condition

First work

Present

Other activities

• Organization of PTD workshop

• Publishing of the picture brochure and workshops about fire prevention and

• Material support of local agricultural college (Colegio Agropecuario de Santa Rosa)

PTD Workshop

Work of groups

Establishment of agroforestry trials at Colegio agropecuario de Santa Rosa

Solar drying of papaya

Plans for the next year

• Continuation of PTD process (Participatory Technology Development)

• Establishment of agroforestry plots in pepper growing

• Establishment of germaplasm orchard of native fruit trees with UNU

• Possibilities of fruit processing (jam, dry fruits)• Pedological survey (continuation)• Composting• Marketing of local products• Support of organic farming in the area

Thanks for your attention

www.itsz.czu.cz/projects/peru/projektperu.htm

Ing. Bohdan Lojka (lojka@itsz.czu.cz)

Ing. Jana Lojková (areaviva@quick.cz)

Ing. Jan Banout (banout@itsz.czu.cz)

Ing. Zbyněk Polesný (polesny@itsz.czu.cz)