About the group
Number of smallholders: 27 (18 Men, 9 Women)
Total Land Area: 478.64 Ha
Status: Certified
Preserved Area: 66.64 Ha
Group location: Federico Basadre Highway Km 61 - La Curva, Ucayali, Peru
Country: Peru
On-going Facilitator: Solidaridad Peru
Status of project: On going
SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY STORY
In Ucayali, Peru, 27 smallholders have joined forces under APROMAN, an emerging association, to transform their farming methods by promoting sustainable palm oil production and positively impacting the environment. In 2023, they obtained RSPO membership, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in the association’s history. APROMAN is one of four associations in Peru that are members of RSPO, and they are embarking on sustainable production methods. Currently, they have increased their palm oil production, and the organisation continues to grow.
With a focus on unity and joint problem-solving, the association has become a benchmark for other smallholders. Luis Bernabé, the president of the association, emphasizes the importance of working as a group. He says, “We work as a group, where we respect each other’s ideas, reach a consensus, and move forward. Having these processes is essential to achieve our goals.”
Reflecting on the strides they’ve made after acquiring RSPO certification, Luis Bernabe recounts APROMAN’s accomplishments and contemplates future hurdles. He shares, “We hope there will be many results. We understand they will come gradually. The greatest achievement is having acquired the certification, which encourages us to continue working in the association.” Looking ahead to 2024, the group is ambitious in ensuring that all APROMAN smallholders produce sustainably. This goal presents its own set of challenges, such as enhancing technical training, boosting capital for infrastructure, and expanding their workforce – challenges they are ready to face head-on.
With its collaborative and sustainable approach, APROMAN is not only transforming its own practices but also becoming a beacon of inspiration for other smallholders, demonstrating that sustainability is a viable and beneficial path for all.
“There have been changes and challenges from the beginning. We have obtained RSPO certification by working on various aspects. We have tried to manage fertilisers well, handle waste deposits, and separate plastic from waste. We are avoiding polluting rivers and lakes. We use biological fertilisers. There are many changes we have tried to implement.”
Project Impact
Total area covered by the project
478.64 Ha
Number of smallholders benefitting from this project
27 Smallholders
Number/percentage of women supported by this project
33.33% women in this project
How you can support
To continue the growth and strengthening of this sustainability project, support is required in various key areas:
- Technical training in areas such as fertilisation and soil usage to enhance agricultural practices.
- Specific technical support to assess and better understand soil conditions.
- Financial capital to improve access roads, acquire modern and efficient tools, and hire additional workers
GROUP CONTACT
Representative Contact
Pedro Seijas | Group Manager | [email protected] |
FACILITATOR GROUP CONTACT
Representative Contact
Lesly Vera | Oil Palm Program Coordinator +51 1 445 4242 | [email protected] | https://solidaridadlatam.org/
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