From July 31 to August 3, Puno and Cusco became the epicentre of a transformative exchange. The Social Development Cooperation Fund (Fondo de Cooperación para el Desarrollo Social, FONCODES), in partnership with the regional project Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático, initiated an innovative process that will enhance the sustainability of Inclusive Rural Enterprises (Emprendimientos Rurales Inclusivo, ERIS) in the context of climate change. A methodological strategy for the situational diagnosis of ERIS was outlined through collaborative workshops, a crucial step toward their strengthening and climate adaptation.
The ERIS are funded through the FONCODES Budget Program (PP) 0118, «Access of rural households with subsistence economies to local markets (Acceso de hogares rurales con economías de subsistencia a mercados locales)” and encompasses technical assistance, training, and assets to promote small business initiatives and producer organizations that generate income to meet market demands. In this way, the enterprises are selected through a selection process. However, after several editions of ERIS selection processes, FONCODES has identified limited opportunities for access to local markets due to various issues, including strongly changing environmental conditions due to increased climate variability in a climate change context.
Led by Hernán Lázaro, head of the Productive Projects Management Unit at FONCODES, the teams from the Territorial Units (UT) of Puno and Cusco, along with experts and delegates from FONCODES’s central office, engaged in rigorous working sessions in the initial week of August 2023. The aim of these workshops, each spanning a day and a half in their respective regions, was evident: to enhance the action plan and establish the approach for conducting a situational diagnosis of ERIS within the urgent context of climate change.
With a representative sample of 105 ERIS, carefully selected from livestock, agribusiness, agriculture, handicrafts, forestry, and aquaculture sectors, FONCODES seeks to understand, segment, and analyse the challenges and opportunities faced by these entrepreneurial families.
The need for this initiative is based on the increasing exposure of ERIS to the impacts of climate change. With an eye on resilience, the diagnosis will identify the climate risks that threaten these activities while showcasing the good practices and innovations that Andean family agriculture has used to adapt to climate changes.
Special attention is focused on the alpaca camelid chain, a vital source of livelihood in Cusco and Puno. However, the diversity of ERIS, from textile production to the sale of dairy products, reflects the audacity and determination of these families to transcend in family and rural agriculture. This diagnosis not only establishes the foundation for enhancing ERIS in Puno and Cusco but also facilitates their replication and success in a future characterized by resilience and adaptation to climate change.
Source: Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático
The Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático project by the HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation-Fundación Avina consortium and implemented by Swiss Cooperation COSUDE, supports the Social Development Cooperation Fund (FONCODES) of the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (Ministerio de Desarrollo e Inclusión Social, MIDIS) through plans and technical assistance actions focused on rural extension activities with family agriculture in Cusco and Puno. This ensures a framework for the integration of good practices and climate change adaptation measures for the most vulnerable populations.
Further Information:
Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático Regional Project Website
Regional Project Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático Brochure (Span)
Peru – Regional Project Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático Brochure (Span)
Fact Sheet Project Regional Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático
Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático Facebook Page
Fact Sheet Strategic Plan for Peru – Regional Project Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático (Span)
