From September 21 to 24, more than 600 exhibitors from all corners of the Peruvian Amazon gathered in the city of Tingo Maria, in Huanuco. For the second consecutive year, Conservation International was present at this commercial event that aims to show the world the agricultural, livestock, agro-industrial, handicraft, tourism and natural wealth of the Peruvian jungle.
The more than 85,000 attendees were able to enjoy artistic and cultural demonstrations, visit business roundtables, attend thematic forums and enjoy products from 16 Amazonian protected natural areas that attracted the attention of buyers from Colombia, Germany, South Korea, Spain, the United States, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Poland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Switzerland, the United States and Taiwan.
In addition to having a stand to promote educational activities and to be a platform for enterprises such as Nuwa Infusions, Conservation International managed the presence of 4 enterprises from the Central Forest and Loreto. Chambira handicrafts, ice cream made from paiche pulp, natural cosmetics, and medicinal plants, are some of the enterprises that stood out at the fair.
Seven indigenous women leaders also participated and were able to exhibit their products and initiatives in different areas of the fair. All of them are part of the Amazon Indigenous Women’s Program, which seeks to strengthen their leadership through a scholarship fund that supports their social and environmental undertakings, also seeking to generate important spaces for learning and exchange of experiences.
Mónica Hidalgo, gender and safeguards manager of the Amazon Business Alliance at Conservation International, participated in the Sustainable Business forum. During her speech, she highlighted the inequality of opportunities that exist in the market for women entrepreneurs in the Peruvian jungle, and the importance of generating an offer of microcredits that meet their needs, as a fundamental step to promote a better and more equitable development of our jungle.
Along the same lines, we celebrated the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Provincial Municipality of Coronel Portillo, located in the Ucayali region, to promote and strengthen competitive and environmentally friendly businesses. Mayor Janet Yvone Castagne Vásquez and Luis Espinel, Executive Director and Vice President of Conservation International in Peru, agreed to work together, joining efforts to turn the province into an example to follow.
