The challenge

Loreto region in northeast Peru contains more than 51% of the country’s forest area and plays an important role in biodiversity conservation, carbon stock, and livelihoods for indigenous populations in the Peruvian Amazon.

With few options for locals to make a sustainable livelihood, there remain high levels of deforestation that are primarily driven by the market for timber and fruits, including aguaje – a palm tree species native to South America that produces an edible fruit high in nutrients. Deforestation takes place when communities cut down the palms to harvest the fruit, communities cut down the palms.

The initiative

One of the largest multinational beverage companies in Peru, AJE Group has made a commitment to the Environment Ministry to protect forests through their expertise in the beverage sector. As part of this, the company has launched a new brand to focus on sustainable products – Amarumayu – derived from the Quechua indigenous language meaning ‘serpent river’.

Through the sustainable harvesting of Amazonian camu-camu and aguaje, Amarumayu is producing nutritious juices called Bio Amayu. Both fruits are abundant in the Loreto region, where the initial pilot in eight communities was a success. With P4F support, this project scaled to work with an additional 19 communities.

P4F supported Amarumayu to train local people in the sustainable harvest of the fruits.Local communities production and governance capacities were also strengthened, to ensure wider benefits for community and forest protection, as well as increased increasing traceability and harvesting capacities. 

Frutama Company, a local enterprise that processes the fruit and turns it into pulp was another key stakeholder involved in the project. They received support to strength their processing capacities and respond to AJE’s demand in terms of quantity and quality of the fruit.

Current impact

Forest protection

  • 245,729 hectares protected under the zero deforestation agreements signed between AJE and 22 communities.
  • 151,290​ hectares under sustainable management use.
  • Purchase and zero-deforestation agreements signed between AJE and 22 communities.
  • Traceability system in place for AJE to monitor harvest stages and compliance of non-deforestation agreements.

Communities

  • 350 tons of aguaje and açaí sold by the communities to Amarumayu.
  • 15 communities obtained harvesting permits issued by the environmental authorities to sustainable harvest aguaje and camu camu.
  • 305 beneficiaries received trainings on sustainable harvesting, governance, business skills, among others.
  • 16 associations constituted.

AJE

  • Mobilised £1.2 million to promote the juices in different countries.

Frutama

  • Increased fruit processing capacity by 100%, growing from 24 to 48 tons of fruit per week able to be processed. Cold storage capacity also increased from  27 to 107 metric tons.
  • Frutama diversified the products, adding popsicles (ice lollies) and dried fruit to their portfolio.

Future impact

  • Communities keep selling to AJE and to other major buyers.
  • AJE expects to increase the fruit purchase to the communities by 10% per year.
  • Frutama and the communities may sell to additional major buyers in addition to AJE.
  • AJE may replicate the model of this project in Colombia and Ecuador.
  • It is expected that AJE will keep investing in marketing and opening new market for the juices.