Advancing a roadmap for the Amazon Chestnut sector to foster decent work and environmental sustainability in the Peruvian Amazon

LIMA (ILO News) - The Technical Roundtable for the Amazon Chestnut in Madre de Dios served as the platform for the presentation of a proposal to develop a roadmap aimed at strengthening the value chain of this unique resource of the Peruvian Amazon.

This initiative, promoted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Centre for Productive Innovation and Technology Transfer of Madre de Dios, seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable development by integrating technological innovation, gender equality, and environmental conservation.

The proposed roadmap, developed through interviews and the systematization of key documents, aims to establish a shared vision among stakeholders in this productive ecosystem, which currently provides employment to over 15,000 people in this region of the Peruvian Amazon.
During the event, participants discussed challenges and opportunities, including the need to connect chestnut production to national and international markets, forest conservation, and the improvement of working conditions. Concrete actions were proposed to diversify chestnut-based products and enhance the capabilities of small producers, with a focus on prioritizing the inclusion of women and youth in the value chain.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) underscored the importance of a potential financing scheme for climate adaptation projects from the perspective of anchor companies, while the National Forest Conservation Program of the Ministry of Environment (MINAM) stressed the connection between sustainable forest management and the well-being of local communities, advocating for a model where conservation and development complement each other through the financing of business plans.

Moreover, the multi-sectoral collaboration fostered by the Technical Roundtable was reaffirmed as essential to achieving a balance between conservation and economic development. In this regard, Miguel Zamalloa, president of the Roundtable and representative of the Association of Organic Collectors of the Amazon Nut of Peru (RONAP), highlighted that “having a roadmap for the Amazon chestnut represents an excellent boost to strengthen the actions of the Technical Roundtable. We hope to lay the foundation for our plans toward 2025 and beyond.”

The upcoming meetings of the Roundtable will be crucial for refining strategies, evaluating progress, and strengthening cooperation between public and private sector stakeholders, with technical assistance from the ILO.

“The Amazon chestnut is a unique product in Peru, found exclusively in Madre de Dios. This roadmap not only reinforces the commitment to sustainability but also opens doors to generational renewal, youth and women’s employment, and the preservation of ancestral practices”, emphasized Virginia Rose Losada, Specialist in Enterprises, Cooperatives and Rural Development at the ILO Office for the Andean Countries.

Since 2019, the ILO has collaborated with the Peruvian Technological Institute (ITP) and its network of Centers for Productive and Technological Innovation (CITE) to promote decent work, productivity, and, more recently, climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies from a value chain perspective.

This proposal marks a significant step toward consolidating a comprehensive roadmap that positions the Amazon chestnut as a global model of sustainability, equity, and innovation, improving both production and the living conditions of local communities. By 2025, concrete results are expected to reflect the impact of this strategic and multisectoral alliance.