Peru lost around 203,000 hectares of forest last year, the highest figure in the last two decades, according to the National Forest Conservation Program for Climate Change Mitigation of the Ministry of Environment (Minam). Precisely, one of the key actions in the fight against climate change is to reduce the deforestation of these areas with the sustainability of crops.
In this line, the Exporters Association (ADEX) is becoming more and more involved with environmental care, and for this reason -through its Coffee and Cocoa Committee- has joined the Cocoa, forests and diversity agreement of the Rainforest Alliance partnership.
According to the president of the Coffee and Cocoa Committee of the business association, José Mejía Polanco, this strategy seeks to promote the transition to deforestation-free value chains under a sustainable approach. "Cocoa companies, members of ADEX, will participate in the development of the action plan of the Cocoa, Forests and Diversity Agreement of that coalition, which will begin in 2022," he told Perú Exporta magazine.
According to the representative of the Coalition for Sustainable Production, Daniel Coronel, this work will accompany and help companies and organizations to respond to the new demands of international markets, as well as to contribute to the government's work to reduce this problem in the country's Amazon by up to 30% by 2030.
"There are new sustainability standards to be met, which is why we are seeking to raise awareness among the main players in the industry, providing them with accurate information on environmental care," said the spokesperson.
The coalition -he recalled- was launched in 2017 during that year's Expoamazonica San Martin, which was signed at that time by 44 organizations with the aim of combating deforestation.
"Some of the objectives of this pact are to generate alliances and thus achieve productive chains and jurisdictions free of this problem, promote an adequate environment for sustainable business, among others," concluded Coronel (L.P.L.).
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According to Minam, Peru has about 69 million hectares of forests, however, the extinction of these areas generates 51% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the country.
In 2019, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri), in coordination with the Ministry of Environment (Minam), joined the Rainforest Alliance to promote public-private partnerships to work towards deforestation-free agriculture.
Learn more about Cocoa Agreement here
