The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), the Ministry of Environment and Water (MAAE) and the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP), through the Comprehensive Amazon Program for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Production (PROAmazonía), with the support of UNDP, provided seeds and informative materials for strengthening agroforestry systems and promoting sustainable production in the Ecuadorian Amazon. 

More than 100,000 plants suitable for cultivation in the Amazon region were delivered during the month of June, in Sucumbíos, Orellana and Napo. This activity will benefit about 900 producers who are part of MAG’s Amazon Productive Transformation Agenda –  Sustainable Agroproductive Reconversion, ATPA-RAPS. This program promotes the use of sustainable production systems in which agricultural and forest crops are combined to diversify production and avoid deforestation and the expansion of the agricultural frontier. 

Under the Amazon Productive Transformation Agenda (ATPA) and with the support of PROAmazonía, the conservation and care of forests is prioritized. At the same time, technical assistance on sustainable production, soil management, and others is provided. The delivery of plants is part of the non-monetary incentives offered to producers to generate joint commitments towards sustainable, deforestation-free production. 

The plants provided by INIAP have the technical and quality guarantee of the research institute. This delivery includes 22 species of plants, including: Cocoa, Borojó, Chontaduro, Naranjilla, and others. 

The transport and delivery of plants requires the logistical and technical efforts of the agencies and their collaborators, who travel to the farms of the producers to deliver the plants door to door, while following strict biosecurity protocols due to the current health emergency. 

In the coming months, ATPA technicians will monitor the implementation of the incentives (plants) delivered under the technical assistance and the management plan of each farm. These incentives seek to support producers in order to jointly ensure the conservation of the natural and productive resources of our Amazon.