CRAMSA

JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN CRAMSA AND YALQUINCHA COMMUNITY TO INITIATE AGRICULTURAL OPTIMIZATION PROCESS IN THE ANCESTRAL VALLEY

Understanding firsthand the reality of the farmers in the Yalquincha community and commencing a professional assessment of their needs were the objectives of a field visit to the area by Dr. Julio Haberland, a highly experienced Agricultural Engineer.

The initiative, driven by CRAMSA, aligns with the company’s collaborative efforts with the community to enhance their ancestral agricultural production.

“For CRAMSA, one of the fundamental pillars is working with the communities we engage with. That’s why we wanted to directly engage with the residents of Yalquincha to seek effective results for their demands because agriculture is an area of shared interest,” explained Hugo Lecaros, Manager of Corporate Affairs, who participated in the visit.

Dr. Julio Haberland, an Agricultural Engineer, highlighted the value of the project that motivated his involvement. “It’s an initiative that will help reclaim abandoned agricultural areas which used to thrive with strong agricultural practices that have since declined. Our interest alongside CRAMSA is to revitalize them, requiring technology and expertise to succeed in a project that, I see, generates significant interest within the community as well.”

Haberland, who also leads Agrológica, a company dedicated to agricultural project development, added, “This strengthening of local agriculture goes beyond just a quality subsistence system, ensuring that farmers can rely on their activity as a feasible way of life.”

Reviving Ancestral Agriculture

During the valley visit, farmers shared the primary issues affecting their crop development and hindering the growth of their ancestral agriculture.

Amalia Bautista, President of the Indigenous Community of Yalquincha Lickan Ichai Paatcha, expressed gratitude for the support, stating, “The activity seems very satisfying to us since the essence of the Yalquincha valley lies in its agriculture alongside livestock. We are happy to receive help to promote it, allowing us to foster an agricultural and food economy in the sector, a foundation for the community’s well-being.”

Regarding the project’s expectations, she emphasized, “In the future, we envision Yalquincha empowered in the agricultural sphere, paving the way for an economic activity that enables our descendants to remain in the territory, preserving its biodiversity with balance and harmonious territorial development. We have the water, the soil, and now the support to improve our agriculture, ensuring our community persists through the new generations and endures for thousands of more years.”

Following the professional assessment, the project includes providing technical support to farmers to enhance their crops, primarily addressing high soil salinity levels and gaps in irrigation management.