Within the framework of the project “Fishing and farming in the Desert, a platform to understand how to respond to the El Nino in the context of climate change in Sechura, Peru and with the aim of strengthening coordination activities with the communities surrounding the lagoons of Napique and La Niña in the Sechura Desert”; the technical team of the Agrarian Development Foundation (FDA) visited the town of “Chutuque” in the district of Cristo Nos Valga, Sechura. Dr. Jaime Mendo and his technical team met with Mr. Bernardo Ruiz Tume (Chairman of the Committee of users of temporary water for irrigation, livestock, fisheries, tourism and others of the left and right margin of the Piura River , Sechura Province – R.A. No. 040-2019-MDCNV/A) and Mr. Diego Chunga Morales (Lieutenant Governor “Chutuque”).
Dr. Jaime Mendo started the meeting with a brief explanation of the project and its importance for decision-making in the face of the opportunities generated by the El Niño in local economic activities, mainly in fisheries and agriculture. Mr. Bernardo Tume and Mr. Diego Chunga expressed their interest in supporting the project by facilitating interviews with villagers and pledged to support more communities in their organization. They also mentioned that the aforementioned committee has been implementing a project called “LA TAPA DEL CUY” aimed at damming water from the Piura River and being used for family farming; and requested support so that through the university or another institution productive projects such as aquaculture, grape production, management of algarrobo forests, production of artemia and training for the use of technical irrigation can be developed as an alternative to water scarcity.
The FDA team expressed to leaders the importance of community organization in accessing funds for the development of pilot projects, and pledged to contact UNALM teachers to virtually advise and train villagers for the use of technical irrigation in local agricultural production. It is worth mentioning that the leaders have registering the inhabitants in their region and offered to provide the information that is needed. This organization covers the villages of “Mala Vida”, “Cerritos”, “Onza de Oro”, “Nuevo Pozo Oscuro”, among others.
Finally, the FDA team held a meeting in Sechura with Ing. Alex Eche Chunga (Economic Development Manager of the Municipality of Sechura) who expressed an interest in strengthening the level of organization of these communities to access future funds and logistical support to continue the surveys over the next few months.
