During two years the Flemish fund for Tropical Forests has supported a project from the local organization DRIS in and around the communal reserve Yanesha. These are the results.

The communal reserve Yanesha is an area of 34.745ha in the center of Peru. From 2014 till 2016 the Flemish fund for Tropical Forests supported the capacity building for the conservation and sustainable management of the natural resources in the Yanesha reserve and its surroundings.

Amarcy is the umbrella organization of the Yanesha-communities who live in the surroundings of the reserve. The reinforcement of Amarcy  and her members is crucial to reach a sustainable management of the reserve. During 2 years the organization has been strengthened institutionally (among others the aspects of strategy planning, financial management and organizational sustainability).

DRIS works together with 3 communities: Santa Rosa de Pichanaz, Alto Iscozacín and 7 de Junio. In a participative way the “life plan for the communities’ wellbeing” has been edited, this document also includes guidelines for the management of the territory. The 3 development plans have been validated and presented to the National Government (PNCBMCC). By this way the communities receive an incentive from the government to maintain the surface of this communal forest.

Lastly there have also been established concrete actions with the three communities that are situated within the development plans and have as a goal to improve the value chain from cacao. 50 cacao farmers have been trained, 40 cacao-producing families from the three communities manage their cacao agroforestry plots sustainably, there have been bought machines to manage the harvest and a regional cacao forum has been established.