El Chontaduro Apuesta Sostenible para el Departamento del Guaviare

The chontaduro production is concentrated in approximately 1,600 hectares, with more than 8 organizations involved in the production process. The fruit is primarily marketed through local queseras, which use around 50,000 liters of milk daily. A technical and economic document, "El Chontaduro Apuesta Sostenible para el Departamento del Guaviare," has been developed to provide information and support for producers, extensionists, and professionals involved in the region's productive development. The document aims to facilitate the implementation of agricultural techniques and serve as a tool for decision-making regarding the production of chontaduro in the department. The document highlights the importance of commercialization chains, technical assistance, and phytosanitary services, as well as environmental conditions, in the development of alternative productive activities in the Guaviare department. The program Riqueza Natural ADC estimates the publication of the document for November. The quality of milk produced in the region has been characterized through a sampling process conducted by the technical team of the Riqueza Natural ADC program, in collaboration with producers. The objective of this activity is to determine the physical, chemical, and microbiological quality of the product. The results of the sampling have been favorable, with high levels of protein and fat content. The program Riqueza Natural ADC, in partnership with ASOJUNTAS and local fire departments, is implementing an initiative to create a network of first responders to forest fires in the Guaviare department. The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of communities to protect their natural resources and respond to forest fires, which affected 7,500 hectares and 120 conflagrations in 2019. Twenty-four leaders of social organizations in the Guaviare department received training in strategies for self-protection, focusing on the need to apply measures to complement the state's response to prevention and protection. The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of leaders and organizations to protect themselves and their communities from security threats. The ADC Riqueza Natural program is working to promote sustainable livestock production, with a focus on reducing carbon emissions and containing deforestation. The program is also promoting commercial agreements between producers and companies that transform milk in the region and the country. Some companies have shown interest in purchasing milk from the Guaviare region, with some having already conducted laboratory tests. The program is also supporting the development of a tourism route focused on majestic trees in the Guaviare department. The initiative aims to promote the preservation of these species and their environmental value. The Juntas de Acción Comunal (JAC) that win the "Árboles Majestuosos" competition will receive an economic incentive to invest in the protection of the selected tree, as well as in the limitation of the sendero and preservation of the forest.