Organic Farming in Peru

Organic Farming in Peru

This short article highlights why these coffee producers are turning to Organic Farming in Peru to cope with the climate crisis.  Below is the transcript from Segundo Guerrero and his son Hugo on some of  the current challenges facing Organic Farming in Peru.   See video link below.

Segundo Guerrero with son Hugo Guerrero talk about the increase in pests and diseases that affect their coffee farms. Hugo, an expert in organic coffee production, explains how he is experimenting with agroforestry, soil management and different crop varieties to cope with the climate crisis.

Segundo Guerrero:  We have been growing coffee for more than 100 years and we will continue to grow it for maybe another 100 years because basically coffee is our life.  My fear for the future is that farmers hereabouts are unable to control the diseases and pests, it is as if there is some sort of contamination within our borders.

Our area used to be free of all types of disease, there was no coffee rust, there was no brown eye, there was no borer (three diseases which affect coffee plants).  When the coffee rust struck it was a largely an unknown disease and really concerned us, it hit us really hard and there was a huge drop in production.  We as producers have to be aware and keep abreast of the changes in climate, look at what we can do and which crops are best to grow.  In this case, coffee performs better at higher altitudes than lower altitudes.  My hopes for the future are that we have more technical support.

My youngest son is an agricultural engineer, and more involved in the research into coffee and organic production as well as beating diseases and fertilizing the soil in a balanced way.

His son Hugo Guerrero explains: What I am doing here is trying out different varieties, with diversification and different types of soil management in order to face the climate changes we are experiencing.  What we see now are long periods of drought which causes stress in the plants, the crops, and that is something we are managing with agro-forestry, that is with trees, in an effort to reduce the loss of moisture from the soil.  Together with irrigation systems which we have installed to make better use of water.  We also incorporate bio-fertilizers and micro-organisms in these irrigation systems.

Watch this short (2:56 minute) video  https://youtu.be/ZLG7LVi0cnQ

 

About the author: Susan Bate
Nothing beats enjoying my morning coffee in the great outdoors