After 5 months of waiting for the Management Plan to be analyzed and approved by INRENA, the hard work of the community of Chipaota and the RP Team paid off, as the formal announcement of the Plan’s approval was given in San Martin, on October 27. The announcement was indeed a celebration for the community of Chipaota, as they are now legally able to begin harvesting and selling the piassaba fiber.
The ceremony took place at Regional Government facilities with the presence of 16 men and women from Chipaota, the Director of Natural Resources, the President of flora and fauna council and the Regional President of San Martin, who personally delivered the approval of the management plan to the Apu (Chief) of Chipaota. The regional president emphasized the important example that Chipaota has set for other communities in the region. He stressed the need to develop sustainable activities like the management plan, along with the development of artesan projects that will allow the region to develop and integrate.
Among others, the ceremony was also attended by representatives of NGOs, local media, and the RP Peru team. Before the delivery of the permit, Uliver Cenepo (president of the ECOMUSA piazaba), gave a presentation about Chipaota, its location, the activities taking place there, etc. Jaso continued explaining the process of the implementing the Management Plan, how Rainforest Partnership has provided support for the project and the next stages of development with the community. At the end Jaso and I distributed brochures about the project and RP to all attendees of the meeting.
The day after, I found the ceremony on the first page of a local newspaper with a memorable photo of the regional president and the Apu of Chipaota. The news of the ceremony and approval of the management plan was also aired on the local news.
