Ñawpa Runa Association´s

WE ARE A NON PROFIT CIVIL ASSOCIATION whose main interest is to promote and contribute to the union and collaboration among the Amazon population, especially among the inhabitants of the Chazuta District.

Our objective is to organize and develop the capability of self-management on a personal, family and community level, and by "improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems. "Caring for the Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living." through training in management so as to learn self-management skills. .

Our association´s name is ÑAWPA RUNA which means Ancient Man in Quechua. In the culture of these indigeneous people the basic element consists not in “development” but living in “equilibrium” within the numerous ecosystems and the order that exists between species of the great biodiversity that exist in the Amazon region.

Project Proposals:

1. Recovering Ancient Art And Cultural Expressions Of Chazuta

In Chazuta a living and representative culture of the north eastern Amazon region can still be found. Their beautiful and distinctive ancient culture has not been documented and it is slowly being lost due to modern culture assimilation. It is important to motivate and enhance our culture and art expressions within our family and children.

The ceramic works are reknown and are considered as the most elaborate of the San Martin region. There also exist other cultural expressions and handicraft such as: basket weaving, embroidery, knitting and folk dances, as well as the need to preserve the Quechua language.

MISSION:
The recovery of artistic and cultural expressions.

- Recovery of ancient art techniques elaborated from wild shrubs and natural materials.

- Promotion of cultural expressions such as ceramics, embroidery, story telling and folk dances.

VISION:
To promote living cultural expressions through self management projects.

2. Farmer Field School For Agricultural Tourism

Cacao Production, A Different Tourist Experience

The methods of the Farmer Field School are used to train cacao farmers in the development agricultural tourism. Designed as a simple participative group based learning process, the participants and the cacao producers will discuss and validate the techniques used in the different situations occurring in the cacao fields.

Brief history of the Farmer Field Schools

The first Farmer Field School was designed and managed in 1989 by experts working for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Indonesia. So as to train small farm owners to increase their rice yield.

Years later this training program was carried out with cacao farmers in Indonesia, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria with very good results.

Since 2006, the Farmer Field School method has been used in the San Martin region in training programs with cacao farmers.

Objectives:

• To introduce the cacao farmers to the methods of the Farmer Field School so they may develop agricultural tourism.
• To train the participant cacao farmers in the experiential learning methods of the Farmer Field School to be applied to agricultural tourism.
• To increase competence of the cacao farmers and facilitators for better - communication and interaction with tourists.

3. Farm Field School

These schools teach practical topics. After work in the fields, many communities provide a study place under a shaded area where the participants will engage in follow-up discussions – there are no lectures. All activities are based on experiential (learning by doing) and participatory work. Experience has shown that structured and participatory activities are the basis for continued innovation and local adaptation, after the course has been completed.

Farm Field School Facilitators

The facilitator plays a central role in the program as a guide and skilled farmer. That is why one of the objectives of the agricultural tourism program is to train local cacao farmers, who are recognized members of the community, speak the native language and know the region well, to become facilitators.

Contact us

For more informationO : http://nawparunadechazuta.over-blog.es/