Enhancement of the Peasant Camelid Economy Support Project

Through this project, ranchers are increasing their incomes, protecting the environment and transforming their lives through improved management practices, capacity-building and new initiatives. The project helps traditional herders protect the environment and make sustainable profits from their llamas and other camelids, especially by providing training in nutrition and animal husbandry practices. Llamas are being treated for parasites and receiving vitamins to keep them in optimal health, and ranchers are now working with technicians to improve the genetic lines of their herds.

At the same time, the project looks to open new markets and create new value-added products from llama meat, and alpaca and vicuña fibre. Many farmers have opted to use project funds to build value-added business enterprises, working in llama processing, artisan goods or even tourism as a sustainable and green revenue source. In many cases, the farmers are now re-investing their revenues into their enterprises.

Specific project goals include:

• Improving the social, human, financial, physical and natural assets of poor, small-scale camelid producers and entrepreneurs, especially women and young people
• Improving access to financial resources, technical assistance, knowledge and information for project participants
• Incorporating the camelid economy into poverty reduction strategies
• Increasing market access and strengthening value chains
• Strengthening government organizations charged with protecting vicuñas
• Strengthening camelid producers' associations.

In order to better protect and manage Bolivia's wild vicuña herds, the project is encouraging catch-and-release sheering programmes. It is also investing heavily in women's initiatives, and half the members of the producers' committees are women.