The “Crecer Rural: Innovative Initiatives to Strengthen Rural Economies, with a Focus on Gender and the Circular Economy in La Libertad”, implemented by CEDEPAS Norte with the support of Manos Unidas, held a technical internship in Santiago, Chile, from August 25 to 27. This exchange benefited from the ongoing collaboration of Rimisp—Latin American Center for Rural Development, an institution that provided guidance and supported the strategic coordination of the agenda in the country.

The main objective of the internship was to gain firsthand insight into Chile’s experiences in the design and implementation of public policies, strategies for promoting production, regional innovation, and the inclusion of smallholder family farming, in order to identify lessons that could be applied to rural areas in northern Peru.

To this end, a delegation composed of 16 representatives from local governments, public services, rural development institutions, academia, and civil society organizations in the La Libertad region traveled to Chile. Notable among the participating institutions were representatives from various provincial and district municipalities, AGRORURAL, Agroideas, the La Libertad Regional Agriculture Office (GRALL), the Julcán Agricultural Agency, the Ciro Alegría National University (UNCA), and professionals from CEDEPAS Norte.

WORK AGENDA AND TECHNICAL EXCHANGE

The technical internship included a three-day schedule:

• DAY 1: The activities began at the Metropolitan Regional Office of the Institute for Agricultural and Livestock Development (INDAP), where the delegation learned about the support programs for rural communities. Afterwards, they traveled to Mallarauco (Melipilla) to visit a community-based irrigation project, speaking directly with its users and officials from the local Area Agency. The day concluded with a tour of the processing plant operated by the agricultural organization Agro La Campera, a supplier to JUNAEB concessionaires and institutions participating in the Food Framework Agreement.
• DAY 2: The tour began at the Metropolitan Hub of the Santiago Metropolitan Regional Government, where they learned about coordination models for local development. The group then proceeded to CORFO, where they learned about the institutional experience of the Regional Productive Development Committees (CDPR) and the Integrated Territorial Programs (PTI). In the afternoon, the group visited the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
• DAY 3: The closing session began with a presentation by María Paz Sagredo, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, who analyzed the coordination and challenges of INDAP’s programs focused on family farming by rural and indigenous communities. Finally, the delegation visited the Office of Agrarian Studies and Policies (ODEPA) to learn about the guidelines and implementation process of Chile’s National Rural Development Policy.

The “Crecer Rural” program is an initiative implemented by CEDEPAS Norte, with the support of Manos Unidas, aimed at strengthening rural economies in the La Libertad region of Peru through the adoption of sustainable circular economy practices, promoting entrepreneurship with a focus on gender equity, and strengthening local governance and institutional capacity. By building networks among producers, public entities, academia, and civil society, the program seeks to revitalize the local economy and improve development opportunities in rural areas of Peru.