A FEW OF
TECHNOSERVE PERU'S CLIENTS:
Cereal Processing, Guinea Pig Farm and Water Bottler
Visiting TechnoServe Peru's clients was
quite different in many ways from our touring Machu Picchu and Cuzco. We
spent time with our TechnoServe colleagues
in both Lima and Cajamarca as well as hard-working clients in Cajamarca who have
seized opportunities offered by TechnoServe to better
their families' lives and communities. The largest mining company in the
area is underwriting TechnoServe to help local small businesses
improve their processes, technical skills, and business knowledge. Once
the entrepreneurs meet the mine's vendor standards,
more farmers and crafts people can flow their products through these local
suppliers to the mine, which in turn will help sustain the whole regional
economy.
Their more detailed stories are below the pictures.
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7:00 a.m. on Monday (having arrived in Lima at 9:00 p.m. Sunday), we
flew into the Andes into Cajamarca, Peru. Our colleagues dropped off
our suitcases at our hotel then drove us to visit our 1st entrepreneur, Clarita's mix cereal processing plant (Above Far L). Through TechnoServe's technical and business training (Above L), Clarita's Mix has been able to build a new factory (Above R is the model and Above Far R are classrooms). |
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Clarita's Mix has expanded their barley, quinoa and wheat milling
and packaging capacity to supply the mine region and draw more
farmers to their facility. (Above Far & Center L) The plant Production Manager demonstrates the new capital equipment and improved processes led by Martin (Above R) and his TechnoServe team (Above Far R). |
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Our next visit outside Cajamarca was to a guinea pig farm network.
(Above Far L) The commercial sales chief, slaughterhouse chief , and
(Above L) the farm network chief greet us to explain the how TechnoServe has helped them improve and expand their farms . More than being cute pets, guinea pigs are an important protein source for native Peruvians, both in-country and in the U.S. (Above R & Far R) Guinea pigs are raised from birth to fattened-for-market in 3.5 months, at which time they are nearly one-foot long and quite chubby. Whenever anyone visits they frenetically whistle and pile together. |
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The slaughterhouse (Above Far L) and farm network chiefs (Above L)
describe the flow of "product" through the new slaughterhouse built
with the profits accrued from 11 networked families' improved knowledge and practices, as well as communal land (Above R). We gathered for a pre-celebration (Above Far R) prior to the factory's official grand opening for the whole community mid-June 2008. |
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Our last client visit (Above Far L) in nearby San Marco was to a
bottler of mineral water, filtered and packaged (Above Center R & L)
for corporate use at his facility upgraded with help from TechnoServe. With his increased revenues, he just bought equipment to produce small plastic bottles (Above Far R) that he would soon add as consumer bottled water. |
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May 20, 2008 – Client Visits Near Cajamarca, Peru
From 2003 to 2005 and now again 2006 to 2008, TechnoServe (TNS) Peru has been helping Micro- and Small-Enterprises expand revenues, employment, and potential to impact poor and rural Cajamarca Province’s economy. A large gold and silver mining corporation is located near the city of Cajamarca. But the workers and communities who have contributed to the mine’s significant growth have not seen parallel improvements in their lives. It is anticipated that these precious metals may continue to be mined in quantity until 2028 or even 2035. Recognizing their responsibility to the surrounding region, this large mining company has established a separate “corporate social responsibility” organization. Its goal is to source as many supplies from local vendors as possible as well as raise these vendors’ skills and enable products to meet corporate standards. The mining company and two other major donors underwrite TNS Peru’s small enterprise project which identifies, assesses, and trains 20 qualified entrepreneurs per year in business/marketing, production/technical skills, and finance/accounting. In turn, each TNS alumni business should employ/impact from 10 to 20 supplier-farmers whose increased family incomes will improve access to education, healthcare, and other services. TechnoServe helps improve local vendors’ capacities, revenues, and connections to more customers locally, across Peru, and even globally. TechnoServe Peru’s program is set to have improved the livelihoods of about 150 entrepreneurs and 1,500 farmers in the Cajamarca region--all of whom are now actually benefiting from the mine’s success.
CLARITA’S MIX CEREAL PROCESSING: Clarita’s Mix, a cereal processing factory owned by a farmers’ cooperative is located in the San Marcos area about 45 minutes outside of Cajamarca, Peru. The original co-op was started several years ago by Caritas (an international NGO) to mill, package and sell barley, wheat and quinoa cereals. TechnoServe Peru began assisting Clarita’s Mix enabling business to grow significantly. The Production Manager hosted our tour to demonstrate the new factory’s improved grain processing capacity. New customers are already requesting more products that, in turn, will enable this cooperative to continue benefiting the farmer-producers and surrounding communities.
GUINEA PIG NETWORK: Any special Peruvian feast includes dishes made with guinea pig, aka Cuy, which is traditional not only in Peru but among émigrés in the U.S. Since TechnoServe Peru began assisting eleven families in El Huayo, over 1 hour outside of Cajamarca, this “guinea pig network” now can supply both local and U.S. requests for Cuy. Nine of the eleven families’ representatives are women including Chief of Breeding and Chief of the Processing Plant. About 300 to 500 animals are in breeding cages at any given time. When visitors enter their cage area, the Cuy frantically pile together and whistle continuously. Perhaps they are sensitive to humans who shorten their life to only 3.5 months from birth to fattened-for-market. In any case, the increased profits have enabled the network to build its own efficient AND sanitary slaughterhouse instead of renting facilities from another local food processor. When this building is completed mid-June 2008, the network will be able to further expand profits, meet U.S. market requirements, and celebrate its grand opening with a community-wide grand fiesta.
CRIS VIDA “NATURAL” MINERAL WATER: On the edge of San Marcos, Peru is a mineral water processing and bottling plant which had already been built prior to TNS Peru’s intervention, to sell large bottles of water to a few “corporate” customers. However, the entrepreneur stated that he has been taught by TechnoServe Peru how to greatly improve his business and production skills which have increased his profits. His new gains have been reinvested in upgrading his plant, purchasing new equipment, and extending his product line. The new machine to extrude small plastic bottles for retail customers is now awaiting installation. The entrepreneur also now dreams of eventually adding his own cola brand giving the local Inca Cola new competition!