Madre de Dios, a mountainous area of pristine forests, is one of the poorest regions of Peru. The most lucrative industry here is the collection and processing of the Amazon (Brazil) nut into oils, candy and candles for export. Unfortunately, few producers are informed or rewarded for extracting the oil in a sustainable manner meaning the region's rates of rainforest destruction are almost as high as its poverty.
Candela Peru is an alternative biotrade organization which began acting as a fair trade business in the brazil nut industry in 1989 in order to improve circumstances for this region of Peru.
If you would like to see a short video that tells more about Candela Peru and their work in the Amazon Rainforest please click on this link.
Candela Peru, an acronym for "Comercio Alternativo de Productos No Tradicionales y Desarrollo para Latino América" (in English: Alternative Trade of Non Traditional Products and Development for Latin America), works with 266 Peruvian farmers in this part of the Amazon rainforest to harvest the Brazil nut in a socially and environmentally-responsible manner.
Besides creating steady work for rural families, the company helps small producers streamline their production chains for increased capacity and helps them to implement social and environmental projects in their area. In this way, Candela Peru helps improve farmers way of living and promotes forest conservation in a biologically diverse region.
Candela Peru developed an Organic Certification program in 2001 to include Peruvian Brazil nuts in the growing organic market, and works with local producers to obtain their organic certification. The company also hosts classes in forest management to educate farmers on how sustainable forestry practices can offer financial reward.
