María Beamonte, General Director of the Social Promotion Foundation, has made an institutional visit to Peru, where she had the opportunity to meet with the general coordinator of Spanish Cooperation and visit the project that we are developing with ESCAES and AECID in the Bay of Sechura (Department of Piura) to enhance the competitiveness of the scallop value chain, among other activities.
This trip, which lasted from January 24 to 30, has been a magnificent opportunity to strengthen the ties that unite us with this beloved country and with our partners, such as ESCAES, with whom we have developed this project and have been working for over ten years supporting farming and mariculture families in Peru.
Meeting with the Spanish Cooperation
María Beamonte’s trip began with a meeting at the Spanish Cooperation Office in Lima, where she was received by the general coordinator, José Roberto Piqueras. Luis Gómez and Delicia Coronado also participated in this meeting, representing ESCAES.
During the meeting, participants exchanged some experiences of working together in promoting economic, social and cultural rights. In addition, it was very edifying and motivating to share some real examples of people whose lives have changed for the better after participating in one of our joint initiatives.
At the end of the meeting, everyone expressed their desire to continue collaborating and opt for new opportunities that will allow us to continue working together in the future.
Project closing ceremony
On Tuesday, January 28, the closing ceremony for the project in Sechura Bay was held at the University of Piura. At the ceremony, María Beamonte presented our foundation and the work we do in Peru. She also spoke about this specific project and our commitment to the people and communities that make all our initiatives possible.
Representatives of ESCAES also participated in this event to explain in detail how the project has been implemented over the past two years, working alongside mariculture farmers, small-scale farmers, and cocoa producers. Together, we have managed to promote the innovative component of this initiative, which consisted of applying a circular economy approach by interrelating mariculture and agriculture activities.
As the mariculture farmers who benefited from the project were able to explain at the closing ceremony, with the training and material help they have received, they have been able to improve and make the techniques of scallop production safer and more sustainable. They even indicated that they have been able to increase scallop production by 18% thanks to the support received, which has also allowed them to increase their income.
At the event, farmers and cocoa producers participating in the initiative also shared their experiences. They have learned to use the treated products from the scallop production process as nutrients for cocoa cultivation, also improving the sustainability of the entire process and the productivity and profitability of their agricultural production.
Visit to the crops, laboratories and coves
María Beamonte and the ESCAES technical team visited some agricultural demonstration plots in San Juan de Bigote, where they were able to see first-hand the work of the farmers and cocoa producers who, thanks to their participation in the project, have been able to incorporate a component of innovation and circular economy in their main source of income.
Our general manager was also able to visit the ESCAES laboratories in Sechura Bay, where, with the material and equipment that has been acquired within the framework of this project thanks to the support of the AECID, the samples and results of marine research are analyzed. This work is essential to continue improving sustainability and innovation throughout the entire value chain of the scallop, from the sea to the fields.
Finally, María Beamonte and the ESCAES team embarked with the mariculturists to visit their scallop farms in the Barrancos area. There they were able to see in situ how these professionals carry out aquaculture activities while protecting the ecosystems in which these scallops grow.
Meeting with ESCAES
To conclude this institutional visit, María Beamonte met with ESCAES at its office in Lima. During this meeting she met with Carmen Parrado, general coordinator, Delicia Coronado, director, and Luis Gómez, manager, with whom she was able to talk about all the joint projects that are underway.
They also shared the views of our Foundation and ESCAES regarding the 2025 strategic plan, as well as other ideas and suggestions for continued collaboration in the future.
