
The Amazon Vanilla Project operates in the San Martín district of northern Peru, providing education and support for local farmers to grow vanilla as a cash crop. The project is sponsored by Sekut Vanilla Co. which provides curing and marketing services to local farmers. Vanilla, like cacao, can be grown in a forest setting with little change to the forest itself, providing a family income while preserving the natural diversity of the Amazonian rainforest. Vanilla is grown under the forest canopy, using small trees or trellises built from available materials in the forest. Since vanilla is an epiphyte, its cultivation does not require fertilizers or other chemicals. They are naturally pest-resistant growing in a diversified setting in their home environment. … (read)
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