 The community of Fray Martin is located in the district of Iquitos, province of Loreto in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. According to the Health Ministry the malnutrition rate, in this area, reaches 40% and the major endemic diseases (hepatitis, malaria and dengue) affects especially the indigenous population.
At the same time, additional studies indicate a significant loss of knowledge in preparation of traditional medicinal prescriptions.
Luís Culquitón, founder of the “Kapitari” experimental center, has been experimenting for over 20 years, techniques in cultivation of food and medicinal plants, based on the principle of sustainable agriculture. This concept try to implement an agricultural unit managed with criteria that imitating nature makes rational use of land, combining plant varieties in order to achieve socio-sustainable economic development of rural families.
After evaluation of the concept in 2008, Iquitos Rotary Club has been convinced of the interest to implement this concept with 25 families of the community of Fray Martin.
General objective: Improve the health conditions of 15 families in the communities of Fray Martin in Peru
Specific objective: 25 families of the community of Fray Martin manage their sustainable agricultural unit. Their crop of food and medicinal plants will improve their health. They will be able to market some of their production, therefore increasing their income.
Expected Results
R1: The families of the community are producing food and medicinal plants in their sustainable agricultural unit. R2: The families of the community are using the medicinal plants produced in their sustainable agricultural unit. R3: The families of the community diversify their diet, feed with products from their sustainable agricultural unit. R4: The families of the community are able to market their surplus production.
The Project's first phase started in September 2009. It is a real success. Nevertheless, a second phase appear to be essential in order to keep on with the work started.
In this phase, we are planning to add animals to the units and to focus on the sale of the excedent of production.
The second phase will start on September 2010. | 
