Wilfredo Campoverde: “The history of the forest is the history of our grandparents”

Coming from a northern Peruvian family that migrated to San Martín in the 1980s, Wilfredo Campoverde is, without a doubt, an example of tenacity and respect for the land. At just over 26 years old, this father of two not only grows coffee but has also started a coffee marketing business with his brothers. Their goal goes beyond family income, as their work is part of AgroFor, a project focused on implementing CUSAFs (Concessions in Use for Agroforestry Systems).

However, Wilfredo’s journey as an entrepreneur hasn’t been easy. After losing a spot in the Beca 18 scholarship program due to lack of financial resources, he chose to work the coffee on the piece of land he inherited from his parents, located in Carrizal, district of Jepelacio, province of Moyobamba. There, he has cultivated varieties such as Limaní, Cafetón, Typica, Geisha, and Maragogipe. He recalls that his love and respect for the land began during childhood, when he would walk alongside his father, who stressed the importance of not “cutting down the entire forest.”

That same respect is what Wilfredo now instills in his children, teaching them about the benefits of trees—not only for humans but also for animal species. “The history of the forest is the history of our grandparents,” says this coffee grower, who has become a community focal point for the Carrizal Agroforestry Group under the AgroFor project. Alongside ICRAF technicians and 18 other community members, they practice agroforestry, manage a bio-garden, and care for orchids.

Wilfredo enjoys learning, and his commitment to environmental conservation is evident. He wants the best for his family, which clearly includes applying new tools to help stop deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon—an effort closely tied to the global issue of climate change. Rather than expanding his farmland, this young farmer prefers to continue using agroforestry systems and, in the future, formalize his land under a CUSAF to gain greater access to government opportunities and benefits—and with that, a better life for his children.

In Wilfredo’s story, thousands of farming families can see a chance to improve their crops through effective agroforestry management. For now, the AgroFor project—an initiative of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI)—hopes to continue replicating the story of this young man who has inherited a legacy of love and respect for the forests.