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INFOR Launches "Forests and Women" Project for Over 100 Gatherers in Curanilahue

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• The initiative, led by the agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, will benefit more than 100 gatherers in this locality of the Biobío Region.

Aimed at strengthening women's labor participation in the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) production chain, the project contributes to their economic autonomy, promotes gender equality, and fosters sustained and inclusive economic growth for gatherers in Curanilahue, Biobío Region. The launch was led by the Forestry Institute (INFOR), showcasing inter-ministerial synergy.

The project, titled "Forests and Women: Strengthening the Labor Development of Curanilahue Gatherers," is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture's agency and funded by the Ministry of Women and Gender Equity, with support from the local municipality.

Alongside over 70 gatherers, the launch event was attended by INFOR's Executive Director, Sandra Gacitúa; the Biobío Region's Agricultural Seremi, Pamela Gatti; the Mayor of Curanilahue, Alejandra Burgos; and the Gender Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Helena Hidalgo.

Regarding the project's impact, INFOR's Executive Director stated, "We aim to transform the labor reality of Curanilahue's women gatherers by providing them with the necessary tools for economic growth while contributing to forest sustainability through training in sustainable practices—an area where our institution has been a pioneer."

The Biobío Agricultural Seremi, Pamela Gatti, added, "We’ve taken on a major challenge and hope to continue collaborating as the Ministry of Agriculture—through INFOR—with the Ministry of Women and Gender Equity, as well as the Curanilahue Municipality, to expand this work nationwide, reaching many more women who gather in forests daily."

Mayor Alejandra Burgos praised the program, stating, "As a municipality, we are deeply interested in furthering this initiative," noting the commune's ongoing territorial planning process.

"This knowledge, alongside recognizing forest fruit gathering as a means of economic development, independence, autonomy, and empowerment for women, represents the future growth of our territory," the mayor added.

A Trade Led by Women
The project will benefit over 100 gatherers in Plegarias, urban Curanilahue, and Bajos Los Ríos through workshops covering tree importance, NTFPs description, commercialization, value addition, female empowerment, leadership, and trust-building for associativity.

Andrea Álvarez, the project director and INFOR researcher, explained, "This initiative aligns with the National Strategy for Women's Economic Autonomy, strengthening capacities, promoting financial inclusion, improving labor conditions, and fostering female leadership."

A 2019 INFOR census revealed 37,675 gatherers in Biobío and Ñuble, 66% of whom are women.

Notably, INFOR has nearly 25 years of experience working with gatherers nationwide, from Atacama to Aysén. Nationally, over 200,000 people practice this trade, 80% of whom are women—many of them heads of households who have passed down this ancestral tradition through generations in Chile.