Female Gatherers from Curanilahue Plan New Ventures Following Innovation Tour Driven by Infor and FIA

A seminar filled with learning, experiences, and projections marked the closing of the national tour "From Gathering to Innovation," an initiative led by the Forestry Institute (Infor) with support from the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA). This tour allowed female gatherers from the commune to strengthen their capacities and envision new development opportunities based on Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).

The event brought together local authorities, technical teams, and public and private sector stakeholders, who accompanied the participants in presenting their committee and projecting new lines of work, based on the lessons learned during the journey through various experiences in southern Chile.

The Minister of Agriculture, Jaime Campos, highlighted the impact of such initiatives on rural development. "Programs like this tour demonstrate that knowledge, innovation, and collaborative work can transform local realities. Strengthening the role of female gatherers is key to advancing towards more inclusive, sustainable development with territorial identity," he stated.

Over several days, the participants visited experiences in the Los Ríos Region, where they learned about successful models of productive diversification, value addition, and direct marketing. From initiatives like Maqueo Sabores Étnicos to the associative experience of the Asociación Amigos del Maqui in Lipingue, the gatherers were able to observe how community work and innovation strengthen the link between forest, culture, and local economy.

The director of the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA), Andrés Gálmez Commentz, valued the collaborative work between his institution and Infor and highlighted the value of associativity as a driver of development. "These experiences show that joint work is key. When communities organize, they not only improve their marketing opportunities but also strengthen their identity and generate local development," he explained.

For her part, the project director and head of the Research Line on Species Diversification for Forestry Development at Infor, Andrea Álvarez, valued the process experienced by the participants. "This tour allowed us to show on the ground that non-timber forest products can become a real development opportunity when knowledge, innovation, and community organization are integrated. The challenge now is to take these lessons to the territory and turn them into concrete actions," she affirmed.

The tour concluded in the commune of Panguipulli, where the participants learned about experiences related to oyster mushroom cultivation and the use of changle in native forests, as well as the Dihueñe Fair in Pucura, an example of direct marketing with a strong territorial identity.

The closing meeting also had the support of the Prodesal team and representatives from the Municipality of Curanilahue —from rural development, tourism, and the Women's Office— along with stakeholders such as Forestal Arauco, Sercotec, and Corfo Arauco, who reaffirmed their commitment to continue supporting the strengthening of the committee and the development of productive initiatives in the territory.

The initiative is part of Infor's efforts to promote productive diversification and the sustainable use of forest resources, positioning NTFPs as a concrete alternative to improve the quality of life of communities and boost local economies.