The Manú National Park in south eastern Peru has been classified as a World Natural Heritage since 1997. Logging and inappropriate soil use are nevertheless threatening both the biodiversity and also the livelihoods of the local people. Since 2006 the DRIS/ZA-MANU programme has been promoting sustainable development. The aim is to reduce pressure on natural resources while simultaneously improving nutrition and income for the indigenous population. The programme combines agroforestry and reafforestation programmes with organic farming, food security via ecologically sound vegetable growing and small livestock rearing, marketing and post harvest treatment of the agroforestry and vegetable produce and efforts to strengthen the management capabilites of farmers organisations, local communities and authorities. A second long-term 'integrated deforestation avoidance' project targets siginificant reductions in CO2 emissions. 

 
Hugo Cabieses
Economist Coordinator of the DRIS/ZA-MANU
Programme - Cuzco, Peru
cocabie@terra.com.pe