After winning PERUMIN Inspira 2023, the startup that sells lettuce grown in aquaponics has far exceeded its demand.

Miriam Aguirre and Elmer Julca are the founders of Hortalizas del Colca, a social startup that promotes the installation of aquaponics modules, a system that integrates trout farming and vegetable growing (in this case, lettuce), with the aim of contributing to food security in the high Andean regions.

“We are project developers. About four years ago, we arrived in Chichas, a settlement at 4,300 m.a.s.l. in the district of Callalli, province of Caylloma, Arequipa region. We were invited by the mayor at that time to design a food security project because 80% of the children suffered from anemia. As we looked for solutions, in addition to giving them iron, we realized that the anemia was caused by their living conditions," explains Miriam Aguirre in an interview with the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP).

Recognizing that mothers often did not feed their children because they did not have jobs or because they were in a vulnerable situation, they designed the cultivation project to provide them with employment opportunities. In the area, women work mostly herding llamas and alpacas, so the project includes a training phase, installation of modules, support and marketing.

While the project started with 20 women, it now involves 180 women, and they hope to include more participants and modules, as being one of the winners of PERUMIN Inspira, in the context of PERUMIN 36, has opened up significant market opportunities.

“As a result, we have had greater market opportunities. Right now, we do not have the production we need; we are looking for more groups. One breaking point is that there are often not enough funds for leveraging. So, there are groups of women who want to work with us but cannot afford the cost of installing a module, and neither can we," said Aguirre.

Future Plans

PERUMIN Inspira provided them with S/ 15,000 in seed capital, access to a network of contacts, guidance from the Business Incubator Kaman of the Universidad Católica San Pablo, from the law firm Benites, Vargas & Ugaz; mentoring sessions with the ADN Partners Accelerator, and virtual workshops at Tecsup.

With all this, in 2024, Hortalizas del Colca wants to expand its production and look for financiers to install the necessary infrastructure.

“We hope to knock on some doors this year. We are thinking of going to Buenaventura, which also has a project in Caylloma, to see if we can work with them," Miriam said with anticipation.

Finally, she reflected on the significant role that women in the country can play and highlighted PERUMIN's support in developing impactful social projects like this.

Sometimes, we talk about how much Andean women can innovate, how much a vulnerable woman can contribute to national development, and yes, we can. We women can, we just need a little support, a lever to push us, and I believe that PERUMIN has done that," she pointed out.