“New Life” - recovering and commercializing native Andean

Tubers

2001 – 2003, Nueva Vida (New Life) executed the project “Recovery of native Andean agricultural crops in order to improve food security and

prevent soil erosion” funded by the Small Grants Program from the Global Environment Fund (GEF)

The project is located in the communities of Lupaxi Convalecencia, Cintaguzo y Pulucate Alto, in the Chimborazo

Province, located in the center of the Ecuadorian Andes.

The main results of the project where:

1. Strenghtening of the local organization

2. Recovery of local agrbiodiversity (Andean Tubers mainly)

3. Recovery of soil

Tubers (oca, mashua and melloco) are traditional Andean products are not very much consumed by local people anymore. Young people hardly know tubers, in spite of their important nutritional value. In order to promote it

´s consumption New Life produced jam and tuber jam filled chocolates

Mashua is a tuber which has a relatively strong taste and is know to be an

aphrodisiac. It is also used as medicine against prostate, kidney and liver

infections.

Melloco is high in protein, calcium and carotene.

Oca is used as a substitute and complement of a regular potato because of its greater resistance to local plagues.

In 2007, Nueva Vida won a SEED Award for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development

In 2007, Nueva Vida won one of five global 2007 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development for their work to diversify food production improve local food security, prevent soil erosion,

empower local communities (especially women) and generate additional incomes. The first picture shows Teresa Pagalo, leader of Nueva Vida receiving the SEED Award.

The Seed Initiative and USAID have provided a primary implementation budget for jam production.

Promoting the marmalades: participation in local fairs

Thanks to the support of a local graphic designer Nueva Vida has a label for their products…

In 2008, a mission from the United Nations Volunteer Program and “Senior Italia” came to help Nueva Vida

The purpose of this mission was to help Nueva Vida improve the soil´s quality and productivity and help them develop a market chain

In 2009, Kraft Foods sent a mission to Riobamba to work with Nueva Vida

From August 24th to September 4th 2009, Kraft Foods along with UNV and the SGP sent a mission to worked with Nueva Vida

The mission was dedicated to teach them basic principles of food hygiene and good manufacturing practices, focused in the improvement of their current making process of tuber marmalades, and also teach

them about new products or processes related to chocolate making, which they could apply in the future.

The jam production process

During the two week mission, Nueva Vida received trainings on the process of making tuber jams: cleaning of mashua, the boiling process and the grinding/pureeing of mashua and addition of sugar & lemon juice.

Improving the quality of the production

Posters on food hygiene and GMP’s in production area.

Training on pH and Brix measurements, using pH paper and refractometer

which were donated to Nueva Vida by Kraft Foods Munich Chemistry department.

Filled chocolate production

Melting chocolate in a water bath – Hand tempering of chocolate. Hand tempering exercise.

Chocolate shell making and depositing of tuber filling

The marmalade

Marmalades and chocolates