In Molinopampa, there is an association of goldenberry (aguaymanto) farmers that are facing a plague affecting the growth and quality of their fruit. This plague is affecting the farmers' profits and the quality of life they perservere to achieve. Through my job as a Peace Corps volunteer, we are working together to eradicate the problem and prevent it from happening in the futue as well as capacitating the farmers in other related skills to improve their aguaymanto businesses.
Here in my town of Molinopampa, there is an association of farmers that cultivate a fruit called goldenberry, or aguaymanto in Spanish. For the past few years they have been dealing with a plague, possibly a fungus, on their aguaymanto plants that infects the roots, stalks, leaves and casings that protect the fruit. Although the fruit itself is still perfectly fine to eat, the farmers are losing sales or being forced to sell the product at a significantly lower price because customers do not want to buy the fruit when it appears to be damaged on the outside. Additionally, when the casing that protects the fruit is damaged, the fruit has a shorter shelf life before rotting because its layer of protection is compromised.
