Concession 17-TAM/C-OPB-J-005-02 is managed by Liwiston Vargas Silvano and it is in Madre de Dios region in Tahuamanu province; it has a surface area of 748.5 hectares.
Liwiston is a 37-year-old entrepreneur who has supported his father in harvesting Brazilian nuts since he was a child in a small village called Alegria around the Las Piedras river area.
His father introduced him to nut harvesting, and taught him everything he knows now. Liwiston did not enjoy his childhood because work would keep him away from playing and fun children were usually busy with, including soccer, which was his favourite sport. Liwiston would like to offer his children a better future, giving them the opportunity of getting an education and a qualified job.
He is running a recreational centre in Alegria – Los Angeles, where there are three ponds used for farming and selling typical South American fish, such as Pacu and Lisa. His land has a good crop production potential and Liwiston has started taking advantage by planting aguaje palms (aguaje is a local fruit of the Peruvian Amazon area). Lewiston’s goal is to improve his concession area by employing all the space available effectively. He wants to install solar panels to produce energy independently.
Another activity he is committed to is making tourists and anyone going past his centre more environmentally aware. For this purpose, Liwiston organises a tour called “The Nuts Route”, in which he shows visitors the process of harvest and transportation of nuts.
Liwiston’s greatest wish is to keep boosting wellbeing in the forest where he was born; as he states, “My biggest dream is to work at my centre using sustainable methods to trade high-added-value Brazilian nuts.”
