Into TGL: Granja Porcón: An Example of Rural Tourism

With the Land Reform Act of 1969, the Peruvian government sought to transform the country’s land-tenure structure by redistributing the rural land. The Decree Law 17716 by General Juan Velasco Alvarado established that the land belongs to those who work it. The land was therefore redistributed to the farmers organized in cooperatives and agricultural associations.

While most of the cooperatives failed due to inappropriate training of the farmers who found themselves owners and responsible to manage the land they once only worked, Granja Porcón, just outside Cajamarca, is the exception that proves the rule.

The Cooperativa Agraria Atahualpa Jerusalén, better known as Granja Porcón, owns over twelve thousand hectares of land. Here, over one thousand Evangelic Christians live and work together.

The women weave colorful clothes and bags, and together with the men they work the land, grow fruit and vegetables, and they take care of the animals. They milk the cows and make butter, yoghurt, cheese and delicious manjar blanco.

The revenue of the farm also comes from rural tourism, and the visitors can participate in the daily activities or book a multi-day stay within the granja.