Nathalie Sayago

Tacna, an agricultural emergency region

By Nathalie Sayago

Tacna is considered an agricultural region, and the capital city is an agricultural processing centre. Crops include tobacco, grapes, avocados, cotton, and sugarcane; tanning, fruit canning, winemaking, and liquor distilling are major activities.

In February 2019, the Tacna region was affected by heavy rains, and as a consequence, the Locumba River overflowed, affecting the region.

The Valley of Cinto and the Valley of Locumba, one characterized by the production of avocado, zapallo, watermelon, grape, among other fruits, and the other by the breeding of cattle, both were destroyed by the water, washing away all agricultural production, being covered with stone and mud.

This natural event caused incalculable damage to the state and to each farm. Tacna, an agricultural region in emergency; not only is it an example of the power that nature has, but it is a call to the conscience of humanity about the damage we have created to the earth by invading its natural causes and appropriating its lands.

For Agencia Peruana de Noticias ANDINA