The long-awaited Chavimochic irrigation system project in northern Peru is underway, with private and public sectors working on its third stage. The ambitious plan is set in La Libertad, an agricultural powerhouse that has become key to the nation’s trade.

The project seeks to take advantage of the Santa River’s potential to meet the irrigation demands of over 356,000 acres in the Chao, Viru, Moche and Chicama valleys.

The name Chavimochic is an acronym formed by the first syllables or graphemes of the names of the four valleys crossed by the main canal of the project: Chao, Viru, Moche, and Chicama.

Additionally, Chavimochic is expected to bring relief to the drinking water shortage in Trujillo, the region’s commercial core, as well as aid in electricity generation.

The Association of Peruvian Agricultural Producers' Guilds (AGAP) President Gabriel Amaro said the project will “broaden Peru’s agricultural area to the desert, where there’s currently no water availability.”

Chavimochic’s third stage is the largest, Amaro told FreshFruitPortal.com, as it incorporates an additional 148,263 acres and seeks to improve the general water supply. This is set to add 98,842 acres to the project.

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"The project would be reactivating around 247,105 acres, with enough water for modern agriculture," Amaro said. “When the project is completed, La Libertad will grow at least four times in agro-exports".

La Libertad is Peru’s top grape and asparagus-producing region. Blueberries, avocados, citrus, mangos, and some stone fruits are also produced in the region.

Amaro pointed out that, consequently, the new productive zone will require four times the logistical capacity. This would include ports, transportation, personnel, and goods and services to support the sector. 

"In other words, four times more of everything. Therefore, the project will increase economic dynamism for the region," he said.

The project was first proposed in the 1960s by the National Development Institute (INADE), a dependency of the Peruvian central government. In 2003, its administration was transferred to the Regional Government of La Libertad.