{"id":297885,"date":"2025-10-10T01:01:37","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T01:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/10\/how-a-family-farm-in-the-amazon-landed-on-the-worlds-best-menu\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T01:01:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T01:01:37","slug":"how-a-family-farm-in-the-amazon-landed-on-the-worlds-best-menu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/10\/how-a-family-farm-in-the-amazon-landed-on-the-worlds-best-menu\/","title":{"rendered":"How a family farm in the Amazon landed on the world\u2019s best menu"},"content":{"rendered":"


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At Maido \u2014 the Lima restaurant recently crowned the best in the world<\/a> \u2014 one of the star dishes is paiche, a giant prehistoric river fish.<\/p>\n

Its journey to the table begins on a small family farm deep in Peru\u2019s Amazon.<\/p>\n

The farm, called Pucayagro, is nestled in the heart of the country\u2019s rice production region. Like many of their neighbors, the farm\u2019s owners, Alex Gonz\u00e1lez and his son, Luis, once cleared forest for rice paddies and cattle. The result
\n was land drained of its rivers and wetlands, and wildlife that were forced to migrate elsewhere.<\/p>\n

But in recent years, Conservation International has helped bring about a dramatic transformation on the farm. Today, Pucayagro is a thriving sustainable fish farm \u2014 a form of aquaculture<\/a> \u2014 run by a family that is determined to show other farmers that the same change is possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife and I have always loved nature, and we\u2019ve taught our children to love plants and respect that the forest is the lungs of the world. We carry that consciousness deeply,\u201d Alex Gonz\u00e1lez said. \u201cWhen we understood the
\n damage our actions were having on the forest \u2014 and our income \u2014 we felt compelled to make a change.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/\u00a9 Conservation International Peru \/ Jaime Ruiz Caro<\/span> <\/p>\n

Farmers carry a paiche from one of the ponds where it\u2019s sustainably raised.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little by little, the family began planting native trees like aguajes \u2014 a type of palm \u2014 and a\u00e7a\u00ed to restore their farm. Planting these native species has helped restore the forest\u2019s structure, allowing water to stay in
\n place instead of running off. In the 20 years since, streams and wetlands have gradually returned, and with them native wildlife like capybaras, lowland pacas and titi monkeys. Gonz\u00e1lez says the farm is home to more than 90 different bird species.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were challenges at the beginning, but now we\u2019re seeing the fruits of our hard work,\u201d Gonz\u00e1lez said. \u201cWhen there are droughts, our neighbors suffer from water shortages, but we don\u2019t have that problem because
\n of our reforestation efforts. Now, they\u2019re starting to replicate our approach by planting more aguaje palms on their own land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Planting trees had shown the family what was possible when the land was nurtured rather than exploited. Inspired by this success, Luis, Alex\u2019s son \u2014 who studied animal husbandry at university \u2014 saw another opportunity: converting the
\n farm into an aquaculture enterprise. He saw two clear benefits that worked hand in hand \u2014 sustainability and increased profits.<\/p>\n

With help from Conservation International\u2019s Amazon Business Alliance<\/a>,
\n the Gonz\u00e1lez family began converting their rice paddies into aquaculture ponds, made possible because of the abundant wetlands now on their farm. The system they built is self-sustaining: water from the fish ponds irrigates the rice and corn
\n crops, which are then used to feed the fish, creating a closed loop that keeps resources local and reduces waste.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur income has increased five-fold as a result,\u201d Alex said.<\/p>\n

For the Gonz\u00e1lez family, introducing paiche felt like a natural continuation of their work to bring the farm back to life.<\/p>\n

Harvested by the people of Amazonia for generations, paiche\u2019s popularity in urban restaurants eventually jeopardized its survival in the wild. Aquaculture \u2014 along with more oversight on fishing \u2014 have helped meet a growing demand, while
\n relieving pressure on wild populations.<\/p>\n

\"Conservation\u00a9 Conservation International Peru \/ Jaime Ruiz Caro<\/span> <\/p>\n

Farmers tend to paiche in one of the aquaculture ponds at Pucayagro.<\/em><\/p>\n

Paiche is notoriously difficult to raise in captivity, especially in its early stages when it requires precise water temperatures to survive. Luis said the effort was a learning process \u2014 when the Gonz\u00e1lez family first started, as many as
\n 80 percent of the young fish died within weeks. Today, thanks to special indoor tanks with controlled temperatures, more than 95 percent of the fish make it through this critical phase before being transferred safely to the larger outdoor ponds.<\/p>\n

Pucayagro is now the leading producer of paiche in the San Mart\u00edn region. They sell about 1,300 pounds of seafood each month, including other native species like paco, gamitana and Amazonian mollusks. Their biggest clients include Maido \u2014
\n which buys 50 kilos of paiche monthly \u2014 along with other top restaurants in Lima and across northern Peru.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s a tremendous compliment for us to know that our fish is traceable \u2014 that what we produce on our farm has become a significant product served in the best restaurants in the world,\u201d Luis Gonz\u00e1lez said. \u201cPaiche is versatile
\n and can be transformed and served in different ways on the finest tables globally. It’s truly an honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Gonz\u00e1lez family sees sustainable aquaculture as a way to prevent deforestation in their area, and they have openly shared what they have learned with other members of their community. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Conservation International has helped them connect with other local and Indigenous groups looking to have a wider impact in their community. This includes donating young paiche and native seedlings to other farmers, visiting schools to teach children
\n about the importance of reforestation and opening their farm to universities and businesses who want to learn more about running a nature-positive business.<\/p>\n

As the farmed paiche market is expected to grow<\/a> in coming years as international demand increases, the Gonz\u00e1lez family
\n is proud to be part of growing a sustainable industry from the ground up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see enormous potential for sustainable businesses in the Amazon, but it comes with great responsibility and a lot of hard work,\u201d Alex said. \u201cThat\u2019s why farmers need clear economic incentives to make it worthwhile. The future
\n looks promising as more recognize the value of sustainable production and the unique products the Amazon has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this?\u00a0Sign up for email updates<\/a>. Also,\u00a0please consider supporting our critical work<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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