MiCultura and IDIAP sign an agreement that favours artisan

A bilateral cooperation convention aimed at preserving the natural resources that production inputs that have been used and are currently being used to manufacture crafts was agreed between the Ministry of Culture (MiCultura) and the Institute of Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP).

The agreement signed by the incumbent of MiCultura, Carlos Aguilar Navarro and the general director of IDIAP, Arnulfo Gutiérrez lays down that both parties will develop plans and actions with respect to artistic and cultural matters as well as projects and programs related to biodiversity and conservation of natural resources.

The document also propose to coordinate workshops, training and other cultural and artistic activities as well as exhibitions and training related to agriculture, ecology and environmental sustainability.

According to Minister Aguilar Navarro, this partnership is mainly important "for our artisans, who through the work and interest of national directors of crafts and cultural heritage have taken measures to realize the signing of this interinstitutional agreement with strategic partners at the professional and technical level of IDIAP."

Among the species that could be considered with this convention, Minister Aguilar Navarro referred to the tagua that is used by those originating from the Comarcas Emberá and Wounnan and the palm that is used by the artisan to manufacture products such as the painted hat.

Also included in this convention are the conservation of Jagua that is used by our indigenous people for body painting and boulder that is used to manufacture baskets among other crafts.
For his part, MiCultura's general secretary, José Ismael Herrera stated that "this partnership was born from the concern of our artisans who use a great deal of natural raw material to make their crafts and are concerned about how these natural resources are being put to an end, as what was being collected wild is currently currently being shortlisted."

The Convention lays down among its commitments academic, technical, scientific and cultural collaboration and lays the foundations for promoting knowledge development and skills to work with human resource training projects.

The IDIAP's general director, meanwhile, stated how important the institution has to preserve this type of natural resources and that it is necessary to organize a germoplasma bench (seeds in laboratories) of these crops. He noted that deforestation has been put to an end and that artisans "who are humble people deserve our full support and support," stated IDIAP's director.