At the beginning of December, more than 30 representatives from various public and private institutions participated in the “Live Algarrobo Workshop.” This event was held with the aim of designing a development strategy for a sustainable economy in El Impenetrable, enhancing the value of the carob tree and improving the quality of life of local communities.
This initiative arose from the need to find solutions to the conditions of extreme rurality, precarious incomes, and lack of basic services faced by around 670 Creole families living near the El Impenetrable National Park. Their economy, based on livestock farming and carob wood extraction, generates negative environmental impacts. However, the region’s potential to exploit non-timber resources, such as carob flour and other value-added products, opens up opportunities to develop a sustainable economic model.
In this sense, the Chaco forest harbors key species like the white carob tree (Neltuma alba), which offers multiple ecological and economic benefits. In addition to its value as food and fodder, its fruits can be transformed into nutritious flour, a product with the potential to diversify the local economy and promote sustainable practices.
The workshop involved the participation of national and provincial institutions, NGOs, and private companies. Among them were National Parks, the National University of the Northeast, Rewilding Argentina Foundation, and companies like Zafrán and Molino Cerrillos. This synergy highlighted the value of combining technology and nature-based solutions to drive regional development.
## A collective effort towards a sustainable economy
Faced with the challenges these families are experiencing, the group of institutions decided to carry out the “Live Algarrobo Workshop” at the Nature Tourism Workshop School, near the national park, structured over two days. The first day focused on thematic discussions about production, marketing, carob tree protection, and gastronomy-related tourism.
On the other hand, the second day included visits to local communities to observe the carob collection process and explore the difficulties and opportunities on the ground. The National Park was also visited, strengthening the link between conservation and community development. Local gastronomy played a prominent role thanks to the “Cocineras del Impenetrable,” who showcased the culinary potential of the forest’s fruits.
This workshop marked a significant step towards building a sustainable economy that integrates environmental conservation, community development, and biodiversity utilization. The outcomes of the meeting will be compiled into a book that will serve as a strategic guide for the protection of carob trees in the northern region of the country.
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