Growing Desert Flowers in Peru La Flecha from the Netherlands and Roots from Peru, jointly plan to invest in the production of exotic flowers in the coastal desert of Peru. The specific climate conditions allow the partners to export to the high-end markets in the Northern Hemisphere, when most of the international competition cannot.The joint venture will transform a plot of land near Ica, into the country's first CSR-certified desert flower farm. Four different flower varieties, native to Australia and South Africa, will be planted, three of them unknown to Peru. A modern post-harvest facility will be the start of a closed supply chain.The partners will pioneer cut flower sea-transports from Peru to the Netherlands which, if successful, will be a breakthrough to the Peruvian floriculture sector. Moreover, the joint venture will make hand-tied bouquets for export, by adding cut-flowers and greens grown by Roots Peru at its mountain farms.Production of desert flowers has an extreme low water footprint, consuming less than a third of the water required by asparagus, while creating more value and employment per hectare. than any other crop. It is therefore very appropriate for the Ica Valley, which is facing increasing water shortage.About 30 full-time and 72 seasonal (50 FTE) jobs will be created.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)CSR be anchored in the joint venture through VeriFlora, Fair Labour Practices and BASC certifications, thereby guaranteeing an excellent CSR footprint.Key elements of the company's CSR policy will be: employment standards, workplace health and safety, gender policy, employee participation, chain responsibility and environmental management.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsThe project will create 66 direct full-time jobs (30 permanent at the farm and post-harvest facility, plus another 72 seasonal jobs on the farm, during the April to October harvest season.This will increase to 76 FTE in two years. Nine of the permanent jobs are of medium-/high-level.The lowest wages paid for permanent staff (NSol 650), will be at least 18% above the legal minimum (NSol 550). Its full-time staff will enjoy complete social benefits which include 15 days of holidays, an extra monthly salary in July and in December (Christmas), half a monthly salary in May and in November, as a so called Compensation for Time of Service (CTS), 4% Health insurance and fringe benefits like a daily meal and transport.Seasonal workers will, on top of this, get a 10% higher basic salary.•	Innovation/Transfer of knowledgePeru does not have a well-developed flower sector, like neighbouring countries Ecuador and Colombia, although it has the ideal geographic and climatic conditions. The new staff of the joint venture will therefore be trained on many topics that are not actually new for Peru, but are still rare: Best Agricultural Practices, Post-harvest processing, product preparation for export.New for the country, is the knowledge that will be required for handling & packing flowers for sea transport, as well as desert cultivation techniques for new species of flowers, imported from Israel.•	Chain effectsThe desert flower farm will purchase its agriculture consumables and packing materials locally.Considering the growth perspective of the project, this will create a sustainable long-term impact on local agribusiness suppliers.The sea transport trials will indisputably have a positive impact on the flower chain in Peru. Once the partners can prove the commercial viability of exporting flowers by sea it will trigger competitors to do the same, boosting the Peruvian flower industry.•	EnvironmentThe impact on the environment will be limited and, compared to other crops in the region, it will even have a positive impact, as the water consumption for growing flowers is substantially lower than for the traditionally cultivated asparagus and artichokes.•	Position of womenThe partners will give preference to female staff, which is also part of the VeriFlora and Fair Labour Practices standards guidelines. At least 40% of the jobs offered will be taken by women. To set up a Fresh Flower production and export chain, based on a production farm in the desert and a post-harvest facility, that will ship the stems by sea to the European market.