By Mary Kate McCoy
October 7, 2025
How a family farm in the Amazon landed on the world’s best menu
6 min
Its journey to the table begins on a small family farm deep in Peru’s Amazon.
The farm, called Pucayagro, is nestled in the heart of the country’s rice production region. Like many of their neighbors, the farm’s owners, Alex González and his son, Luis, once cleared forest for rice paddies and cattle. The result was land drained of its rivers and wetlands, and wildlife that were forced to migrate elsewhere.
“My wife and I have always loved nature, and we’ve taught our children to love plants and respect that the forest is the lungs of the world. We carry that consciousness deeply,” Alex González said. “When we understood the damage our actions were having on the forest — and our income — we felt compelled to make a change.
Farmers carry a paiche from one of the ponds where it’s sustainably raised.
Little by little, the family began planting native trees like aguajes — a type of palm — and açaí to restore their farm. Planting these native species has helped restore the forest’s structure, allowing water to stay in 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. González says the farm is home to more than 90 different bird species.
“There were challenges at the beginning, but now we’re seeing the fruits of our hard work,” González said. “When there are droughts, our neighbors suffer from water shortages, but we don’t have that problem because of our reforestation efforts. Now, they’re starting to replicate our approach by planting more aguaje palms on their own land.”
Planting trees had shown the family what was possible when the land was nurtured rather than exploited. Inspired by this success, Luis, Alex’s son — who studied animal husbandry at university — saw another opportunity: converting the farm into an aquaculture enterprise. He saw two clear benefits that worked hand in hand — sustainability and increased profits.
“Our income has increased five-fold as a result,” Alex said.
For the González family, introducing paiche felt like a natural continuation of their work to bring the farm back to life.
Harvested by the people of Amazonia for generations, paiche’s popularity in urban restaurants eventually jeopardized its survival in the wild. Aquaculture — along with more oversight on fishing — have helped meet a growing demand, while relieving pressure on wild populations.
Farmers tend to paiche in one of the aquaculture ponds at Pucayagro.
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 — when the González family first started, as many as 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.
Pucayagro is now the leading producer of paiche in the San Martín 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 — which buys 50 kilos of paiche monthly — along with other top restaurants in Lima and across northern Peru.
“It's a tremendous compliment for us to know that our fish is traceable — that what we produce on our farm has become a significant product served in the best restaurants in the world,” Luis González said. “Paiche is versatile and can be transformed and served in different ways on the finest tables globally. It's truly an honor.”
The González 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.
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 about the importance of reforestation and opening their farm to universities and businesses who want to learn more about running a nature-positive business.
“We see enormous potential for sustainable businesses in the Amazon, but it comes with great responsibility and a lot of hard work,” Alex said. “That’s why farmers need clear economic incentives to make it worthwhile. The future looks promising as more recognize the value of sustainable production and the unique products the Amazon has to offer.”
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