Andean Potato Park
Case Study C0279
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| Date | January 2008 |
| Agency | Asociacion ANDES (Peru) and Asociation of Potato Park Communities |
| Donor/support agency | IIED/DGIS Others |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Community conserved area Productive landscape |
| Geographic coverage | Peru |
| Locality | Mountain valley near Pisaq, Cusco, South-eastern Andes |
| Biodiversity focus | Mountain ecosystem |
| Development focus | 6 local communities |
| Conservation goals | Conservation, sustainable use and adaptive management of agrobiodiversity and mountain ecosystems |
| Poverty reduction goals | Develop and implement local poverty reduction strategies based on local concepts of well being (to strengthen local food systems and economies based on equitable NRM) |
Summary
This project involves participatory action–research with six Quechua farming communities in a micro-centre of origin of potato diversity to strengthen local food systems, collective NRM and rights. The research is conducted through local learning groups facilitated entirely by community technicians with ANDES providing technical support. The Potato Park is being set up as an ‘Indigenous Biocultural heritage area’ – which seeks to protect indigenous knowledge, genetic resources, land, cultural values and customary institutions. It entails development of various economic activities – eg. low impact agroecotourism, an agreement for access to lost potato varieties from the International Potato Centre, setting up a traditional restaurant, marketing traditional potatoes as nutraceuticals, packaging herbal medicines etc and using the Potato Park collective trademark. Local database registers of TK/GRs are being set up to strengthen TK/NRM, protect rights and identify economic opportunities.
Conservation impact
Landscape/ecosystem conservation has been achieved through collective land rights. The park protects an important mountain watershed, wild fauna and flora (including threatened mammals such as the Andean fox and puma), endemic plants, and 400 native potato varieties.
Poverty reduction impact
Communal/Potato park fund has been set up into which a % of all Park revenues are paid, e.g. from Medicinal plant sales, ecotourism, and the agreement with CIP. Traditional agro-economies, food security, health and culture are being strengthened by the return of 540 germ-free traditional potato varieties.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Devolution or reinstatement of local rights over/access to resources
Ecoagriculture
Facilitating access to markets
Local employment/job creation
Revival of traditional practices
Reference 1
Traditional Resource Rights and Indigenous People in the Andes (A Argumedo and M Pimbert 2006); www.iied.org/sabl
More information
Alejandro Argumedo
Email: ipbn@web.net
Related records above this one:
- International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) (Organisation O0040)
- Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) (Organisation O0173)