Centro de investigacion, Educacion y Desarollo, PeruFinal report
BackgroundThe field implementation of the CBDC Programme in Peru started on August, 1995, after a meeting organized by CCTA (then acting as national coordinator), in which the project approach, objectives and protocol were discussed. The meeting was attended by CIED, all participating NGOs and the Regional Coordinator. Two previous meetings were held in Cusco and Piura, to identify project staff and reach inter-institutional agreements for the implementation of the project. Between these meetings, surveys to assess the "initial situations" were carried out. Participating NGOs already had experience in local conservation of genetic resources and local knowledge, although much of this work was not systematic. The participating NGOs were: CEPESER in Piura, EDAC and IDEAs in Cajamarca, TALPUY in Huancavelica; the COINCIDE group and CADEP- JMA in Cusco, CIED-PUNO in the highlands, and CIED-AREQUIPA in the Southern Coast of Peru. The NGOs from Cusco had the most advanced work in genetic resources. Works by R. Ortega (1990) and COINCIDE-CADEP (1994), regarding diversity in potato were taken as a starting point. According to them, little knowledge was available in the Cusco region on the diversity still available, its role and potentialities, or on the main processes of genetic erosion. Knowledge on genetic resources in the rest of the country was still more incipient and chaotic. This was the status of knowledge on plant genetic resources in Peru when the project started. Institutional aspects and areas of workThe institutions involved accepted to participate in the CBDC Programme after becoming thoroughly acquainted with the CBDC Programme, its Protocol and the CBDC Project in Peru. All parts involved agreed to fully respect the Protocol. However, serious problems in the implementation of agreed responsibilities occurred. After a year of work, the participants agreed to concentrate in potatoes. Due to unfulfilled responsibilities, CIED Arequipa was later separated from the project.Ecological conditionsThe CBDC Project was implemented in the Andean region. The only partial exception was the work in Arequipa, situated in a coastal zone. The different altitudes and latitudes were related to cultural and ecological differences.
Technical advisors visited project sites and worked with project staff members, discussing implementation problems and advising on methodologies. The national coordinator also visited project sites, interviewed leaders of participating communities, and discussed implementation with staff members. The following reports were submitted:
ResultsSystematization of knowledge on potato genetic resources.The implementation of the project highlighted the current status of genetic resources in Peru, as well as the low importance assigned to it. The project supported and led conservation and development initiatives at family, community and local governmental level, stressing the urgency of carrying out research as a tool for the maintenance of agriculture, food security and animal nutrition. Participating NGOs would pay only secondary attention to the conservation of plant genetic resources when the CBDC Project began. This focus has now changed, and biodiversity conservation and utilization has been identified as a necessary basis for traditional and modern agriculture. Participating farmers have become aware of genetic erosion in native crops. They have now a greater interest in conserving and developing diversity in their farms and communities, as well as in being a potato conservationist. Inventory of diversity of native potato varieties at national and regional level. The distribution of project sites throughout the Peruvian Andes permitted to collect an updated inventory of existing varieties of all known potato species. The records obtained give now a picture which is closer to reality and allow to assess the potential availability in different regions. Results show that the highest level of potato diversity exists in the Central and Southern Andes, which is where the center of origin has been located. Identification of micro centers of diversity. The inventory served as the basis for identifying microcenters of diversity conserved by traditional farmers. Such centers have been maintained as a food security and seed conservation system, which have been kept in time and space through exchange networks among families and communities within a watershed or living in different watersheds. Conservation and development of biodiversity is linked to ancestral cultural factors. The diversity of potatoes decreases from South to North in the Peruvian Andes, as seen in the previous point. This was clearly correlated to levels of cultural erosion. Thus, the higher levels of ethnic mixture and changes in food habits seen in the North overlaps with higher levels of genetic erosion. On the other hand, the example below shows that most of the most frequently used varieties still have Quechua names and traditional uses. Traditional uses are also the basis for post-harvest tuber classification and selection, as it can be seen in table 4. In those communities where diversity is being conserved, the main uses are family food and seeds. Conservationist farmers live in isolated areas (far from urban centers and without roads), and these uses are critical for the household welfare. When exchange takes place, barter can be an important component. In Pampallacta, Viacha (Calca) production is used as follows according to CEDEP: 18 % for seed, after selection 40 % family food, without further processing 5 % to be transformed into chuño (starch for home comsumption) and moranga 33 % local markets In Pacchanta (Ocongate), production is used as follows according to CCAIJO: 60 % used for direct consumption by the family 20 % for seed 20-30 % for bartering produces from other ecological zones (maize, fruits) and for marketing Most frequently used potato varieties in the watershed of River Cachi
Post-harvest classification at community level
Morphological characterization of native potato cultivars. Three hundred and thirty-six varieties of potatoes were described according to internationally accepted descriptors. The main purpose of this activity was to identify accurately those varieties with higher potentialities. Mainly tuber characteristics were utilized as descriptors, and the work was most active in Cusco and Puno. Cultivars Described
Links with governmental and public institutions. Links with local governments at different project sites attempted to encourage local authorities to undertake responsibilities in biodiversity conservation. In Laria, the town Mayor declared that it was a responsibility of the local government to conserve biodiversity. The National Coordination focused its public education efforts in National governmental authorities. In October, 1999, the national coordinator spoke to the Committee for Science and Technology of the National Congress about the importance of investigating and conserving potato genetic resources. Public education among University communities was carried out too. Pat Mooney from RAFI led several seminars for University faculty and students in Cusco, Cajamarca and Lima. Conny Almekinders also made presentations twice in Cusco and Cajamarca, where she stressed the need to incorporate course on conservation of plant genetic resources to curricula in Biology, Agronomy and Sociology studies. Identification of traditional cropping systems Several cropping systems at project sites were identified, comprising seed exchange, land use and distribution, social organization for the distribution of agricultural work, manufacture of tools, cropping techniques, food habits and cultural values and beliefs. Project participants have discussed the importance of seeds in traditional systems, and have highlighted that seeds are the products of a cultural process similar to archeological treasures, which should also receive investments for conservation. This is especially true because resources are linked to ancestral knowledge Publications Three documents based upon project activities and results (especially reports) have been produced
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