Rural families in the Colca Valley of Peru have a long agricultural history that combines ancestral practices with the more recent adoption of conventional operations using synthetic agrochemicals. Pressure from a growing demand for rural families to grow more food is modifying their agrarian systems. In the Colca Valley, composed of communities where production objectives oscillate between family self-sufficiency and commercial agriculture, it is essential to reconcile traditional practices, adequate management of natural resources, and current demands.
Organic agriculture could revitalize ancestral practices and respect community traditions while connecting with the demand for healthier foods. Therefore, it is key to understand, from the perspective of rural families, the agricultural and social dynamics in the Colca Valley and harmonize concepts within the spectrum of organic, natural, and traditional agriculture.
For this reason, in October 2024, Dr. Bello-Bravo and Dr. Cossio from the Nexus ‘Organic Farming Systems’ Project visited the Colca Valley to have dialogues with farmers from Sibayo, Yanque and Madrigal to get a deeper understanding on their perceptions about organic agriculture. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with 93 participants from four groups (seniors, youth, women and men), to gather different perspectives and expand representation. These research activities will generate knowledge about opportunities and barriers farmers in the Colca Valley could face when trying to reconcile their agricultural practices, whether ancestral or conventional, towards a more sustainable agriculture.
Source : purdue.edu