A second climatesmart agriculturalrevolution in theAndes for the 21st century
Graham Thiele, Alex Chepstow-Lusty, Michael Frogley, Stef de Haan, Henry Juarez, Jürgen Kroschel and Bettina Heider
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA)
Agricultural practices that sustainably increase productivity and system resilience while reducing greenhouse gas emissions
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Andean agricultural system: vertical integration
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Cuzco
Road network
Technology complex: information, transport and storage
Inca: maize tribute economy
Grain stores- Ollantaytambo
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Potato
• Food security – local population
• 70% water = 3x llamas/storage spaces
• Solidarity in “kinship” economy: papa de regalo
Llumchuy Waqachi
Makes the daughter-in-law cry
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
First climate-smart agricultural revolution
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Global warming in the Middle Ages
(Chepstow y Winfield, 2000)
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Why Marcacocha?
To Amazon Capac Ñan
12 KM toOllantaytambo
Filled lakeof Marcacocha,
3350 MASLValuedPasture
Patacanchariver
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018Pollen register Marcacocha: 4200 years
Chepstow-Lusty et al. (2003)J. Quat. Sci. 18, 491-502
Aliso - Alnusfirewood, watershed protection
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018Macrocharcoal(> 125 microns/cm3)
Chepstow-Lusty et al., in progress)
+ Datos de M. LengC/N data
Less fire (& CO2) during Inca period
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
δ15N hard band
• Revolutionary change in agricultural practices in the 12th Century with a hard band of sedimentation
• Probably erosion linked to building of terraces and temporary slope instability
Data from D. Hodell, University of Cambridge
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Medieval global warming: summary
• Maize
• expands at mid elevations (up to 3400m)
• massive construction terraces and agro-forestry stabilizes hillsides, reduces CO2 emissions
• Potato
• displaced higher altitudes
• linked with local food security and gift economy
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Recent global warming
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018Qoyllur Riti, glacier near Cuzco
c. 1930 by Martin Chambi April 2009 by Paolo Greer
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Average altitude of native potatoes
Bitter
260m - 50 years
Floury
297m - 50 years
Bitter
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
✓60% of additional control costs are for producers ofnative potatoes 3,000+ m
Giraldo, D., Juarez, H., Pérez, W., Trebejo, I., Yzarra, W. and Forbes, G. (2010) Severity of potato late blight (Phytophthora
infestans) in agricultural areas of Peru associated with climate change. Revista Peruana Geo-Atmosférica (2):56-67.
Effect on late blight
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Agroforestry
Cutting aliso (Alnus acuminata) by Patacancha river – reduced watershed protection
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Climate smart agriculture in the Andes
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Participatory selection of varieties in Patacancha
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Puka Lliclla
• ‘Red cape’ - which women wear in Cuzco
• Resistant to late blight
10% área - Paucartambo
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Choquebamba terraces• Valley of Patacancha, near Ollantaytambo, 6 km of Pumamarca canal
• Restoration of irrigation channels and terraces in collaboration with local communities
(Cusichaca Trust, 1997)
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Mobilizing communities to plant Polylepis, Alnus and other native species: Asociacion Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN)
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
A second climate-smart agricultural revolution!
• Learn from first revolution!
• Massive institutional change: virtual green terrace around the Andes• Incentives for agroecological service provision• Enhanced public awareness, willingness to pay
• Nutritious, healthy and resilient food value chains
• Real-time agrobiodiversity monitoring
• Adaptation of sustainable pest and disease management technologies including varieties
• Conservation agriculture – tillage, agroforestry• Improved soil, water and slope management
• Citizen science driven innovation for climate smart agriculture
WPC | ALAP | CUSCO, PERU | 2018
Thank you