The conservation of biodiversity, including genetic resources, is fundamental to maintaining the productive value and vitality of agroecosystems, as well as the livelihoods of thousands of families in the southern highlands of Peru. Therefore, it is important to promote its appreciation in order to raise awareness and prioritize measures to address the negative impacts of climate change that could affect our natural heritage.
In response to this situation, courses were developed addressing topics of great importance to the Andean region, which, as is well known, is one of the world's main centers of plant and animal domestication. The objective of this academic activity was to disseminate traditional knowledge that promotes the sustainable development of high-Andean agriculture and the conservation of its rich agrobiodiversity in crops and livestock.
One of the most important and complex challenges today is related to health and the environment. Addressing these urgent problems requires integrated efforts from multidisciplinary teams, which must be committed to protecting biodiversity and safeguarding environmental health; the health of humanity largely depends on this. In this regard, the GEF Agrobiodiversity GIAHS II project is already developing virtual courses on the conservation and use of genetic resources, this time in the southern highlands of Peru, with the participation of renowned national specialists.
The training sessions delved into topics such as the conservation of the diversity and variability of crops like potatoes, maize, quinoa, and other Andean grains, medicinal plants and their wild relatives, as well as the improvement and use of genetic variability to obtain new varieties adapted to the different high-altitude environmental conditions of the Andes. Other topics covered included the breeding and use of South American camelids, the management of high-altitude Andean grasslands, and their complementary relationship with the Amazon region.
The actions and initiatives of international cooperation, universities, regional governments, NGOs, as well as the participation of Andean producers in the decision and implementation of development plans, were also topics covered in the training sessions.
The training course included the participation of professionals from MINAM, MIDAGRI and INIA, as well as officials from the regional governments of Cusco, Apurímac Huancavelica, Arequipa and Puno, who presented at the closing, diagnoses and application proposals based on the knowledge obtained in the sessions.
These courses were developed through the GEF Agrobiodiversity SIPAM II project, a joint initiative of the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MIDAGR), the FAO, the GEF, and Profonanpe. Ultimately, these activities aim to foster the growth of traditional Andean agriculture, considered the most important in the region from both a social and cultural identity perspective.
