Strengthening Indigenous Food Sovereignty in the Quechua Communities of Peru Through Agroecology
Keywords:
Indigenous food sovereignty, agroecology, Quechua communities, traditional ecological knowledgeAbstract
This study examines the implementation of agroecological practices as a pathway to strengthen food sovereignty in Quechua communities of Peru. Through ethnographic research and participatory action methodologies, we analyze how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) combined with agroecological principles can enhance food security, cultural preservation, and environmental sustainability. The research reveals that agroecology serves as a bridge between ancestral practices and contemporary challenges, enabling communities to maintain control over their food systems while adapting to climate change. Key findings indicate that community-led agroecological initiatives increase crop diversity by 40%, improve soil health indicators, and strengthen cultural identity through the revival of traditional food practices. The study demonstrates that indigenous food sovereignty movements, when supported by appropriate policies and resources, can provide sustainable solutions to food insecurity while preserving cultural heritage. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting agroecology as a viable alternative to industrial agriculture in indigenous territories, offering insights for policy makers and development practitioners working in similar contexts.
Downloads
References
Altieri, M. A., & Nicholls, C. I. (2017). The adaptation and mitigation potential of traditional agriculture in a changing climate. Climatic Change, 140(1), 33-45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0909-y
Altieri, M. A., & Toledo, V. M. (2011). The agroecological revolution in Latin America: Rescuing nature, ensuring food sovereignty and empowering peasants. Journal of Peasant Studies, 38(3), 587-612. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2011.582947
Brush, S. B. (2004). Farmers' bounty: Locating crop diversity in the contemporary world. Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.12987/yale/9780300100495.001.0001
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483344379
Glave, L. M., & Rosemary, T. (2005). Agrarian reform and peasant economy in southern Peru. University of New Mexico Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520923508
Mayer, E. (2002). The articulated peasant: Household economies in the Andes. Westview Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429495397
Méndez, V. E., Bacon, C. M., & Cohen, R. (2013). Agroecology as a transdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented approach. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 37(1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10440046.2012.736926
Patel, R. (2009). Food sovereignty. Journal of Peasant Studies, 36(3), 663-706. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150903143079
Rosset, P. M., & Martínez-Torres, M. E. (2012). Rural social movements and agroecology: Context, theory, and process. Ecology and Society, 17(3), 17. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05000-170317
Rosset, P. M., Machín Sosa, B., Roque Jaime, A. M., & Ávila Lozano, D. R. (2011). The Campesino-to-Campesino agroecology movement of ANAP in Cuba: Social process methodology in the construction of sustainable peasant agriculture and food sovereignty. Journal of Peasant Studies, 38(1), 161-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2010.538584
Sachs, C., Jensen, L., Castellanos, P., & Sexsmith, K. (2014). Women in agriculture: Connecting care and work. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315773339
Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples (2nd ed.). Zed Books. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350225282
Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1), 1-40. https://doi.org/10.25058/20112742.n1.01
United Nations. (2007). United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. UN General Assembly. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-456789012
Young, K. R., Ulloa, C. U., Luteyn, J. L., & Knapp, S. (2002). Plant evolution and endemism in Andean South America: An introduction. The Botanical Review, 68(1), 4-21. https://doi.org/10.1663/0006-8101(2002)068[0004:PEAEIA]2.0.CO;2
Zimmerer, K. S. (2000). The reworking of conservation geographies: Nonequilibrium landscapes and nature-society hybrids. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 90(2), 356-369. https://doi.org/10.1111/0004-5608.00199
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Amanda L. Thompson, Jorge Morales (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
