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| There are two camelids and a cereal in Tomave |
| Objectives e results |
| Beneficiaries |
| Data synthesis |
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Productive integration of camelids and quinoa in Tomave (Potosí).
Tomave - situated at an altitude above 4,000 meters - is the municipality with the largest population of llamas in the Department of Potosí. Livestock - along with the cultivation of quinoa - is the main economic resource of the local population, consisting mostly from Quechua origin indigenous.
In this area llamas have always been the cornerstone for survival because they provide food, clothing and much more. The more and more decreasing availability of pasture and the attractiveness of other export-related income sources are endangering llama breeding. This is a very fragile environment, in which climate change and human activity are likely to break a balance built up over centuries of population permanence in this area. The project aims at proposing the enhancement of the llamas and a more sustainable and rational management of another two resources of the area: vicuna and quinoa. The project shall attempt to develop a model of integrated and sustainable development by diversifying the economic strategies in order to reduce the vulnerability of communities and help restoring the balance between these three resources.
Problems to solveIn the southwest region of Potosí, the recent increase in the number of vicunas - protected animals that are famous for their fine fiber - has both benefits and risks. On the one hand, vicunas may represent an economical potential for Andean people, on the other hand, these animals are gradually coming down from the heights invading pasture areas of the llamas and thus entering into competition with them to obtain food. In addition, the lack of technical and veterinary knowledge added to the lack of sanitation increase the risk of disease transmission.
The local population - traditionally linked to the llama breeding - is converting to extensive monoculture of quinoa, an Andean cereals that in recent years has increased its commercial value on the international market. This involves extensive and reckless land exploitation, reducing the prairies devoted to llama grazing. The poor technical skills of the population concerning the production chain of these three sectors (llamas, vicunas and quinoa) do not permit to fully exploit the economic potential of these resources without threatening the delicate local ecosystem; moreover the traditional balance of the management of these resources is breaking down worsening the current situation of poverty.
