Plants, people, and the conservation of biodiversity of potatoes in peru

The conservation of biodiversity is of growing interest and concern worldwide. It is of particular interest in Peru, a country noted for the mega-diversity of its flora and fauna. Interest is especially high in the case of potato. The potato was first domesticated in Peru thousands of years ago and remains today the centrepiece of the diet, culture and rural economy in much of the highland region. The tremendous number of native potato varieties found within an array of ecologies is widely recognized by local and foreign scholars alike. This paper outlines the evolving portfolio of actors and their initiatives engaged in sustaining the potato's biodiversity in Peru. It highlights the complex set of diverse objectives and methods that the efforts of farmers, scientists, NGO staffers, and business managers entail as well as identifies key strengths and limitations of each. The paper then briefly articulates potential novel endeavors that have yet to be fully tested before laying out a series of pending initiatives aimed at increasing the synergy between and impact of the overall set of undertakings. © 2011 ABECO.