Principal Investigators

Corinne Valdivia, Research Associate Professor
Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Missouri-Columbia

Jere L. Gilles, Associate Professor
Department of Rural Sociology
University of Missouri-Columbia

Abstract

Climate, economic, and social changes are threatening Andean smallholder production systems. This research explores ways to increase the resiliency of these social-ecosystems by working with farmers to increase their capacity to adapt to change and build resilient livelihood systems. Team researchers and farmers in peasant communities develop a common understanding of the factors leading to increased vulnerability and less diversity in these systems. The project is a research and development collaboration between rural communities in the Altiplano and high valleys of Bolivia and Peru, universities and non-governmental organizations in the region and the U.S., and institutions that formulate policy. It will strengthen the capacity of these communities and institutions to conduct research and develop strategies to adapt to change, reduce vulnerability, and enhance the biodiversity of their agro-ecosystems. A common understanding of how livelihood strategies develop in response to risks will create new knowledge aimed at increasing the ability of people and their environment to recover from shocks and stresses. Specific interventions envisioned include in situ conservation of cultivars and native plants, new markets for traditional crops, introduction of technologies and varieties to mitigate weather related risks, and the development of strategies to enhance soil organic matter.