Andean Cultural Affirmation and Cultural Integration in Context: Reflections on Indigenous Knowledge for the In Situ Conservation of Agrobiodiversity

This chapter addresses the role of indigenous knowledge (IK) and practices in the conservation of agricultural biodiversity. In the context of Andean communities in southern Peru, it is argued that negotiations between these local communities and conservation bodies need to give as much weight to the interests of farmers and the diversity of their livelihoods, as to the institutional goals and strategies that inform state and non-governmental development efforts, in order to maximize the role of IK in the conservation of agrobiodiversity. A 'cultural affirmation' and 'cultural integration' approach is proposed to assess on-farm conservation. The former seeks to strengthen and revive local subsistence traditions and practices beneficial to conservation, while the latter encourages farmers to adopt new technology and enter the market, albeit aware that these may be unfavourable to conservation. The cultural affirmationist approach is explored through a number of NGOs who work in Peru's southern and central highlands, while The Potato Park in Cusco's province of Calca is presented as a contrasting case study in cultural integration.