How Peru is climate-proofing its native potatoes

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Belgium and France may squabble over who invented fries, but who discovered potatoes in the first place?

Of the approximately 4,000 known potato species, over 2,300 – most of them native species – are found in Peru. 

This is the world’s potato heartland, where this food staple was first domesticated up to 10,000 years ago, and it still holds a prominent place in the country’s gastronomy.

Potato production is deeply rooted in Andean culture, and between native and commercial varieties, it accounts for 25 percent of Peru’s GDP. 

But will this multi-billion dollar industry survive the climate crisis? Irregular rainfall and increased frost pose major risks to Peruvian farmers, whose native production is primarily concentrated in mountainous regions.

Despite these challenges, food producers, researchers and the Peruvian government are developing innovative ways to preserve the genetic biodiversity of the country’s native potatoes.

When in doubt, plant higher?

Peruvian farmers are adapting to the climate crisis by planting and cultivating native potatoes at increasingly high altitudes, particularly in the departments of Cusco, Puno, Ayacucho and Apurímac, located in the Andes in the south of the country.

Andean farmers are now clearly aware of the impacts of climate change, such as increasingly frequent and prolonged droughts, as well as frost and hail – all of which they’re experiencing firsthand.

According to Raymundo Gutiérrez Rosales, a technical consultant and potato specialist at the National Agrarian Innovation Institute of Peru (INIA), some farmers have moved their fields from 3,800 meters above sea level to between 4,000 and 4,100 meters.

“But there comes a point where they won’t be able to go any higher,” Gutiérrez warns.

Gutiérrez also notes that the construction of highways has caused a decline in native species. As farmers enjoy greater access to markets, they’re incentivized to focus on the production of varieties intended for consumption and industrial production.

“The farmer’s connection to the market leads to a loss of genetic biodiversity,” he points out.

According to Miguel Quevedo Bacigalupo, a native potato specialist at the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of Peru (Midagri), farmers are already taking measures to preserve native species, such as by industrializing their products and preserving more species.

This is mainly thanks to initiatives from farmers’ institutions, research institutes, the government and market demands.

In Peru, according to the most recent national farming census in 2012, 324,000 hectares are cultivated with commercial potatoes and 70,000 hectares with native potatoes. This census was the first to measure the area devoted to native potato production.

The yield of arable land dedicated to potato crops, however, has also suffered due to the effects of El Niño, which are becoming more severe due to the climate crisis. These include an increase in pests affecting both commercial and native crops.

“Yields can drop by 30 to 40 percent, and the size of the tubers can also be reduced,” says Quevedo.

As a result, it’s crucial for farmers to partner with researchers to both preserve the genetic diversity of Peru’s potatoes and improve them to ensure they can still be produced as the climate gets hotter.

Conserving and restoring native potato species

The International Potato Center (CIP) plays a central role in preserving the genetic diversity of Peru’s native potatoes.

Julian Soto is a research assistant in charge of CIP’s germplasm bank, which houses native species and genetically improved material.

He says the organization collaborates with farmers and local communities and aims to earn their trust to plant native species in their fields. 

Over the past 30 years, the organization has been able to increase biodiversity that may have otherwise been lost due to the climate crisis and market forces.

Soto emphasizes that farmers play a fundamental role in this process, as it is their desire for conservation that drives CIP to repatriate the seeds – that is, return them to the soil, where they are preserved in situ by the communities.

“If the farmer stops planting or conserving, biodiversity will be lost, no matter what conservationists or researchers do,” he says.

“We also ensure that repatriation is done with the community, not by an individual farmer. So we want them to plant on community lands.” 

Since the start of the conservation program in 1992, CIP has served 150 of the more than 6,000 communities in Peru who obtain their livelihoods through potato farming.

“Even if we increase our capacity, we will never reach them all,” says Soto. “The program must therefore be participatory, and we want the seeds to belong to the communities so that they become disseminators, not just beneficiaries.”

CIP runs a variety of conservation incentives, including contests between farmers, which are particularly popular. However, Soto sees pros and cons to this approach.

“Since there are prizes, there is competition, so farmers start to hoard seeds instead of sharing them,” he observes.

As an example of best practices, he cites the Annual Guardians Meeting, promoted by the Native Potato Guardians Association of Peru (Aguapan), which focuses on sharing seeds among its members.

Farmers in the association each have an average of 150 varieties, illustrating its success in preserving biodiversity.

Stemming the rural exodus 

One of the main obstacles facing the conservation of native potatoes is rural exodus – especially that of young people.

According to Peru’s most recent national farming census, most of the country’s farmers are over the age of 45, while one in five are over 65.

However, Quevedo sees growing market demand for native varieties, which could help mitigate this exodus.

“There has been increased demand for native potatoes to make vodka, pisco and macerated herb drinks – things that weren’t seen 20 years ago,” he says.

“As a result, increased market demand can encourage young people to stay in the countryside. For that, more opportunities must be created not only in Lima, which is on the coast, but also in the highlands.”

Still, Quevedo points out that the last census was carried out in 2012 and that the country lacks more recent data. While he says there has been an increase in the cultivation of native potatoes, there is no data to quantify this growth.

Regardless, Quevedo believes the entry of native potatoes into the wholesale market is a positive sign. Today, 30 percent of the potatoes processed are already native varieties, he says.

From native potatoes to native chips

Hernán Hancco and his family had grown native potatoes for generations. In 2015, they decided to try something new: making their own potato chips.

And so, Sumac Chips was born – named after the Quechua word for “delicious.”

Located in the department of Cusco, this agroindustrial initiative employs eight people and involves the entire Hancco family.

Sumac Chips produces 1.5 to two tons of chips per month and sells them primarily at fairs and directly to consumers. Hernán handles processing, while his siblings and parents focus on growing potatoes at their farm.

The family currently preserves over 450 varieties of native potatoes – making them one of the largest conservationists of native potatoes in Peru.

At first, Hernán’s father, Julio, didn’t want his son to continue farming as he thought there were few opportunities in the field. That changed in 2009, when Hernán was invited to Terra Madre, a global food fair in Italy, where he brought his family’s native potato chips.

“The fair lasted ten days, and the product sold out in 30 minutes,” he recalls. “There, I saw an opportunity.” 

The family processes eight potato varieties in their agroindustrial complex, which crucially add value to their products to boost their income.

“If we sell fresh potatoes, there is no added value,” Hernán Hancco explains. “That’s why many farmers also decide to work with tourism, which has greater added value.”

This endeavor didn’t come without its challenges – especially those posed by the climate crisis. 

As the region experiences escalating temperatures and less rainfall, Hancco says it’s becoming increasingly difficult for his family to grow their potatoes, especially because they don’t use agrochemicals.

What next for Peru’s agricultural green transition?

There is still one major barrier to climate-proofing Peruvian agriculture: funding.

The country needs an additional PEN 50 billion (USD 13.4 billion) in financial support for climate adaptation, says Berioska Quispe, director general of climate change and desertification at the Ministry of the Environment of Peru.

Most funding comes from international development funds, particularly from countries like Switzerland and Germany, as well as the Green Climate Fund.

“There are public funds, but they are insufficient, and in many cases, there is a lot of bureaucracy and barriers preventing Indigenous Peoples from accessing them,” says Quispe. “That’s why we rely on financing through international cooperation.”

Quispe emphasizes that a quarter of the Peruvian population works in agriculture, but they are often highly vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis.

The Peruvian Ministry of the Environment works with Minagri to promote crop adaptation projects. Given their cultural and economic importance in Peru, potatoes are prioritized through an “intercultural, intergenerational, and gender-focused” approach. That means including women, Indigenous and peasant communities and young people in public policies.

And as part of its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement – Peru aims to conserve potato varieties that are most resistant to the climate crisis.

“There are species that are more resistant to cold, for example,” says Quispe. ”We also need to seek varieties that are more resistant to pests and diseases.”

While the Ministry of the Environment provides technical support, Minagri implements the projects and works directly with the farmers.

According to Quevedo, farmers are already adapting agricultural practices for the future.

“Agricultural practices in pre-production, such as soil preparation and pest control, are being improved,” he explains.

These improvements are driven in no small part by an influx of young farmers, whose task now is to preserve Peru’s potato heritage for many more generations to come.