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The Andes
In Focus
Indigenous knowledge
The ancient people of the Andes developed a body of knowledge that allowed them to live well and in harmony with their environment. In the centuries following the Spanish conquest of 1532, this knowledge was considerably eroded by the privatization of collectives and the imposition of largely inappropriate new crops, animals and production systems – to the detriment of the environment. What remains of indigenous knowledge in the Andes is now sparking wide interest for promoting sustainability in rural development and agriculture.
What is Andean indigenous knowledge?
Indigenous knowledge of the Andes is the accumulation of many centuries of applied science and is founded on deep cultural beliefs and values, such as respect for nature and the concepts of equality and communality. Also referred to as “local” or “traditional” knowledge, it allows indigenous people to ensure that their social and productive activities maintain community well-being and balance with the environment.
Indigenous knowledge is applied in many ways. In pre-Spanish times, people used it in domesticating a wide variety of plants and animals and developed sophisticated systems to prevent food shortages. They also knew how to control erosion and conserve water by irrigating and terracing their fields. They could grow productive crops even at altitudes over 4,000 meters. Today, some of their descendants maintain this knowledge. They are able to identify a number of traditional medicinal plants, and they can forecast the weather and classify topsoil as accurately as modern scientists.
Finding the future in the past
Efforts are underway to document, use, learn from and share the indigenous knowledge of the Andes before it is lost. There has been growing recognition of its value in making rural development more productive and sustainable in the Andes and other mountain regions. Indigenous people themselves – faced with the failings of “modernization” – are also taking greater interest in restoring this legacy. A general movement has taken hold invoking greater pride and interest in their own traditions. Results have included the revival of sustainable methods for better food security and the use of native crops. On a more profound level, there has been a renewal of respect for nature, the soil and life itself as a basis for culture and society.
Mountain Partnership members are putting indigenous knowledge to use
The Consortium for Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN) is preserving the genetic resources for many plants traditionally used in the Andes, including many less known roots, tubers, grains, and legumes that have served as staple for generations in the Andes.
The International Potato Center (CIP) is recording eroding indigenous knowledge to preserve it for future generations. In has also conducted research on soil classification and climate forecast in the Andes.
Mountain Institute works to preserve and promote learning from the cultural heritage of the Andes. One way is through its Andean School for Mountain Studies. The institute also incorporates some traditional knowledge in its sustainable development programmes.
