Recupero del “saper fare” andino per la produzione agricola

Trends in the global economic environment strongly put into question the current model of development in agriculture, as proved unfavorable for the environment and the cultural, social and economic aspects. In this context, the Andean communities are one of the best examples of experimentation in the sustainable use of land on a large scale and in the long-term. The research used a qualitative approach, relying on unstructured interviews made to farmers, agricultural workers and scholars on agriculture sector and on the field surveys conducted in some communities of the Peruvian highlands. The survey seeks the recovery of lost agricultural traditional knowledge and appreciation of those in danger of disappearing. Farmers use a large of practices regarding the use of terraces in the Andean valleys, of raised fields on Titicaca Plateau, land worked in areas of long cycles fallow, or on short rotations and associations of many varieties of crops, diversified systems water supply, facilities that allow both consumption and irrigation of the fields. Traditional knowledge and local practices are part of complex social systems and represent much more than just a list of technical solutions, they are a multi-functional system that are part of an integrated approach between society, culture and economy based on a careful management of local resources. Based on the results of the survey research aims to lay the foundations for the recognition, dynamic management and implementation of traditional knowledge, especially wants to put in evidence the viability of its use not only locally but on a wider scale, contribute the revitalization efforts of the community for a sustainable mode of production with positive economic impact in rural areas.