Peru

Innovative market chains for women potato farmers

In the agricultural sector, gender inequalities undermine sustainable and inclusive development. With this in mind, Silvia Sarapura analyzed how innovative market chain systems for native potatoes were enabling women farmers in the central highlands of Peru to gain more control over the livelihoods. By generating deeper understanding, the project sought to promote collective action to stimulate market access for women farmers and reduce poverty.

While small-scale women producers lack knowledge, capacity and opportunities to take part in agricultural markets, they are slowly overcoming these barriers. Early findings, for example, revealed traditional indigenous women farmers were uniting to defend their livelihoods through seed conservation. Still, women generally lacked access to credit, seeds and labour-saving devices, and were rarely consulted on the development of new technology.

As part of the research process, Ms. Sarapura offered tools that brought together action, training and research. This included training in participatory video and photography, which were used to document findings that were then shared with policy-makers, academics and practitioners in both Canada and Peru. The initial collaboration continues to take off in new directions. Not only have the Canadian and Peruvian partners pursued funding for new research, Ms. Sarapura and the university have made contact with interested civil society organizations in Peru and Bolivia. “Partners in Peru, especially peasant people who participated in the study, have a special interest in strengthening this research alliance because Canada would be a place to begin trading Andean crops like quinoa,” said Ms. Sarapura.