Publications

Although the high Andes are the place of origin of the potato, the growing conditions are harsh and prone to frost, drought and hailstorms. This, coupled with a general lack of support for remote communities, has resulted in high levels of malnutrition and childhood mortality amongst the area’s inhabitants. In response, the International Potato Center (CIP) launched a study that aimed at enhancing the resilience and knowhow of local students and women farmers. The project focused on the design of low-cost greenhouses built from local materials, and optimizing the use of space and time within cultivation. A selection of horticultural crops suited to local environmental conditions and culinary tastes was also chosen for cultivation.