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Conservation Agriculture in the Andean Highlands: Promise and Precautions

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The Future of Mountain Agriculture

Part of the book series: Springer Geography ((SPRINGERGEOGR))

Abstract

In the Andean Region (AR) of South America, the challenge of increasing agricultural production while conserving or improving the natural environment has attained a sense of urgency. This chapter examines the challenges faced by small-scale producers in the post-land reform areas of the Andean Region. It focuses on two critical challenges endemic in the region: variable climatic conditions and increasing scarcity of labor. It argues that small-scale farmers need new production options to assist in dealing with these challenges. Conservation agriculture represents a potential option in these areas and two examples are provided where conservation agriculture has shown some promise.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The research was funded by USAID through the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Project (SANREM-CRSP). This research was made possible by the United States Agency for International Development and the generous support of the American people through USAID Cooperative Agreement No. EPP-A-00-04-00013-00.

  2. 2.

    The sindicato is the basic unit of organization for agricultural producers in the inter-Andean valleys of Bolivia.

  3. 3.

    Exact estimates are difficult to come by because the criteria used to identify conservation agriculture vary from study to study. It is estimated that more than 100 million hectares world-wide are currently planted under no-till.

  4. 4.

    Research partners were INIAP in Ecuador and PROINPA in Bolivia. Local governmental and non-governmental organizations were also included in the research program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, USA

    Jeffrey Alwang & George W. Norton

  2. Instituto Nacional Autónomo de Investigaciones Agropecuarias INIAP, Quito, Ecuador

    Victor Barrera

  3. Fundacion PROINPA, Cochabamba, Bolivia

    Ruben Botello

Authors
  1. Jeffrey Alwang
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  2. George W. Norton
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  3. Victor Barrera
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  4. Ruben Botello
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey Alwang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Socioeconomics, Agroscope, Tänikon 1, Ettenhausen, 8356, Switzerland

    Stefan Mann

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Alwang, J., Norton, G.W., Barrera, V., Botello, R. (2013). Conservation Agriculture in the Andean Highlands: Promise and Precautions. In: Mann, S. (eds) The Future of Mountain Agriculture. Springer Geography. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33584-6_3

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