QUINOA (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) FARMERS TYPOLOGY IN AGROECOSYSTEMS OF INTER-ANDEAN VALLEYS FROM PERU

Abstract

Background. As a consequence of the growing international quinoa demand, in the last 10 years the cultivated area in Peru has increased, from diversified production systems for self-consumption to monocultures with improved varieties compliant with market characteristics demanded. Objective. Evaluate farmer type and characteristics and their quinoa production units (QPU) based on land tenure, cultivation area, sowing intention, yield and family income. Methodology. Surveys were applied in five communities with the highest quinoa production with structured questions that incorporate economic, environmental and social variables. For the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, statistical tools of multivariate analysis were used. To express the variables in a set of linear combinations of factors not correlated with each other, principal components analysis (PCA) was used; meanwhile, a cluster analysis was performed from the grouping of the QPU with minimum and maximum intra and inter-class variability. Implications. Knowledge of agroecosystems characteristics and the type of farmer who manages production units is the basis of all research, planning and the technology transfer processes. Conclusions. Three types of quinoa farmers and belong to family farming systems in the process of from articulation to market, were identified. The first group with limited access to land, water, and capital resources makes their exploitation difficult. Meanwhile, the second and third groups, denominated smallholders and medium holders, have land with better resources, but their difficulties persist surpluses that allow them to be capitalized. In the three groups, families carry out activities inside and outside the QPU, to generate additional income beyond their main crop.