Sixth Horizontal Learning Exchange: Peru 2024

Perú, Cusco - Huaran 2024

Sixth Horizontal Learning Exchange

Over 50 representatives of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and local communities (LCs) from mountain regions in Peru, Bolivia and China and semi-arid coastal Kenya, along with researchers, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), local government and donors, came together in the Andes of Peru from 30 May to 4 June 2024, for a six-day horizontal learning exchange and walking workshop. The event, organised by the International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples (INMIP) with support from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), aimed to enhance capacity to establish Biocultural Heritage Territories, and explore key challenges facing IPs and LCs and effective responses based on biocultural heritage (interlinked traditional knowledge, biodiversity, landscapes, cultural and spiritual values, and customary laws). INMIP is a global network of mountain communities in 14 countries, with a secretariat at Asociacion ANDES (Peru). It aims to establish a global network of Biocultural Heritage Territories, strengthen climate resilience and biocultural adaptation of mountain communities, and promote supportive policies.
Representatives from Apurimac, Peru in Farmer-to-Farmer Learning, Community of Amaru, Potato Park

The sixth INMIP learning exchange took place at the ANDES Yachay Kuychi Pluriversity in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and involved walking workshops in the Potato Park and Chalakuy (Barter) Park Biocultural Heritage Territories. It included an international policy forum on climate change and agroecology in mountains, and culminated in a Declaration targeting climate and biodiversity policymakers. The walking workshop methodology of community-to-community learning is based on holistic Indigenous approaches that include the landscape and Mother Earth in the transmission of knowledge. Indigenous experts and youth led the sharing of traditional knowledge in and around farmers’ fields.

 Agenda

Day 1 30/05 Visit to Potato Park for International Potato Day celebrations. Opening Ceremony of the exchange at the pluriversity in Huaran (and explanation of Chakana Cross).

Day 2 31/05 Workshop in Huaran. Introduction to participants and their areas of work, exploration of multidimensional crises in mountains and semi-arid zones; mapping biocultural challenges and solutions in each community/country; methods, tools and processes for establishing Biocultural Heritage Territories.

Day 3 01/06 Walking workshop in the Potato Park. Biocultural Territory model and governance (Ayllu system), agrobiodiversity conservation, solidarity economy and biocultural products.

Day 4 02/06 Workshop in Huaran. Reflections on the challenges faced by mountain and semi-arid IPs and LCs, how Biocultural Heritage Territories can address these challenges, and governance of Biocultural Heritage Territories.

Day 5 03/06 Walking workshop in Chalakuy Maize Park. Visit to barter market, walk through traditional crop fields, visit to maize harvest and family seed banks.

Day 6 04/06 International Forum in Huaran, on climate change agroecology and water in mountain regions. Drafting the INMIP Declaration of Huaran.

Taller INMIP Lares 2024

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 The INMIP Secretariat will provide additional details about the exchange as it becomes available. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact the members of the organizing team listed below.

 Akylbek Kasymov, Bio-Muras, Kyrgystan, akylbekx@mail.ru

Alejandro Argumedo, INMIP Secretariat,  alejandro@andes.org.pe

Sara A. Gomez, Program Assistant, sara@andes.org.pe