While these native potatoes were traditionally consumed mainly by local communities, demand for high-quality potatoes is slowly rising, providing additional income opportunities for Peru’s potato farmers and their families.
Coordinadora Rural de la Papa del Perú (CORPAPA) was founded to support the livelihoods of traditional potato farmers in Ayacucho. In this Andean region, 50% of the population struggles to meet basic needs. The association supports over 130 local producers to grow organic potatoes, which it buys at preferential prices and sells to clients in the agroindustrial sector, supermarkets, restaurants, and government programs for public schools and soup kitchens.
There are over 4,000 native potato varieties in Peru. CORPAPA researches and develops techniques for recovering and harvesting these local varieties, incorporating ancestral sustainable farming techniques into its approach. It develops high-quality seeds packed with nutrients and more resistant to climate shocks, and ensures farmers have the technical knowledge to maintain these crops.
CORPAPA’s support includes regular farm visits and training in selecting and classifying potatoes, managing microclimates, and transporting fresh potatoes. Specifically, CORPAPA works to preserve traditional practices such as ayni – a method used by many Quechua farming communities in Peru’s highlands based on reciprocity, mutual support, and collective, organised work. In this vein, the association has established native potato farming committees in the communities where it works to oversee collaborative crop management and disseminate farming knowledge.
The association also trains its team and local farmers to use a traceability system for their organic produce. This allows end consumers to identify the native potato variety, plot location, farmer’s name, and harvest date.
Programme support
CORPAPA increases farmer income by focusing on high-quality, organic potato sales, which has built strong market demand. To sustain this growth, they will deepen relationships with local farmers and support organic certification.
With support from the programme, CORPAPA will transition to a cooperative model, streamlining administration and governance to boost efficiency, scale operations, and ensure long-term, impactful sustainability.
