In the highlands of rural Peru, communities have to get creative to support agriculture. With the added challenge of a mountainous landscape, my community manages to produce fruitful harvests using the river that runs through the valley.
My community depends on a reliable and efficient way to water their crops, so I wanted to learn about this impressive irrigation system. Whereas in Wisconsin, where I am from, you often see massive sprinkler irrigation systems feeding acres of flat farmland, in Peru it’s another story. The steep Andes mountains require fields to be cut into the mountains using a method called terrace farming. The slopes end up looking like tiered wedding cakes, and the fields can be high up the mountain. This technique poses various challenges such as using machinery, applying pesticides and watering crops.
When you walk into the town’s main square, the first thing you see is a giant sign saying La Capital de las Hortalizas (the capital of vegetables) indicating that farming is at the heart of this community. The majority of locals rely on their spinach, potatoes, cabbage and potato harvests to stay afloat.
