03/16/2005
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A group of peasant women in the rural areas of Cotopaxi, an Andean region in
Ecuador located about 3500 meters above sea level which gets its name from the
tallest active volcano in the world, is trying to renovate its methods of cultivation,
going from a traditional to an organic system. They also want to join together
in an association to defend their rights, which are too often violated.
How to support production. In order to support fully the agricultural production, the Omu (Organizacion
de las mujeres) promoted the creation of an Acopio center, a center for the collection
and stockage of the products, where all the goods coming from the different locations
are going to be processed. This collection center is also aimed to help the women
peasants to sell their products.
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Peasant women in Ecuador, tradition on the one hand and modernity on the other
A group of peasant women in the rural areas of Cotopaxi, an Andean region in
Ecuador located about 3500 meters above sea level which gets its name from the
tallest active volcano in the world, is trying to renovate its methods of cultivation,
going from a traditional to an organic system. They also want to join together
in an association to defend their rights, which are too often violated.
The peasant womenof Cotopaxi. In the beginning, the peasant women of the Organizacion de las mujeres, a group
of women farmers that belongs to the Union Campesina de el Norte del Cotopaxi,
were very few. They were few, but now that their economic and social power is
increasing, they are growing: from 600 in 2001 to 1028 in 2003, and they are expected
to grow even faster.
With the help of the international non governmental organization Terre des homes,
these women have had a new hope, a new future since 2001.
With the help of the international non governmental organization Terre des homes,
these women have had a new hope, a new future since 2001.The work plan. The peasant women cultivate organic gardens, which means they don’t use chemicals
and pesticides. The use of chemical substances in traditional cultivation is increasing
the uncertainty of the life conditions of the population, and it is threatening
the area’s natural resources as well. For these reasons, the Organizacion de las
Mujeres has decided to oppose strongly the devastating and generalized use of these substances.
It has been acknowledged, in fact, that, after the organic cultivation started, diseases of the respiratory system and infections caused by the previously used chemical substances drastically diminished.
The advice given by the Terre des Hommes collaboratorshave has been used by eighteen communities which are all located close to each other on
the Andes.
Now there are hundreds of these gardens in this area, and they produce a total of almost four thousands Kilos of vegetables. The majority of these products covers the survival needs of the population, and the remainder is sold on the market. The Terre des Hommes project is also careful that agricultural production respects traditions. There are many varieties of vegetables that are produced: Cebolla de Rama (unfortunately replaced by the common white onion), the Oca (a kind of tuber, very rich in nutritious substances, which is typical of the Andean area), the Amaranto (called “the Gold” by the Incas), the Jicama (plant which contains a great quantity of natural insulin).
It has been acknowledged, in fact, that, after the organic cultivation started, diseases of the respiratory system and infections caused by the previously used chemical substances drastically diminished.
The advice given by the Terre des Hommes collaborators
Now there are hundreds of these gardens in this area, and they produce a total of almost four thousands Kilos of vegetables. The majority of these products covers the survival needs of the population, and the remainder is sold on the market. The Terre des Hommes project is also careful that agricultural production respects traditions. There are many varieties of vegetables that are produced: Cebolla de Rama (unfortunately replaced by the common white onion), the Oca (a kind of tuber, very rich in nutritious substances, which is typical of the Andean area), the Amaranto (called “the Gold” by the Incas), the Jicama (plant which contains a great quantity of natural insulin).
How to support production. In order to support fully the agricultural production, the Omu (Organizacion
de las mujeres) promoted the creation of an Acopio center, a center for the collection
and stockage of the products, where all the goods coming from the different locations
are going to be processed. This collection center is also aimed to help the women
peasants to sell their products.Organic or traditional? There is a big difference between traditional and organic methods of cultivation.
The Terre des Hommes experts who teach how to cultivate a field organically have
no doubts: this “back to the past” attitude occurring with methods could bring
about positive development for a big part of the population of the Andes area.
It is amongst the poorest in the whole of Ecuador (suffice to say that 86% of
the population who lives in this region lives below the poverty line). Because
of the traditionally used cultivation techniques, the soil has absorbed a great
deal of excessively used chemical substances, such as chemicals and pesticides,
and that has inevitably caused the soil to lose its fertility. But that’s not
all. Over the years, the excessive use of these substances has caused a lot of
diseases in the populations that were using them.
Alessandro Grandi
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