At 4,000 metres above sea level and surrounded by mountains and vast meadows, the women of the Sumac Vicuñitas Artisans Association of Umpuco-Palca (ASVICUP), are promoting a sustainable value chain in the Peruvian department of Puno. Today, this allows them to transform alpaca fibres into competitive products replete with added value, opening the way for Quechua women to have better opportunities from the sustainable use of agrobiodiversity.
Guardians of an Andean Tradition
“I was born in the Andes mountains, my parents have always bred alpacas. I remember playing with the smallest alpacas, I raised them with a feeding bottle. Since then, I have always had alpacas, I love them as if they were my daughters because they have been part of my life and I consider them part of my family”, says Nivia Cutipa, leader of ASVICUP.
She is part of a long tradition that Andean communities have developed since pre-Inca times: the domestication and breeding of alpacas, a species of South American camelid mammal related to the llama. In this tradition, women have played a crucial role in preserving ancestral knowledge and promoting local economies through the production of alpaca wool fibres for yarns and weaving.
It is estimated that around 60 per cent of the alpaca breeding labour force in Peru is made up of women. However, they face several challenges, such as severe droughts driven by climate change, loss of pastures, the gender inequality that still exists in the agricultural sector, and barriers to accessing formal markets, financing and technical training. This is the situation that the women of Umpuco sought to change.