Those living in the Andean highlands today face huge challenges, as did their pre-Inca and Inca ancestors. The tropical Andes host 99% of the world’s tropical glaciers, most of them in Peru. The last few decades have seen a 30% reduction in the surface of these glaciers, and an increase in extreme climate events. The knock-on effects on both the water-cycle and agricultural production are becoming ever more problematic for these mountain communities, and we need to find a way to mitigate significant water shortages. In Peru, they are looking to the past for a solution, with the re-introduction of Inca terraces and ancient irrigation systems, but on a massive scale.
Since 1977, the Cusichaca Trust has combined detailed archaeological and environmental investigations in Peru, focusing on the agricultural infrastructure of the Incas and their predecessors. Initial research was carried out in the Cusichaca side-valley of the Urubamba Valley, Cusco, and over the last 25 years the archaeological data collected has been applied to rural development programmes in the Cusco, Apurímac, and Ayacucho regions. These programmes have been incredibly successful: it is estimated that 30km of canals and 600ha of terracing have been restored to full productivity.
Tourists visiting the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu will be familiar with the impressive staircases of terraces throughout the valley and beyond. These Inca and pre-Inca agricultural systems are a common feature of the Andean landscape, which was much more intensively farmed in the past than it is today. Most were constructed to prevent soil erosion and to extend the area of land available for cultivation.
Linguistics, genetic links, and a long-lost ‘emperor’