The activities of the In Situ Project are developed in 8 "microgencenters" (genetically important areas) located in 12 departments, 32 provinces and 52 districts of the country, as it is considered important not to limit the activities to few locations, in order to maximize the intra-specific diversity.  We are working in 131 rural communities with approximately 1,000 families and with more than 300 peasants that are “experts” in the conservation of native crops in their fields.

This Project is oriented to 12 predominant native crops originated or diversified in Peru, their local varieties and their wild relatives.  These crops were selected based on their real or potential importance for the food security, their intra-specific diversity, erosion risk, endemism, cultivated extension and social and cultural importance.

The potato, corn, quinua, beans, sweet potato, yucca and maca have been included as main human food;  the arracacha has been included because of its increasing genetic erosion; the camu-camu as well as the granadilla due to their adaptability to several ecosystems and their potential for the commercial production; and aguaje because there are more than 3 million hectares cultivated in the country.

The Project also works with 21 secondary species that are cultivated on  small quantities, and with other 7 important species.

Prior Species