Asociación ANDES
Postal code Nº 567, Cusco - Peru
Phone: 51-84-245021
Indigenous Biocultural Heritage

ANDES promotes communal development models based on the concept of biocultural heritage. The biocultural concept emerged from research conducted with and by Quechua communities from the Potato Park (IIED and ANDES, 2005; Argumedo and Pimbert, 2006).


IBCH is “a complex system of interdependent parts centered on the reciprocal relationship between indigenous people and their natural environment. Its various components include biological resources, ranging from the micro (genetic) to the macro (landscape) scales, and extensive knowledge—i.e. ‘traditional knowledge’—about how to adapt to complex ecosystems and sustainably use biodiversity. Some goods—such as foods, water, and seeds—belong to all people and/or are essential for human beings and their world. IBCH refers to the contribution of indigenous peoples to this ‘global commons.’ It also refers to established patterns of behavior in traditional societies that are accepted as law by local residents, also called ‘customary law’.” Customary law reflects the Andean principles of reciprocity, duality and equilibrium.

ANDES is the pioneer and promotor of the Indigenous Biocultural Territories. These areas are a sui generis system for the protection of traditional knowledge because the objective is to protect these traditional knowledge systems within their own cultural, temporal and spatial dimensions using a combination of protective tools. This model is a product of establishing the Potato Park and refers to a conservation approach that is guided by the community and focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources through traditional Andean approaches to agrobiodiversity and landscape conservation.

► Endogenous development - Runa Ayllu
► Biocultural Conservation - Sallqa Ayllu
► Policy - Auki Ayllu
► Horizontal Education and Communication - Ayni

► Lares Project: Scaling-Up
► Biocultural Innovations
► Indigenous Biocultural Heritage
► South-South Exchange Program
► Sowing Diversity = Harvesting Security
► Open Source Seeds Initiative (OSSI)
► Indigenous Peoples Biocultural Climate Change Assessment (IPCCA)
► Campaigns
Asociación ANDES
Postal code Nº 567, Cusco - Peru
Phone: 51-84-245021
© Asociación ANDES 2013
diseño gráfico: Gissel Enriquez