This is terric news. There had been long-standing worries that gene patenting would erode traditional Andean farming which is deeply committed to cultivating heirloom varieties fitting the many microenvironments and cultural tastes of these unique folks. The International Potato Center was set up to identify superior agronomic traits and to make them available for "improving" commercial potato lines. The Center was most successful at this as well as clarifying the taxonomy of the many wild potato species and varieties in the region. The Center and its international supporters then tried to "modernize" potato production in Peru, using modern varieties. The traditional farmer folks have resisted because Life and the Staff of Life are more than potato production and consumption, so to speak.

Eric, do you have a link on this subject?

The Peruvian potato agreement has been reported by Americas.org and also by Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Here is another link to the story:

Here is a link that might be useful: Tierramerica

That article didn't address the Agreement, so I looked at Resource Center of the Americas site and linked their report below. I hope the Agreement is strong enough to withstand pressure to privatize. Definitely a step in the right direction, imo.

Here is a link that might be useful: americas.org

Thanks, both buddies...

Such agreements are only as sound as the stability of land-tenure systems. Unfortunately land-ownership histories and demarcations have always been too loose for establishing a chain of legal deeds for much of the traditional agrarian lands. The colonial Spanish authorities gave vast land grants to the Conquistadores and their descendents; these land grants included indigeneous peoples and settlements. In effect, the native peoples became serfs and tenant farmers on their traditional lands that were often held in common by clan before the arrival of the Spaniards.

During the twentieth century the locals were forced off their traditional lands, much like the Irish of the 18th and 19th centuries were, to make way for sheep, cattle and large-scale grain and potato agriculture. These displaced populations poured into the slums around Lima and other cities.

So in effect, this Agreement is much like and seems to be modeled after biological preserves elsewhere in Ecuador and Peru. Except, of course, traditional agrarian subsistence and communities are being preserved as sorts of relicts of earlier ages.