Low-cost greenhouses improve food security in the Andes

Abstract

Although the high Andes are the place of origin of the potato, the growing conditions are harsh and prone to frost, drought and hailstorms. This, coupled with a general lack of support for remote communities, has resulted in high levels of malnutrition and childhood mortality amongst the area’s inhabitants. In response, the International Potato Center (CIP) launched a study that aimed at enhancing the resilience and knowhow of local students and women farmers. The project focused on the design of low-cost greenhouses built from local materials, and optimizing the use of space and time within cultivation. A selection of horticultural crops suited to local environmental conditions and culinary tastes was also chosen for cultivation.