Colombia is home to over 850 native potato varieties, yet only a few dominate the commercial market. Now, a group of farmers and scientists in Boyacá is using agroecological methods to study, preserve, and promote these ancestral treasures—blending tradition, science, and sustainability to build resilience in the face of climate change.
Colombia stands out as one of the global centers of potato diversity. The Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation (Agrosavia) has cataloged around 850 native potato varieties, many of which have been cultivated for centuries by indigenous and peasant communities. However, modern agriculture and consumer preferences have narrowed the market to just a handful of varieties—like R12, betina, and pastusa—putting the survival of countless native types at risk.
To address this challenge, Colombia is turning to agroecology, a farming approach that emphasizes biodiversity, sustainability, and resilience. In Tasco, Boyacá, seven peasant researchers, led by Johanna Alvarado, have been experimenting since 2022 with native potato varieties as part of a shift away from conventional, chemical-intensive farming.
“We started it as an alternative to change our eating habits,” says Alvarado. “For the sake of health and well-being, we decided to switch to growing organic potatoes.”
Agroecology in Action
The Tasco project started with 10 varieties and now focuses on four:
- Mortiña
- Calabera
- Quincha
- Manzana
These varieties are tested at elevations ranging from 2,800 to 3,100 meters, which provides valuable insights into their adaptability to different soils and climate conditions. For example, while Quincha and Manzana have shown more susceptibility to insect attacks, others like Mortiña and Calabera appear more resilient. Yield results are expected after the May 2025 harvest.
This work is part of the Agroecological Laboratories for Adaptation to Climate Change (AeD-LABs), a collaborative program supported by SwissAid and active in Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Switzerland. The labs aim to document traditional knowledge and farming practices, transforming them into open resources for broader community use.
“These farmers know there are things that work,” explains Yeny Carrillo from SwissAid. “But they don’t keep records or share them. Systematizing this knowledge allows others to learn and replicate their success.”
Beyond the Field: Creating Market Value
Conservation efforts are vital, but researchers and farmers agree that market integration is the missing link. Without consumer demand, native varieties remain niche or fade entirely.
Entrepreneur Jaime Aguirre addressed this gap with his venture “Ancestrales”, producing chips from native potatoes and distributing them through major retail chains. This example demonstrates that value-added processing can connect ancestral crops with modern markets and taste trends, ensuring both economic viability and biodiversity conservation.
Colombia’s agroecological push to protect native potato varieties is more than a conservation effort—it’s a model for sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture. By integrating scientific research, traditional knowledge, and market innovation, these initiatives not only protect ancestral seeds but also empower communities and diversify food systems. The challenge now is scaling these efforts to more regions and crops, ensuring that agroecology becomes not just an alternative, but a mainstream solution.
