Participatory assessment of potato landrace diversity and conservation vulnerability in northern Peru

Crop genetic diversity is fundamental to the resilience and adaptive capacity of agricultural systems. However, the conservation of native potato varieties is increasingly under threat. This study assessed the diversity currently maintained, varietal vulnerability, locally lost varieties, and farmer-perceived factors associated with varietal loss in 12 high-Andean communities of Cajamarca, Peru. A participatory Four-Cell Analysis (FCA), expanded to include a fifth cell for locally lost varieties, was conducted through workshops with farmers recognized for their knowledge of potato diversity. A total of 151 potato varieties were identified, comprising 128 native and 23 modern varieties. Most varieties (97) were classified in cell D, indicating high vulnerability because they were cultivated by few households and over small areas, whereas relatively few varieties occurred in the lower-risk cells A–C. In addition, 50 locally lost varieties were recorded, including 41 native and 9 modern varieties. Farmer-perceived drivers of varietal loss included the increasing preference for modern and commercially oriented native varieties, expansion of dairy farming, government social programmes, and declining household labour availability. Despite the substantial diversity maintained in these communities, its concentration in vulnerable categories and the number of locally lost varieties indicate ongoing loss of potato varieties. Strengthening in situ conservation, complemented by periodic participatory monitoring, is therefore essential to maintain threatened native potato diversity.