📋 Tender Overview
Study conducted in 15 regions of the country were based on cultivated and wild species.SAN MARTIN.- The Ministry of Environment (Minam) presented the Baseline of the diversity of Peruvian cassava for biosafety purposes, which addresses its sustainable use and the importance of its conservation in our territory.
The investigation was developed between 2019 and 2021 in 15 regions of the country and allowed to know its environmental conditions, based on the analysis of different domesticated varieties (sown by man) and four wild species (without intervention of the human being) of said vegetable (esculenta manihot).
According to Minam specialists, wild types can grow in various types of soil, without human intervention, and some communities give you therapeutic properties.
In this regard, the general director of biological diversity, Marco Arenas, said that the research carried out is a significant milestone, since it will strengthen the conservation and responsible use of the countrys genetic resources. He explained that cassava is an ancestral crop, probably originally from the Amazon basin, which has accompanied indigenous communities for about 9000 years.
He added that this information is key to decision making on the conservation of said root by the social actors involved; This, aligned with the norms of entrance and production of living organisms modified to the national territory until 2035. The objective is to safeguard and value our natural resources, Arenas said.
Investigation
The regions involved in this study are Amazonas, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Huanuco, Junin, La Libertad, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tumbes and Ucayali. In total, 188 samples of leaves and flowers were collected, which were stored in germplasm banks of the country for long -term conservation, study and protection.
Cassava is much more than a food; It is a symbol of the incredible diversity we have in Peru.
This Minam publication includes ancestral knowledge about conservation of more than 500 farmers. It is an essential ancestral crop for food security because it can grow in adverse climatic conditions and hide an extraordinary genetic, ecological and cultural wealth.
Its preparation in Peruvian cuisine is very diverse and delicious. It usually occurs at the tables as broth, fried stuffed with cheese, such as snack or refreshing drink, among many potajes.
