Recent News
Assessing high Andean rangelands conditions and trends at CIBCI-Sumbay
May 2, 2025
Team members of the Nexus ‘Camelids’ Project and INIA-Arequipa who conducted an agrostological assessment at CIBCI Sumbay in March. Pictures show installation of transects, soil sampling and collection of plant biomass samples. Photos credits: Elvis Apaza
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‘Camelids’ Project Increases Knowledge and Technical Skills to Improve Breeding Programs in Arequipa
April 25, 2025
Members of the ‘Camelids’ Project Drs. Gerardo Mamani, Alejandra Toro, Luiz Brito, and Luis Paulo Sousa were the instructors in the genetics/genomics training course conducted at UNSA’s Science and Technology Park. Left picture: participants to the course included students and faculty from the National University of San Agustin (UNSA) and the Catholic University of Santa Maria, and professionals from other institutions and independent consultants. Right picture: Gerardo Mamani leading a hands-on session on genomic data analysis. Photos credits: Gerardo Mamani and Alejandra Toro
Assessing Tourism Assets and the Aspirations of Colca Valley Destinations
April 21, 2025
Touristic destinations in the Colca Valley: the Andes Lookout and Sibayo Square (left and center pictures); and typical textiles (center picture). Photos credit: Jonathon Day
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Nexus second Advisory Board meeting: ongoing collaboration with Colca Valley Stakeholders
April 11, 2025
Nexus projects’ PIs and local authorities from Madrigal, Yanque and Sibayo during the 2nd Advisory Board meeting. From left to right (standing): Rosa Cossio, Mauricio Postigo, Luiz Brito, Denis Pilares, Daniel Leon-Salas, Sheyla Sofia Penalba, Daniel Ninataype, Lori Hoagland, Victor Hugo Casa, Rene Quispe, and Dennis Macedo. From left to right (siting): Zacarias Ocsa, Ronald Mamani, Hector Inca and Pablo Mauro Condori. Below, two UNSA PIs presenting achievements of their respective projects: Carmen Franco (Regenerative Tourism) and Dennis Macedo (Organic Farming Systems). Photos credit: Rosa Cossio
Camelids Project Launches its Technical Seminar on Alpaca Fiber in Arequipa
March 31, 2025
Engineer Carmen Silva Villavicencio and Veterinarian Eder Armando Fernández giving a lecture on the importance of the quality of alpaca fiber to UNSA professors and students, and alpaca producers from the Colca Valley. Photos credit: Alejandra Toro.
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Tourism Foundations Workshops Commence in the Colca Valley
March 10, 2025
Members of the Nexus ‘Regenerative Tourism’ Project during the first two workshops in the Colca Valley. First row picture: Lady Concha, the workshops’ facilitator and instructor, engaging participants in practical exercises and group work. Second row pictures: participants actively working in groups to apply learned tools to their own entrepreneurial ideas. Photos credits: Beatriz Roldan and Katherine Pivaral
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Soil samples arrive in the United States for processing
February 24, 2025
Members of the Nexus Organic Farming Systems project collecting and processing soil samples from the Colca Valley. First row pictures: UNSA students collecting soil samples from fitotoldos and on-farm research trials, which later were loaded into coolers in preparation for shipment to the U.S. Second row pictures: Soil samples arrive in the U.S. after their long journey across continents and through customs. PhD student Mine van der Berg sorting through the soil samples and conducting enzymatic analyses to quantify the capacity of the soils to meet crop nutrient needs. Photo credits: project members.
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On-farm research trials to aid in the transition to organic farming systems
February 14, 2025
Prepping plots and applying soil amendments on on-farm research trials on five farms within the Colca River Valley. Left and center: prepping a plot in two farms in Yanque. Right: applying soil amendments in Madrigal. Photos credit: Lori Hoagland.
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Learning about ‘Fitotoldos’ in the Colca Valley
February 7, 2025
Mrs. Sonia from Sibayo shows her organic production of broccoli, lettuce, chard and carrots. Thanks to the advice of her Agronomist son, she has been able to grow and properly manage clean vegetables for her own consumption. Photo credit: Gary Burniske.
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Colca Valley Farmers receive detailed soil test reports to help them improve their farming practices
February 4, 2025
Team of the Nexus ‘Organic Farming Systems (OFS)’ Project delivering detailed soil test reports to farmers in Yanque (Colca Valley). Photos credit: Lori Hoagland
