Potato Guardians Preserve Over 1,400 Varieties in The Peruvian Highlands

PISAC, PERU - JUNE 22: Aerial view of potato plot in the Peruvian Andes after harvest on June 22, 2022 in Pisac, Peru. The Potato Park is a unique seed bank located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas near Pisac, an hour drive northeast from the tourist city of Cusco. It is the central point of the Andean highlands and a Mecca for potato growers. The area houses the richest diversity of potatoes on the planet, with over 1,400 native types of all shapes, sizes, textures, colors and flavors. It also preserves the ancient Inca tradition and philosophy of cultivating tubers. Quechua farmers continue to plant in terraces divided in vertical levels with different altitudes (from 3,400 to 4,900 meters) to guarantee biodiversity of potatoes but also maize, beans and quinoa. It is run by six local communities of nearly 7,000 villagers, including the Papa Arariwa or Guardians of the Potato. As climate change threatens and soil degradation intensifies, Potato Park plays a key role in guaranteeing crop resilience. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)