Support to farmer seed-producer groups in producing seed potatoes of native varieties

Since 2011, the PROINPA foundation, with support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Bioversity International, has started supporting peasant communities in Bolivia, including in the ‘Puna de Colomi’, where peasant groups are interested in improving their seed production systems. The objective was to supply native potato varieties not only locally, but also to other potato producing areas. Key activities are (1) to organize seed producers and officially register them in the national directory of seed producers; (2) in a participatory manner, to characterize, identify and produce the most promising native potato varieties, for marketing and for consumption; and (3) to enhance the capacities and skills of farmers (both seed producers and others) for the production of high-quality native potato crops under the harsh conditions of the Puna de Colomi. Lessons learned include that seed production by farmers can contribute to their income generation as well as increase the choices and diversity of varieties available in their seed markets; in the face of a rigid political and legal seed production regime, farmers' organizations were able to organize their own seed production and quality control systems.