Decline of agricultural production and food consumption systems in the community of Cotuhuma

Abstract

The community of Cotuhuma is going through conflicts over the definition of the territorial limit between the Departments of La Paz and Oruro. As a result of this scenario, the food production and consumption system has been affected since there are no policies that contribute to the redesign of parceled agriculture to adapt it to the criteria of sustainable agri-food systems. The main objective of the study is to analyze the decline of agricultural production and food consumption systems in the community of Cotuhuma. The specific objectives that operationalize the research are: to describe the current situation of the local food production system and the current situation of local food consumption. The methodology used is Participatory Revaluation Research through semi-structure interview and participant observation techniques. With the approach of the study, the following results and conclusions have been reached: the internal and external territorial conflicts of the Cotuhuma community have worsened the degradation of the production system, food inequality in family plots, erosion of biodiversity and extinction of native seeds. Consequently, the local food system is isolated in unsustainability, insecurity and dependence.