The document summarizes an assessment of agricultural production in five municipalities in Chuquisaca Center, Bolivia. Chuquisaca Center is a global center for groundnuts and primary center for genetic diversity of peppers and amaranth. The assessment examined the economic, environmental, and social conditions concerning production of groundnuts, peppers, amaranth, and quinoa. It identified challenges including integrated crop management, development of marketing channels, and water management. Recommendations include improving soil and water conservation, developing markets and post-harvest systems, and adapting to climate change for each of the four crops.

1. Chuquisaca Center
Farmers maintaining crops with hand tools, Chuquisaca Center. Photo courtesy of ACLO
Chuquisaca Center is the global center for the groundnut and primary center for the genetic diversity
of peppers and amaranth. Agricultural practices are predominantly characterized by subsistence,
ancestral traditions, which are increasingly being threatened by deprivations in technology and market
advancements, and climate change adaption. CRS and local partners completed an assessment of the
economic, environmental, and social conditions concerning the production and role of these crops, plus
quinoa, in five subregions of Chuquisaca Center. The identified subregions include the municipalities of
El Villar, Alcala, Padilla, Tarvita and Villa Serrano.
AGRICULTURAL ASSESSMENT
INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTION
97%
OF THE 4 CROPS ARE RAIN-FED
85%
MANUAL PRODUCTION
76%
CHALLENGES
Integrated Crop
Management
& Climate
Change Adaption
23%
Development
of Marketing
Channels
8%
Water
Management &
Irrigation Systems
15%
Internal
Systems Control
15%
Seed Adaption
& Management
8%
*Expansion of
Private Sector
Partnerships
8%
Organic
Certification
Development
8%
International
& Domestic
Market
Development
15%
Primary challenges within the agricultural value chain involve 8 key
components
*Currently, there are very few private-sector partnerships, which include community
production organizations, international and national development organizations and
financial services.
Catholic Relief Services 228 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
For more information, contact Joseph.Kelly@crs.org.

2. Across the 5 municipalities, a soil and water analysis is
recommended to inform conservation and management approaches.
Chili chain: Priorities include development of markets, post-
harvest systems innovation, climate change adaption, and improved
soil and water conservation.
Amaranth chain: Development of open markets and marketing
channels, improved soil and water conservation, and post-harvest
systems innovation.
Peanut chain: Thematic areas involve the expansion of existing
markets, development of domestic and international markets,
capacity building in climate change adaption, improved water
conservation, and post-harvest systems innovation.
Quinoa chain: Improved soil and water conservation,
development of a comprehensive proposal for production, harvest
and post-harvest grains.
Catholic Relief Services 228 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
For more information, contact Joseph.Kelly@crs.org.
PRODUCTION STATUS
OF THE PRODUCTION COST
STRUCTURE FOR THE FOUR
CROPS IS LABOR
70%
OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTION IN
CHUQUISACA CENTER
75%
78%
TOTAL PRODUCTION IN THE 5
MUNICIPALITIES (Q/HA)
87.4
17.2
.33
37.35
The fragility of the ecosystems, heightened climate change, migration,
precarious linkage to markets, and lack of development services, limits
opportunities to improve livelihoods. The consequences are severe, in
the last ten years production fell 24% (420 MTs) for peanuts, 30%
(65 MTs) for pepper, and 40% (30 MTs) for amaranth.
67%
81%
The assessment indicates that the chili, amaranth, and peanut
chains have the best prospect of generating impact on the
livelihoods of small-holder families. The dynamics of the challenges
requires a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach including:
sustainable increase in productivity and income, development
of attitudes and practices to build resilience, shared learning and
knowledge exchange. Also, opportunities to influence national
agriculture policies for the inclusion of these four crops and
extension of agricultural, financial and environmental programs to
the area.
INFLUENCE AND ADVOCACY
Technical and Scientific
Market-based advisory
services to inform alignment of
production with international
standards.
Monitoring of climate change
impacts & efficacy of adaption
techniques.
Policy
Cross-sector collaboration
to improve competitiveness
& inclusion of small-holder
production.
Recommendations for
regulatory management
of production and climate
change.
INITIATIVES FOR EACH CHAIN