Ready, set, RAIN!!!!

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime"

Today's cloudy gray skies may not be too exciting for the international tourists who are hoping to stay dry on their trips to the island communities of Lake Titicaca. For rural farmers, though, the sky offers a sign of anticipation and excitement as the planting season is about to begin.

On Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st, 2008, quinoa seeds were distributed among the 16 farmers in 2 communities participating in the Samka project. Now, the farmers are eagerly awaiting the first drops of rain ot fall on their dry "chacras" (farming fields).

The producers belong to one of two communities located in the districts of Huacullani and Zepita in the province of Chucuito:During the first year of planting, the producers are responsible for their own production. They are also expected to coordinate as a committee and work towards managing an organization with democratic processes and internal control for decision-making of production and technical training development. They will also be held accountable for quality of quinoa production as they move towards organic standards.

Over the next two years, these producers (and potentially more participants in the 2009-2010 production year) will benefit from a secured market, offered by Mojsa Restaurant. Additionally, they are promised a fair price for their goods and continual technical and organizational support from Centro-IRPA.

So, today, surely all of the farmers are looking to the skies with great anticipation for the drops of hope and prosperity to begin to fall.

(Nicanor, Isani's first Quinoa Committee President looking over his seeds with his wife, baby daughter, and niece.)

Introduction

Samka ( “dream” in the Aymara language) is a joint effort of Centro IRPA (The Rural Institute on Andean Progress) and Mojsa Restaurant to promote technical and organizational capacity development within quinoa farming communities in the impoverished rural zone of Puno, Peru.

As some of you know may already know, quinoa originates in the Andes. It contains high levels of protein, and is a great, healthy grain substitute to rice and pastas. If you enter a Whole Foods or other organic food store you will certainly see quinua. But look closely, and you will notice that the majority of quinoa comes from Bolivia. Samka's goal is to change this tendency and develop a fair trade, organic market on the Peruvian side of the border.

The project Samka is beginning with 18 quinoa producers who traditionally rely on both small local markets to sell their products and their family's consumption needs. Mojsa restaurant will serve as a primary, secure market, to ensure that the producers receive a a fair price for their quinoa in order to help them start off on the right foot.

Samka's project goals are:

• Work with farmers to develop organizational and production capacities in line with the democratic principals of Fair Trade, with which they will be able to achieve sustainable production of organic quinoa.
• Manage a data-base of the production and socio-economic conditions of the participants to understand the deficiencies and needs of both the local agricultural production as well as the local human condition. Use this information to support their business and communal development.
• Establish a stable market for quinoa and provide product and project information for visitors who are interested in the food and culture of Puno, Peru.
• Support quinoa’s revalidation as an important product of high nutritional value.
• Demonstrate the importance of sustainable, and socially conscientious approaches for development within the agricultural communities of Puno’s rural zone