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Objectives: Chronic malnutrition remains a persistent global health issue. This mixed methods investigation in rural Peru examines the role of home food production (HFP) in reducing child malnutrition by testing the following hypotheses: (a) higher HFP will be associated with higher infant z-scores than those with less HFP and (b) infants with higher HFP will exhibit improved longitudinal growth outcomes across 6 months., Methods: Ethnographic methods include semi-structured interviews and participant observation. A household survey and anthropometric data were collected twice, from 86 infants under of 24 months old. A HFP index (HFI) was generated based on reports of animals for meat consumption, eggs, milk, and agricultural products for home consumption. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine patterns of HFI and infant anthropometrics. Multivariate regressions were used to examine the relationships between HFP and infant height for age (HAZ), weight for age (WAZ), and triceps skinfold for age (TSAZ) in both rounds and 6-month change between rounds (6MΔ)., Results: There were no relationships between HFI and infant z-scores in round one, however, HFI was significantly positively related to HAZ (B = 0.091, P < .039) in round two and with 6MΔ in HAZ (B = 0.09, P < .047). HFI did not predict WAZ or TSAZ in either round., Conclusions: HFP represents an important influence of infant growth in Nuñoa, likely through nutritional improvement due to increased availability of animal-sourced foods and through contribution to household economy and maternal empowerment., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

As arid lands expand across the globe, scholars increasingly turn to the archaeological record for examples of sustainable farming in extreme environments. The arid north coast of Peru was the setting of early and intensive irrigation-based farming; it is also periodically impacted by sudden, heavy rainfall related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. While the sociopolitical effects, technologies, and engineering expertise of these irrigation systems have been thoroughly examined and theorized, little is known about how farmers managed periods of water stress. The aim of this study is to test whether arid zone farming was supported by hybrid, intermittent flood and perennial water source systems in the prehispanic past. An arroyo in the Chicama Valley was selected for preliminary data collection, and these data are presented here: (1) drone photography of the arroyo capturing the aftermath of a recent (2023) rain event; and (2) potassium (K) soil test kit results from samples collected near suspected prehispanic check dam features in the same area. The paper combines these data with comparative examples from the literature to suggest that the prehispanic features functioned as water-harvesting infrastructure. The paper concludes that sustainable, arid zone farming can be supported by hybrid, intermittent flood and perennial water source systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the Journal of Raptor Research, describes the first nest records of the Red-Throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus) in Peru. The Red-Throated Caracara is a social forest raptor that preys on paper wasp colonies. The article provides details of two nests found in the Junín department of Peru, including their locations, characteristics, and observations of adult behavior. The study suggests that the species may exhibit some flexibility in nesting in human-altered forests. Further research is needed to understand the nesting habitat requirements and nest success of this poorly known caracara. [Extracted from the article]

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Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the mediating effect of entrepreneurial passion on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovative work behavior in employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Peru. Design/methodology/approach: A nonexperimental cross-sectional design was used. Data were obtained from a random sample of 300 employees of SMEs in the manufacturing, agricultural and livestock sectors in Peru. Findings: The results showed that entrepreneurial orientation has a direct and positive effect on entrepreneurial passion and innovative work behavior. Also, entrepreneurial passion was found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovative work behavior. Originality/value: The research provides evidence-based knowledge of the causal relationships between three important constructs related to entrepreneurship, analyzing their direct and indirect effects on innovative work behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an in-depth study that starts from a preliminary one, where we surveyed 141 ranchers from the town of Coto-Coto in Peru to obtain as much information as possible about the relationship between two economic variables, Activity Cost and Financial Management. Furthermore, we study the correlation of the first one of them with three other economic variables. To do this, we process the survey data using logical operators with the support of the plithogenic statistics theory. These results given in the form of plithogenic values are logically aggregated and were converted to crisp values and studied through the use of statistical tools, specifically Kendall's Tau b. The study of economic variables within the field of cattle farming is of great importance because it allows us to improve the productivity of this economic sector, which is also part of the most accepted human diet worldwide. A substantial advantage in the use of plithogeny is that linguistic values that are more natural for livestock farmers were processed, in addition, uncertainty and indeterminacy were taken into account by the use of neutrosophic numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture and water resource are highly threatened due to climate change, increasing the probability of backsliding on almost every aspect of sustainable development worldwide. For instance, water resource distribution throughout the Peruvian territory is not homogeneous. Hydrometeorological phenomena also threaten it, so it is crucial for the agriculture sector and water management to increase resilience against climate change. The study aims to understand the Peruvian conduct under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regime. Its influence in the Peruvian adaptation regulation and public institutions over the years and the interaction with the latest commitment to the UNFCCC related to climate change agriculture - water resources. The methodology used for the study was qualitative, delivered throughout a documentary analysis, and narrative design among scientific papers, UNFCCC documentation, and Peruvian regulation to weave the experience occurred and the sequences of the events to set up a general narrative. The results show that Peru has active participation in the UNFCCC, particularly under a neoliberalism approach. The convention pushed institutional and regulatory development of the Peruvian Government constantly. Also, after the Paris Agreement, one of the most important influences was the implementation of Law N° 30754 on climate change, which articulates all the regulations related to it, providing a national, more substantial legally-binding commitment. Finally, it is important for Peru to analyze the achievement of current adaptation actions and keep studying the impacts of climate change at a local level to develop a bottom-up approach for an effective policy formulation-implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Desarrollo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad de los Andes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, quinoa (traditionally grown in South America) has been imagined as a food crop that addresses the world's most pressing problems: climate change, water scarcity, food insecurity, malnutrition, and economic inequality. Valued for being nutritionally exceptional and resistant to several agronomic stresses, quinoa has attracted the attention of consumers, researchers, and development agencies. This paper focuses on the World Quinoa Congress and other international gatherings of experts (plant scientists, quinoa farmers, social scientists, development practitioners, and entrepreneurs) who produce and share knowledge about quinoa's cultivation, production, consumption, and diversification. I examine how various actors materialize quinoa through different ways of conceptualizing seeds, property, and knowledge. In some cases, quinoa is part of a larger socioecological system, while in others, seeds are disembedded from their geographical context and studied in terms of their efficiency and yields. I explore the convergence and divergence of knowledges that accompany quinoa's globalization, shedding light on the frictions, conflicting priorities, opportunities, and questions that arise in spaces of knowledge creation and exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpacas are native to the poor, high- altitude plains of South America. As a common breeding animal in Peru and other countries, it has been introduced to more and more countries to enrich animal species due to its high- quality camel hair, high nutritional meat and milk. Due to the unique climatic environment and geographical conditions of alpaca origin, the breeding management needs to be adjusted in different introduced countries. Chinese alpaca feed was mainly roughage, which mixed with concentrate feed and supplemented with vitamins, mineral trace elements and so on. However, the nutritional requirements of alpacas varied from region to region. In order to better prepare the full- priced pellet feed for alpaca farming, the digestive system characteristics, differences among alpacas, cattle, sheep and other common ruminants and their nutritional requirements in different countries were reviewed in this paper, so as to provide a basis for the follow-up of fullpriced pellet feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper brings advances in weather data collection and modeling, and developments in socioeconomic climate microsimulations to bear on the analysis of the implications of climate change (CC) in the design of public policies to combat food insecurity. It uses new downscaled predictions of future climate in 2050, derived from three Earth System Models calibrated with a new historical weather station dataset for Peru. This climate data is used in a three-stage socioeconomic microsimulation model that includes climate risk, and deals with the endogeneity of incomes and simultaneity of expected food consumption and its variability. We estimate the impact of CC on agricultural yields, and find results consistent and fully bounded within what the global simulations literature has found, with yields falling up to 13% in some regions. However, we show that these drops (and increases) in yields translate to much smaller changes in food consumption, and also surprisingly, to very minor impacts on vulnerability to food insecurity. The document explores what explains this surprising result, showing that in addition to characteristics that are specific to Peru, there are household and market mediating mechanisms that are available in all countries, which explain how changes in yields, and corresponding farm incomes have a reduced impact in vulnerability to food insecurity. Finally, in light of these findings, we explore which policies might have greater impact in reducing food insecurity in contexts of hunger prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land-use practices have been a central element of human adaptation to Holocene climate change. Many practices that result in the short-term stabilization of socio-natural systems, however, have longer-term, unanticipated consequences that present cascading challenges for human subsistence strategies and opportunities for subsequent adaptations. Investigating complex sequences of interaction between climate change and human land-use in the past—rather than short-term causes and effects—is therefore essential for understanding processes of adaptation and change, but this approach has been stymied by a lack of suitably-scaled paleoecological data. Through a high-resolution paleoecological analysis, we provide a 7000-year history of changing climate and land management around Lake Acopia in the Andes of southern Peru. We identify evidence of the onset of pastoralism, maize cultivation, and possibly cultivation of quinoa and potatoes to form a complex agrarian landscape by c. 4300 years ago. Cumulative interactive climate-cultivation effects resulting in erosion ended abruptly c. 2300 years ago. After this time, reduced sedimentation rates are attributed to the construction and use of agricultural terraces within the catchment of the lake. These results provide new insights into the role of humans in the manufacture of Andean landscapes and the incremental, adaptive processes through which land-use practices take shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data presented in this paper provide direct microbotanical evidence concerning the early use of potato (Solanum tuberosum) within its botanical locus of origin in the high south-central Andes. The data derive from Jiskairumoko, an early village site in the western Titicaca Basin dating to the Late Archaic to Early Formative periods (~3,400 cal y BC to 1,600 cal y BC). Because the site reflects the transition to sedentism and food production, these data may relate to potato domestication and early cultivation. Of 141 starch microremains recovered from 14 groundstone tools from Jiskairumoko, 50 are identified as consistent with cultivated or domesticated potato, based on reference to published materials and a study of wild and cultivated potato starch morphology. Along with macro- and microbotanical evidence for chenopod consumption and grinding tool data reflecting intensive use of this technology throughout site occupation, the microbotanical data reported here suggest the intensive exploitation, if not cultivation, of plant resources at Jiskairumoko. Elucidating the details of the trajectory of potato domestication is necessary for an overall understanding of the development of highland Andean agriculture, as this crop is central to the autochthonous agricultural suite. A paucity of direct botanical evidence, however, has hindered research efforts. The results of the modern and archaeological starch analyses presented here underscore the utility of this method in addressing questions related to the timing, mode, and context of potato origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: American cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease typically associated with men working in remote, sylvatic environments. We sought to identify CL risk factors in a highly deforested region where anecdotal reports suggested an atypical proportion of women and children were infected with CL raising concern among authorities that transmission was shifting towards domestic spaces and population centers. Methods: We describe the characteristics of CL patients from four participating clinics after digitizing up to 10 years of patient data from each clinic's CL registries. We assessed risk factors of CL associated with intradomestic, peridomestic, or non-domestic transmission through a matched case-control study with 63 patients who had visited these same clinics for CL (cases) or other medical reasons (controls) between January 2014 and August 2016. The study consisted of an in-home interview of participants by a trained field worker using a standard questionnaire. Risk factors were identified using bivariable and multivariable conditional logistic regression. Results: Between 2007 and 2016, a total of 529 confirmed CL positives were recorded in the available CL registries. Children and working aged women made up 58.6% of the cases. Our final model suggests that the odds of sleeping in or very near an agricultural field were five times greater in cases than controls (p = 0.025). Survey data indicate that women, children, and men have similar propensities to both visit and sleep in or near agricultural fields. Conclusions: Women and children may be underappreciated as CL risk groups in agriculturally dependent regions. Despite the age-sex breakdown of clinical CL patients and high rates of deforestation occurring in the study area, transmission is mostly occurring outside of the largest population centers. Curbing transmission in non-domestic spaces may be limited to decreasing exposure to sandflies during the evening, nighttime, and early morning hours. Our paper serves as a cautionary tale for those relying solely on the demographic information obtained from clinicbased data to understand basic epidemiological trends of vector-borne infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This integrated pedo-geoarchaeological study focuses on three abandoned prehispanic terrace agricultural systems near Laramate in the southern Andes of Peru, aiming to unravel the pedological and land-use history of the region. The investigation involved contextualizing the former agricultural management system within its paleoecological framework and assessing the impact of agricultural practices on soil development and quality. The Laramate terrace complex, with its diverse terrace systems and varied geomorphological settings, provided an ideal setting for the investigation. Comparative analyses between non-irrigated agricultural terrace soils and undisturbed reference sequences were conducted, employing a range of methodologies, including surveys, soil analysis, GIS and remote sensing, palaeobotany, and radiocarbon dating. The study identifies three WRB Reference Soil Groups in the Laramate region: Phaeozems , Andosols , and Anthrosols. Unique characteristics of Phaeozems challenge typical descriptions, influenced by factors such as climatic seasonality, vegetation, fauna, lithology, and aeolian inputs. Despite long-term use, terrace soils (Anthrosols) show no severe degradation, maintaining balanced acidity and nutrient availability for successful crop cultivation. Tillage horizons of all terrace soils exhibit elevated organic matter content, highlighting the sustainability of prehispanic agricultural practices through a consistent application of organic manure. Phytolith concentrations indicate extensive agricultural activities, particularly maize cultivation, with varying patterns suggesting changes in cultivation or fertilization practices over time. Starch grain identification aligns with phytolith analyses, reinforcing maize's significance in the region. Notably, the abandonment of the prehispanic cultivation system was not linked to soil exhaustion or terrace instability. The prehispanic history of terraced agriculture in the Laramate region extends over four development phases, reflecting dynamic interactions between environmental, cultural, and agricultural factors. The initial phase, from the Formative Paracas period to the Early Nasca period (800 BCE–200 CE), witnessed the establishment of agricultural terraces with simple terrace architecture, while the Middle Horizon (600–1000 CE) saw systematic areal expansion influenced by the Wari culture. Adaptations to drier conditions included terraced agriculture on volcanic soils. The Late Intermediate Period (1000–1450 CE) witnessed hydrological variability and further terrace expansion to lower altitudes and less agriculturally suitable locations. The final phase, marked by the onset of the Hispanic colonial period in 1532 CE, saw the gradual abandonment of terraced agricultural systems due to demographic shifts and reorganization of production systems. Despite this, the historical trajectory underscores the adaptability and resilience of prehispanic communities in the Laramate region, showcasing innovative terrace agriculture as a means of coping with changing environmental conditions across diverse landscape units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arequipa is a semi-desert city located in southern Peru which depends on the Chili River as its only water source. During recent years, this city has increased its number of inhabitants significantly as a result of internal migratory flows and population growth. Because of this, the city has undergone a rapid urbanization process which has increased the urban areas near the river and caused the destruction of agricultural areas, as well as their native vegetation. This change in land use can be quantified through satellite image analysis across many years, but as noted, there are no studies on its impact on water yield (WY) in the urban section of the river. Now, by using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Compensation (InVEST) model, which allows the WY of the study area to be evaluated in millimeters and cubic meters by introducing a series of variables, such as precipitation, reference evapotranspiration and types of land use classes, among others, it is possible to determine that the WY from the study area was 1,743,414 m3 in 1984 and 1,323,792 m3 in 2022; the urban area is the type of land use with the highest increase with respect to its percentage contribution to the WY, going from 30.43% to 49.62% between 1984 and 2022, respectively. The increase in urban area mitigated the loss of total WY, explained by a higher percentage runoff rate, surface flow and drainage problems in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) McVaugh (camu-camu) is a shrub native to the Amazon region that produces fruits with a high content of vitamin C and various bioactive compounds, making it a functional food with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. However, it is unknown which microorganisms are associated with its root system and can influence its growth and productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are associated with most plants and are essential for their establishment, survival, and productivity since they facilitate their nutrition, increase water absorption, and improve soil structure. Although the AMF association is already known in some species of Myrciaria, no report is available on its association in M. dubia. This study presents, for the first time, the symbiotic association between AMF and M. dubia from the INIA San Roque experimental station located in the Amazon region, Peru. For the morphological and molecular analyses of the AMF, samples of rhizospheric soil and roots from two native accessions of the National Germplasm Bank of M. dubia were collected. Eighteen AMF morphospecies were identified in rhizospheric soil, belonging to nine genera Acaulospora, Ambispora, Entrophospora, Diversispora, Gigaspora, Glomus, Paraglomus, Funneliformis, and Sclerocystis, being the first one the most frequent. The roots of M. dubia showed high colonization by AMF (mean = 91%), and characteristic structures of arbuscular mycorrhizae, such as vesicles, hyphae, and arbuscules, could be observed. Likewise, the molecular analysis detected the presence of genetic material (rDNA) corresponding to AMF in the roots of both accessions. Our results evidenced the symbiotic association between AMF and M. dubia, which encourages further investigation of the functional potential of these microorganisms in this economically crucial agricultural plant in Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the cases of Perú and Ghana, this paper examines overlaps between the extraction of minerals, oil and gas on the one hand, and river basins, agricultural land use, and protected areas on the other hand. In particular the paper considers how far such overlaps can be revealed and analyzed on the basis of (relatively) accessible and affordable data, without having to use more expensive data generated by remote sensing or fieldwork. We use concessions as our indicator of the presence of extractive industry activity, focusing on both mineral and hydrocarbon concessions, and areas of exploration and of active resource exploitation. High portions of agricultural land use in both countries are located within areas that are subject to mineral or hydrocarbon concessions (38% in Perú, 39% in Ghana), predominantly within areas in which exploration activities are permitted or occurring (36% in Perú, 35% in Ghana). While overlaps between concessions and areas protected for conservation were much smaller (10% for Perú, 2% for Ghana), concessions overlapped with a larger portion of titled indigenous communities in Perú (35%). These findings help visualize the geographies of uncertainty and risk that the expansion of extractive industry creates for populations dependent on agriculture, land, water and other resources in areas affected by concessions. The visualizations – and the evidence of quite different degrees of overlap, depending on the type of resource in question – suggest the relative strength of different modes of land and resource governance in the face of extractive industry. Notwithstanding their well-documented fragilities, institutions for habitat conservation seem to have been better able to resist pressures on them from the extractive sector than do those for regulating water resources, agricultural land and indigenous communities which appear far less able to moderate the expansion of resource extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native potatoes (Solanum tuberosum spp. andigena) have diverse pigments and are cultivated in Peru's high Andean regions; they are characterized by containing bioactive compounds that prevent various degenerative diseases. The study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory quality in chips of native potato clones grown at 3496 m altitude, for which the potatoes were cut into slices and fried in extra virgin olive oil at 180 °C for 200 s. This was determined by proximal analysis, reducing sugars, minerals, color, antioxidant capacity (AC), total phenolic compounds (TPC), and anthocyanins in fresh and chips; an instrumental characterization by FTIR and SEM and sensory tests were also performed. The native potatoes presented low moisture and reduced sugar contents; when frying, their bioactive properties improved, increasing AC, TPC, and trace elements, such as K, Mg, Ca, P, Fe, and Zn. To conclude, fresh clones have high yields in the field and are an essential source of nutrients and bioactive; the salt-free chips of clone B presented better physicochemical properties and greater sensory acceptance, closely followed by clone A. Both clones could be used as raw material by food companies that produce snacks to benefit high Andean agricultural producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes remotely sensed data sources to evaluate land-use history within the Peruvian department of Amazonas and demonstrates the utility of comparing present and past land-use patterns using continuous datasets, as a complement to the often dispersed and discrete data produced by archaeological and paleoecological field studies. We characterize the distribution of ancient (ca. AD 1–1550) terracing based on data drawn from high-resolution satellite imagery and compare it to patterns of deforestation between 2001 and 2019, based on time-series Landsat data. We find that the patterns reflected in these two datasets are statistically different, indicating a distinctive shift in land-use, which we link to the history of Inka and Spanish colonialism and Indigenous depopulation in the 15th through 17th centuries AD as well as the growth of road infrastructure and economic change in the recent past. While there is a statistically significant relationship between areas of ancient terracing and modern-day patterns of deforestation, this relationship ultimately explains little (6%) of the total pattern of modern forest loss, indicating that ancient land-use patterns do not seem to be structuring modern-day trajectories of land-use. Together, these results shed light on the long-term history of land-use in Amazonas and their enduring legacies in the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are considered a natural process, with hundreds of events occurring every year in many regions of the world. However, human activities can significantly affect how stable a slope or cliff is, increasing the chances of slope collapses. Moreover, agricultural irrigation has potential to saturate subsurface materials well below ground level and is known to be an important factor that can trigger landslides in many countries. A macroregional literature review of irrigation-induced landslides was developed in this investigation, considering what has been published in Chinese, English, and Spanish. A total of 115 peer-reviewed papers, books and book chapters, graduate and undergraduate theses, and government reports were found, including 82 case studies (23 in Chinese, 26 in English, and 33 in Spanish). Results from this analysis indicate that studies focusing on this important topic have increased exponentially since the 1960s, with most irrigation-induced landslides occurring in dry climates (precipitation less than 600 mm/year), with rainfall concentrated during summer months. The majority of studies have been done in the loess region of China (Asian region), followed by Peru (Latin American region), though cases were found from other macroregions (African, Indian, Russian, Angloamerican, and Indonesian). Based on this global review, new agricultural irrigation projects located in collapsible areas must include a landslide risk analysis. Cultivated areas can follow a series of measures to minimize the chances of triggering a landslide, which would put human lives, ecosystems, food production, and infrastructure at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the agricultural sustainability of the peasant community of Huapra, located in the Andes of Peru; this is a type of high land farming communities. The analysis has been made by applying the methodology framework for the evaluation of management systems of natural resources incorporating sustainability indicators (MESMIS). It has also been measured different performance indicators for the three dimensions considered. Among different results it has been found that Huapra community is based on a self-sufficient or peasant economy, mainly due to the low educational level of the inhabitants. On the other hand, it also has been found a high level of productive diversification. These results are similar to the results of other peasant communities like a study conducted in the peasant community of San José de Cusmapa - Nicaragua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Despite decades of efforts to curb the global supply of illicit drugs and significant shifts in how those efforts are designed and implemented, illicit crop cultivation persists. In this paper, we examine state and international development efforts to eradicate coca in Peru, opium poppies in Laos, and cannabis in California, USA and the ever-changing discourses used to justify and design these interventions. Scholarship in political geography frames eradication interventions as serving ongoing efforts to extend state and market power into the regions in which illicit crops are grown and to marginalize the people growing them. We find that environmental discourses are increasingly used to assert the need for continued illicit crop interventions, and that these discourses articulate with historical and ongoing portrayals of smallholders as environmentally destructive. Environmental harm narratives that justify enforcement and eradication efforts under the guise of protecting ecosystems from illicit crop farmers can become self-fulfilling prophecies when they disproportionately impact smallholders and push them into marginal geographic and economic positions. Our cases illustrate that environmentally-justified interventions drive cycles of marginalization for illicit crop smallholders, often conditioned by race or ethnicity, who are then portrayed as environmental criminals. Meanwhile, new state-sanctioned spaces of opportunity and profit are created for more powerful actors who are able to capitalize on the removal of illicit crop growers from the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kamayoq are promoted as culturally appropriate drivers of ethnodevelopment in the Peruvian Andes. Kamayoq have existed for centuries under different forms of political-economic organization, including as agricultural experts (in irrigation, animal husbandry, or agricultural techniques), craft specialists (skilled weavers), and privileged administrators (accountants for Inka nobility). Today, kamayoq are conceived as community-based specialists within government and non-government programmes of farmer-to-farmer technical extension. In this paper 1 address the shortcomings of research into the kamayoq, whereby historical scholarship has been subsumed within broader narratives of the Inka state, and contemporary scholarship has suffered from a lack of historic perspective, thereby romanticizing pre-Hispanic, indigenous institutions. I develop a historical analysis of the role of kamayoq within processes of political-economic integration according to distinct modes of production and under different forms of governance, addressing pre-lnka hydro-pastoralism, Inka governance, Hispanic colonialism, and contemporary development networks. Kamayoq did not spring from the ground fully formed (like autochthons); their role as agents of political-economic integration and livelihood change has shifted according to broader trends and pressures in production, governance, exchange, and redistribution. Their role has always been spatially variable, meaning that we cannot assume an internal coherence to indigenous institutions. We need critical, reflexive, and temporal analyses of these historically embedded forms of social practice if they are to be mobilised in ways that do not simply resort to categorical difference-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted near-surface geophysical surveys in and around the Majes I agricultural development (60 km west of Arequipa, Peru), where the nexus of geology and agriculture has increased landslide activity along the Majes–Siguas River Valley. Through DC resistivity, transient electromagnetics (TEM), and seismic surveys, we refined the understanding of local geology, characterized the agricultural impact on the local water table, and updated landslide modeling to help inform discussions on landslide mitigation strategies at Majes I and landslide prevention at the planned Majes II site. At the Majes I development, we identified an increase in water table and water saturation due to irrigation. At the planned Majes II site, which shares similar geology to Majes I, we interpret the regional water table that has yet to be affected by significant human development. We integrated these results into updated landslide modeling. Our modeling for Majes I suggests stable conditions prior to irrigation; as the water table rose from irrigation, landsliding began and evolved as a retrogressive failure that is now focused along the headscarp near critical infrastructure including the Carretera Panamericana (Pan-American Highway). Majes II is currently stable and irrigation management, such as drip versus flood techniques, must be supported. Soil ameliorants such as polymers and/or biochar should be encouraged to hold water near the roots to reduce the risk of landslide initiation. Combined this work shows the value of integrated hydrological and geophysical research for landslide management and optimized irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peruvian agriculture will likely experience serious economic impacts of climate change, with changing rainfall and temperature patterns forcing farmers to confront abnormal climate conditions. In this context we study the impact of climate shocks on the agricultural practices of farmers who grow two main staples: maize and potato. We focus on four types of agricultural techniques: (a) those that reduce soil degradation, (b) those that conserve water, (c) the application of inorganic fertilizer, and (d) the application of pesticides and herbicides. We combine three rounds of cross‐sectional data from the Peru National Agricultural Survey with long‐term climate data to construct georeferenced shocks of abnormal rainfall levels and variation. Our empirical strategy controls for time‐invariant characteristics of small localities, secular time trends, and farmer and farm characteristics to estimate how shocks affect farmers' choices in subsequent growing cycles. Our findings show that: (a) farmers reduce soil conservation practices after one year of high rainfall, but multiple years of low rainfall increase adoption significantly; (b) the rate of pesticide use increases by eight percentage points following a drought year but is insensitive to multiple shock years; (c) water conservation measures are used less after high precipitation or when volatility was unusually low, and multiple years of insufficient rain tend to enhance this response; and (d) fertilizer use is less sensitive than other outcomes to weather fluctuations. These findings suggest that understanding how responsive farmers' practices are to weather shocks can inform policy design and help mitigate risks from changing weather patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coproduction is a process that involves scientists and citizens engaging throughout the production of knowledge, decisions, and/or policies. This approach has been widely applied in an international context for addressing global environmental issues. It is customary for scientists to travel to rural communities, where both scientists and local knowledge holders work together and jointly design solutions to pressing problems. Such collaboration, however, often involves high costs for both residents and scientists, which can reduce project effectiveness. This study examines the challenges associated with coproduction in the context of changing rural livelihoods in beneficiary communities. We specifically conduct a self‐analysis of the coproduction process led by our own university team, where scientists designed tools for water and crop management together with community members in Peru's Caylloma province. We collected qualitative data on the coproduction challenges in five local districts in Caylloma, using focus groups and semi‐structured interviews. Our results indicate that changing socioeconomic conditions in rural communities undermined the long‐term sustainability and effectiveness of the coproduction efforts and deliverables. These included increased migration, market integration, and reliance on regional institutions for water and crop management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions were determined for camelid bone collagen, hair, and wool (fibre) sampled from textiles from archaeological sites in the Santa Valley (north coast of Perú) occupied during Moche III (El Castillo, A.D. 300−500) and Moche IV (Guadalupito, A.D. 500−700) phases; a small number of camelid bone collagen samples were also analysed from the Late Suchimancillo Phase (A.D. 0−300). These data suggest that localised camelid husbandry was practiced in the Santa Valley from at least the Moche III phase. The nature of camelid husbandry likely involved animals being kept spatially segregated and fed a diverse range of fodder. The isotopic compositions of the bone collagen and wool textiles were very similar, which suggests that the wool that was used to produce the textiles was derived from local camelids rather than being acquired from the highlands. The transition from Moche III to Moche IV, which saw a significant increase in Mochica presence in the Santa Valley, was not accompanied by major changes in camelid husbandry practices. Localised camelid husbandry continued through this transition with minimal change; the prolonged droughts of the sixth century A.D. had no discernable effect on camelid husbandry, probably due to the special hydraulic conditions unique to the Santa Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camelids were domesticated in the Andean highlands, such as in the puna habitat, and dispersed into lowland areas and the northern Central Andes. As camelids domesticated in a particular region would have had a greater economic benefit than visiting- or hunted wild camelids, it is important to reconstruct the dispersal of camelid husbandry from its initial site throughout the ancient Andean civilisation. We carried out multi-isotope analyses of animal remains recovered from the Pacopampa site to investigate the nature of camelid pastoralism and utilisation. Strontium and oxygen isotope ratios from tooth enamel suggested that camelids in the early Late Formative Period (800–500 BC) were born near the site and remained in the same habitat for up to three years. Although corresponding data for the Middle Formative Period (1200–800 BC) were not available, carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were statistically different from those of the Late Formative Period, supporting the possibility that the camelids inhabited the highland plateau like puna. It is inferred that in the northern highlands camelids were initially rare and regarded as either tribute or ritual animals, or they were used as pack animals. Camelid husbandry using maize as fodder began during the Late Formative Period at Pacopampa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Perspectiva Empresarial is the property of Fundacion Universitaria Ceipa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

I develop a model of agriculture on heterogeneous land to study the relation between trade, productivity, and welfare in Peru, where farmers face high internal and external trade costs. I quantify the model with new data on crop prices, yields, and land allocations. I then measure the effects of changes to trade opportunities. A policy of paving roads raises aggregate productivity (4.9%) and the median farmer's welfare (2.7%), but increased competition from remote suppliers harms 20% of farmers. An increase in international grain prices spreads unevenly across regions, benefiting farmers but hurting urban consumers close to ports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of camelids in the coastal valleys of the Andes has generated much debate in recent years. Zooarchaeological and isotopic studies have demonstrated that in the coastal valleys of northern and southern Peru there were locally maintained camelid herds. Because of the hyperarid conditions of the northern coast of Chile, this region has been assumed to be unsuitable for the raising of camelids. In this study we report stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of camelid bone collagen and textiles made from camelid fiber from Late Intermediate Period (LIP) and Late Horizon (LH) occupations in northern Chilean river valleys. The camelid bone collagen isotopic compositions are consistent with these animals originating in the highlands, although there is a significant difference in the camelids dating to the LIP and LH, possibly because of changes made to distribution and exchange networks by the Inca in the LH. There were no differences between the isotopic compositions of the camelid fibers sampled from textiles in the LIP and LH, suggesting that either the production of camelid fiber was unchanged by the Inca or the changes that were made do not present visible isotopic evidence. Several camelid fiber samples from both the LIP and LH present very high δ13C and δ15N values, comparable to human hair samples from one site (Huancarane) in the Camarones Valley. These data suggest that people in the northern valleys of Chile may have kept small numbers of animals specifically for fiber production. Overall, however, the vast majority of the textile samples have isotopic compositions that are consistent with an origin in the highlands. These data suggest that the hyperarid coastal river valleys of northern Chile did not support substantial camelid herds as has been interpreted for northern Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the eastern Pacific Ocean, the tropical tuna purse-seine fishery incidentally captures high numbers of five mobulid bycatch species; all of which are classified as mortalities by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission due to uncertainties in post-release mortality rates. To date, the factors (operational or environmental) leading to the capture of these species by the fishery have not been well studied. Here, we developed Generalized Additive Models for fisheries observer data to analyze the relationships between the presence/absence of Mobula mobular bycatch and oceanographic conditions, the spatial and temporal variability in fishing location, and the set type (associated with dolphins, free-swimming tuna schools or floating objects). Our results suggest that chlorophyll concentration and sea surface height are the most important variables to describe the presence of M. mobular in conjunction with geographic location (latitude and longitude) and set type. Presence of the species was predicted in waters with chlorophyll concentrations between 0.5–1 mg·m-3 and with sea surface height values close to 0; which indicates direct relationships with productive upwelling systems. Seasonally, M. mobular was observed more frequently during December-January and August-September. We also found the highest probability of presence observed in School sets, followed by Dolphin sets. Three areas were observed as important hotspots: the area close to the coastal upwelling of northern Peru, the area west to Islands Colon Archipelago (Galapagos) and the area close to the Costa Rica Dome. This information is crucial to identify the mobulids habitat and hotspots that could be managed and protected under dynamic spatial management measures to reduce the mortality of mobulid rays in the eastern Pacific purse-seine fishery and, hence, ensure the sustainability of the populations of these iconic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food consumption accounts for an important proportion of the world GHG emissions per capita. Previous studies have delved into the nature of dietary patterns, showing that GHG reductions can be achieved in diets if certain foods are consumed rather than other, more GHG intensive products. For instance, vegetarian and low-meat diets have proved to be less carbon intensive than diets that are based on ruminant meat. These environmental patterns, increasingly analyzed in developed nations, are yet to be assessed in countries liked Peru where food purchase represents a relatively high percentage of the average household expenditure, ranging from 38% to 51% of the same. Therefore, food consumption can be identified as a potential way to reduce GHG emissions in Peru. However, the Peruvian government lacks a specific strategy to mitigate emissions in this sector, despite the recent ratification of the Paris Accord. In view of this, the main objective of this study is to analyze the environmental impacts of a set of 47 Peruvian food diet profiles, including geographical and socioeconomic scenarios. In order to do this, Life Cycle Assessment was used as the methodological framework to obtain the overall impacts of the components in the dietary patterns observed and primary data linked to the composition of diets were collected from the Peruvian National Institute for Statistics (INEI). Life cycle inventories for the different products that are part of the Peruvian diet were obtained from a set of previous scientific articles and reports regarding food production. Results were computed using the IPCC 2013 assessment method to estimate GHG emissions. Despite variations in GHG emissions from a geographical perspective, no significant differences were observed between cities located in the three Peruvian natural regions (i.e., coast, Andes and Amazon basin). In contrast, there appears to be a strong, positive correlation between GHG emissions and social expenditure or academic status. When compared to GHG emissions computed in the literature for developed nations, where the average caloric intake is substantially higher, diet-related emissions in Peru were in the low range. Our results could be used as a baseline for policy support to align nutritional and health policies in Peru with the need to reduce the environmental impacts linked to food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pro-poor value chains intend to integrate smallholding farmers into high value markets to contribute to poverty alleviation and food security. Although income benefits of pro-poor value chains have been found, scant evidence exists regarding the potential for these markets to enhance food security. This study focuses on components of food access-dietary diversity, physical and financial access, and social acceptability-among households that participate in pro-poor value chains and non-participating households in the central highlands of Peru where development interventions have created high value market niches for the native potato varieties that smallholding farmers have conserved for thousands of years. Using a mixed methods approach, this study assessed dietary diversity among households that participate and do not participate in pro-poor value chains, as well as their perceptions of their food access. Findings indicated that households that participate in value chains have higher dietary diversity than non-participating households but that these differences are likely due to pre-existing differences in socioeconomic status rather than any causal effect provided by value chains. The study also concluded that while participation in pro-poor value chains sometimes enhance the purchasing power of participating households, they may also weaken financial access, important for both purchasing food and travel to make those purchases. Community perspectives also indicated concerns with the acceptability of diets, which cannot likely be comprehensively addressed by pro-poor value chains. Collectively, the findings from this study cast doubt on the assumption that a linear flow exists between pro-poor value chains and enhanced food access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals for Istrian & Mediterranean Studies / Annales: Series Historia et Sociologia is the property of Historical Society of Southern Primorska of Koper and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Based on ethnographic research with an Indigenous community in Junín, Peru, and involving over 21 participants, this article explores the link between Indigenous lands, environmental knowledge, cultural practices, and education. Drawing from traditional ecological knowledge and nature-mediated education, Indigenous community spaces as vital learning spaces are highlighted. Through the lens of family and community-scale farming, this article also discusses critical perspectives on Indigenous agricultural traditions, lessons in subsistence farming, food and notions of success for students, and globalisation. Finally, an argument is made for educational development to acknowledge the breadth of Indigenous ecological issues, to prioritize Indigenous lands, languages, and cultural practices, and to support collaborative research that underscores Indigenous epistemologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronounced hygric seasonality determines the regional climate and, thus, the characteristics of rain-fed agriculture in the Peruvian Callejón de Huaylas (Cordillera Blanca). Peasants in the Cuenca Auqui on the eastern slopes above the city of Huaraz attribute recently experienced challenges in agricultural production mainly to perceived changes in precipitation patterns. Statistical analyses of daily precipitation records at nearby Recuay (1964 to 2013) and Huaraz (1996 to 2013) stations do not corroborate the perceived changes. Either insufficient temporal resolution of available precipitation records or other environmental and sociopolitical factors impacting traditional farming methods may be the reason for the lack of concordance between the two information sources investigated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue is an arthropod-borne virus of great public health importance, and control of its mosquito vectors is currently the only available method for prevention. Previous research has suggested that insecticide treated curtains (ITCs) can lower dengue vector infestations in houses. This observational study investigated individual and household-level socio-demographic factors associated with correct and consistent use of ITCs in Iquitos, Peru. A baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) survey was administered to 1,333 study participants, and ITCs were then distributed to 593 households as part of a cluster-randomized trial. Follow up KAP surveys and ITC-monitoring checklists were conducted at 9, 18, and 27 months post-ITC distribution. At 9 months post-distribution, almost 70% of ITCs were hanging properly (e.g. hanging fully extended or tied up), particularly those hung on walls compared to other locations. Proper ITC hanging dropped at 18 months to 45.7%. The odds of hanging ITCs correctly and consistently were significantly greater among those participants who were housewives, knew three or more correct symptoms of dengue and at least one correct treatment for dengue, knew a relative or close friend who had had dengue, had children sleeping under a mosquito net, or perceived a change in the amount of mosquitoes in the home. Additionally, the odds of recommending ITCs in the future were significantly greater among those who perceived a change in the amount of mosquitoes in the home (e.g. perceived the ITCs to be effective). Despite various challenges associated with the sustained effectiveness of the selected ITCs, almost half of the ITCs were still hanging at 18 months, suggesting a feasible vector control strategy for sustained community use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The valley of the rivers Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro (VRAEM) is the main center of coca production in Peru. This is a jungle area located between southern highland regions, and is notorious for the presence of drug-trafficking and the last remnants of Shining Path guerrillas. As a result, it occupies a central place in security policies in Peru, and has been “demonized” in the national imaginary.Objective: This article explores the current situation, recent history, and most important collectives of the VRAEM, challenging stereotypes about it.Methods: The article is based on short-term fieldwork undertaken in the VRAEM in March 2008, and long-term research conducted in Ayacucho in 2008–2009; and it is contextualized in relation to the literature on coca producing areas and drug policies.Results: The negative image of the VRAEM started in the context of the 1980s–1990s coca boom and Peruvian armed conflict. State policies in the area since then have been mainly based on militarization and repression, contributing to maintain that negative image, which differs of a complex and nuanced local reality. A coca eradication campaign started in 2014, bringing major changes.Conclusions: The negative image of the VRAEM is largely unfair, and has been mainly based on stereotypes and prejudices. This negative stereotyping contributes to justify and maintain inefficient and pernicious state policies in the area, and to criminalize local people. There is an urgent need for fieldwork-based studies in the area to counteract those negative stereotypes and monitor current events. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Historia Agraria is the property of Historia Agraria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Relative to plant-based foods, animal source foods (ASFs) are richer in accessible protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B-12 and other nutrients. Because of their nutritional value, particularly for childhood growth and nutrition, it is important to identify factors influencing ASF consumption, especially for poorer households that generally consume less ASFs. Objective: To estimate differential responsiveness of ASF consumption to changes in total household expenditures for households with different expenditures in a middle-income country with substantial recent income increases. Methods: The Peruvian Young Lives household panel (n = 1750) from 2002, 2006 and 2009 was used to characterize patterns of ASF expenditures. Multivariate models with controls for unobserved household fixed effects and common secular trends were used to examine nonlinear relationships between changes in household expenditures and in ASF expenditures. Results: Households with lower total expenditures dedicated greater percentages of expenditures to food (58.4% vs.17.9% in 2002 and 24.2% vs. 21.5% in 2009 for lowest and highest quintiles respectively) and lower percentages of food expenditures to ASF (22.8% vs. 33.9% in 2002 and 30.3% vs. 37.6% in 2009 for lowest and highest quintiles respectively). Average percentages of overall expenditures spent on food dropped from 47% to 23.2% between 2002 and 2009. Households in the lowest quintiles of expenditures showed greater increases in ASF expenditures relative to total consumption than households in the highest quintiles. Among ASF components, meat and poultry expenditures increased more than proportionately for households in the lowest quintiles, and eggs and fish expenditures increased less than proportionately for all households. Conclusions: Increases in household expenditures were associated with substantial increases in consumption of ASFs for households, particularly households with lower total expenditures. Increases in ASF expenditures for all but the top quintile of households were proportionately greater than increases in total food expenditures, and proportionately less than overall expenditures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Unsustainable cattle ranching in the Amazon leads to land degradation and incentivizes deforestation. Planting trees in pastures ('silvopasture' or 'silvopastoral systems') is a novel approach that has the potential to increase the sustainability of cattle production in the Amazon. Trees provide additional feed whilst also enhancing biodiversity, capturing carbon and improving soil quality. We measured the potential contribution of tree forage to pasture-fed cattle at a trial farm in Peru. Three leguminous tree species (Erythrina berteroana, Inga edulis and Leucaena leucocephala) were planted with grass, and their productivity was compared to plots containing only grass. We compared destructive and non-destructive methodologies that estimated intake of tree forage by browsing cattle. We found that fresh tree foliage of the three tree species was palatable to cattle and could be directly browsed. Cattle mostly foraged below 1.6 m and consumed 99% of available foliage from E. berteroana, 75% of available forage from I. edulis and 80% of available forage from L. leucocephala. Plots containing trees and grass produced more forage biomass (mean > 2.2 Mg ha−1) than grass only plots (mean = 1.5 Mg ha−1). This research highlights the potential for sustainable intensification of livestock production in the Amazon. Assessing the palatability of forage from locally adapted trees could improve the sustainability of livestock production systems. However, grasses continue to dominate livestock feed across the Amazon. We established a silvopastoral cattle farming system in Peru, comparing three different forage tree species with grass monocultures using a randomised block design. Trees were arranged in alleys of 0.5 × 7.5 m, planted alongside grass, and were directly browsed by cattle. Browse removal was estimated by three methods: destructive sampling, canopy measurements and leaf counts. We found that all three tree species were palatable to cattle. Plots containing trees and grass produced more available forage (mean > 2.2 Mg ha−1) for cattle than the grass monocultures (mean = 1.5 Mg ha−1). Destructive sampling below 1.6 m demonstrated that cattle consumed 99% of the available Erythrina berteroana forage, 75% of the available Inga edulis forage and 80% of the available Leucaena leucocephala forage in 8 days. This research demonstrates methodologies to estimate the intake of locally adapted browse species by cattle and highlights the potential benefits of silvopastoral systems in the Amazon. Planting trees could also benefit animal health and provide ecosystem services such as soil regeneration, enhanced nutrient cycling and carbon capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats are depicted in various types of media in Central and South America. The Moche of northern Peru portrayed bats in many figurative ceramic vessels in association with themes of sacrifice, elite status and agricultural fertility. Osseous remains of bats in Moche ceremonial and domestic contexts are rare yet their various representations in visual media highlight Moche fascination with their corporeal form, behaviour and symbolic meaning. By exploring bat imagery in Moche iconography, I argue that the bat formed an important part of Moche categorical schemes of the non-human world. The bat symbolized death and renewal not only for the human body but also for agriculture, society and the cosmos. I contrast folk taxonomies and symbolic classification to interpret the relational role of various species of chiropterans to argue that the nocturnal behaviour of the bat and its symbolic association with the moon and the darkness of the underworld was not a negative sphere to be feared or rejected. Instead, like the representative priestesses of the Late Moche period, bats formed part of a visual repertoire to depict the cycles of destruction and renewal that permitted the cosmological continuation of life within North Coast Moche society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wildlife has been traditionally used by forest communities as a source of protein, and the Peruvian Amazon is no exception. The articulation of colonist and indigenous communities to urban centers and markets results in changes in livelihood strategies and impacts on wildlife populations. To address the threat of overhunting and forest conversion, we provide a generalized characterization of colonist and indigenous communities and their hunting activities near Pucallpa, Ucayali, Peru. Methods: A semi-structured household survey was conducted to characterize hunters and describe their prey collections. The data were analyzed by conducting a Kruskal-Wallis test, a multiple regression analysis, and by estimating the harvest rate (H). Results: Less wealthy households were more actively engaged in hunting for food security and as a livelihood strategy. Additionally, older hunters were associated with higher hunting rates. Although the percentage of hunters was relatively low, estimated hunting rates suggest overharvesting of wildlife. Lowland pacas (Cuniculus paca) were the most frequently hunted prey, followed by red brocket deer (Mazama americana) and primates. While hunting intensity was not significantly different between indigenous and colonist communities, hunting rate disparities suggest there are different types of hunters (specialized vs. opportunistic) and that prey composition differs between communities. Conclusion: Close monitoring of wildlife populations and hunting activities is ideal for more accurately determining the impact of hunting on wildlife population and in turn on forest health. In lack of this type of information, this study provides insight of hunting as a shifting livelihood strategy in a rapidly changing environment at the forest/agriculture frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]