Análisis sobre la responsabilidad de Agente Aduanal en la determinación del

Altitudinal variation and absence of a meteorological station in the study region hinder generalisation about the agroclimatic background for seasonal cultivation practices. The estimated ranges of climatic variables used in the definition of Tosi-Holdridge 'life zones' [O.JT.E.R.tf. 1976], as applied to the area, provide a spatial overview of this variation (Table 2:3).

Occurrence of frosts and the availability of water for irrigation are critical parameters in the selection of crops and annual cultivation strategy. Observations and interviews indicate that frosts are virtually absent at 2600 m but become common above 3000 m, in the upper part of the Dry Montane Forest Zone, during the driest period from mid-May to mid-October. Hail storms are not regarded as seasonally restricted, and can occur at much lower altitudes. The low altitude zones (DMF, DF and TV) suffer annual precipitation deficits, insofar as annual potential evapotranspiratian equals or exceeds average total annual precipitation (Table 2:3). However, the deficit is spread unevenly through the year. Published information for Calca in the Vilcanota Valley, at 2926 m and analagous to the DMF zone, indicate a deficiency only from

1976)

Field Zone ONERN Zone A.T.A.P.(1) nm

M.A.B.(2) °C

A.P.E.(3)

1

Wet Upland (W) pp-SaS 1000-2000 3-6 12.5-25

(E) pmh-SaS 500-1000 3-6 25-50 Humid Forest (W) bmh-MS 1000-2000 6-12 25-50 (E) bh-ms 500-1000 6-12 50-100 Dry Montane Forest bs-MBS 500-1000 12-17 100-200 Dry Forest bs-S 500-1000 17-24 100-200

Thorny Woodland mte-S 250- 500 17-24 200-400

NOTES:

(1) Average Total Annual Precipitation Range. (2) Mean Annual Bioteraperature Range.

(3) Annual Potential Evapotranspiration, expressed as % of A.T.A.P.

April to October [Q.N.H.R.N. 1976:18]. Hence, agriculturalists may take advantage of the seasonally sufficient rainfall, employ irrigation or do both.

From January 1985 to June 1986 simple climatic observations were recorded at Quinta Quillabamba, on a Limatamba Inca terrace at 2595 m, to provide

seasonal agroclimatic data in the largest (DMF) zone for correlation with observed agricultural practices (Appendix I, Table 2:4). A dry season occurs from May to September, centred upon the driest months of June and July. These months have the coldest nights, relatively clear morning skies and clearer evening skies. Precipitation deficiency probably prevails at about the same time as in Calca. Rain occurred an half or more of the days observed during the wet season months from October to April. This period is also the warmest of the year, with frequently cloudy or overcast mornings which tend to clear towards the evening. Rains are most frequent in December and January and tend to fail gently. During most months winds tend to be stranger in the afternoon than in the morning, and most frequently exceed a light breeze in October and November afternoons. They only reached the strength of a fresh breeze on three afternoons and are not considered a threat to crops on the central valley floor. Rain is not always disruptive of wet season work since it occurs most

frequently at night. In 196 observed 24 hour periods, it rained overnight on 90 occasions and during the day on 56. However, rivers rise and low bridges on the Colorado are prone to be washed away.

Corresponding agricultural activities observed at different altitudes were also recorded (Table 2:5). Field crop cultivation is rare at altitudes over 3900 m, although pastures are used. Planting at lower altitudes, for the 'main' crop which uses the warm wet season months for growth, occurs as the frequency

TABLE 2:4 LIMATAMBO CLIMATE OBSERVATIONS A T QUILLABAMBA, 2595m. [Jan 1985- June 1986; First 6 months combined]

[ (n) = total number o f observations] 7o Rainy 24 hr

Periods

Mean Monthly Min. o/night Temp. °C 7o Winds Light M o m . above Breeze A/noon 7o Cloud Observ. below 20% cover M o m . A/noon Jan 86 (7) 11.0 (3) 25 (8) 14 (7) 0 (7) 33 (6) ras- 71 (17) 11.5 (9) 0 (18) 5 (20) 0 (20) 20 (20) Mar 77 (43) 11.5 (45) 9 (47) 17 (42) 2 (48) 8 (39) Apr 60 (2) 10.5 (29) 3 (32) 23 (26) 13 (32) 31 (26) May 33 (12) 7.0 (22) 13 (23) 41 (17) 55 (22) 78 (18) Jun 0 (8) 5.5 (15) 0 (14) 25 (12) 27 (15) 67 (12) Jul- 0 (16) 5.5 (18) 20 (20) 25 (16) 40 (20) 81 (16) Aug 15 (20) 7.0 (23) 15 (26) 19 (21) 35 (26) 67 (21) Sep 30 (20) 10.0 (22) 28 (25) 40 (20) 20 (25) 40 (20) Oct 50 (6) 9.5 (8) 0 (9) 44 (9) 30 (10) 22 (9) Nov 78 (9) 10.5 (13) 19 (16) 69 (13) 13 (16) 23 (13) Dec 83 (18) 11.5 (18) 10 (20) 24 (21) 10 (20) 29 (21)

T ABLE 2:5 LIMATAMBO MONTHLY AGIICULTUBAL ACTIVITY (1) IN ALTITUDE RANGES lbOO-ZOOOm ZZUO-ZbOUm ZbOU-bUUOm JUUU-34UUm 3400-bdUUm JbUU-42UUm

J a n H:c H:p S:± S:w,b L:m L:m Feb H:m H:s H:p H:p S:t S:b Mar H:s S:p H:p,u A p r H :k T:w,b H:p,o,h M ay H:m,f ,k H:m H:p,u H:p,o,u S:p P Jun S:p H:w ll:m,b H:t,p,q H:h T : f h,b B M C J U T “

him

hip

U ; H = harvest, S = sow, P = ]plough, I = irrigate , L = mounding (lampaj, B = b u m undergrowth, BM = b u m maize stubble, G = apply guano,

T = thresh, C := make chuno i

b = barley, c := sweet potato, f = frijol bean, h = haba, i = pakey, k = kiwicha, 1 = tomato, m = maize, o = oca, p = potato, q = quinoa, s = pumpkin, t = tarwi, u = ullucu, w = wheat.

of rains increases between September and January. These crops are harvested as rains abate between March and July.

The vast majority of fields above 3400 m are only cultivated during the wet season, and the highest are rested for many years between harvest and replanting. New fields are prepared when the earth is still damp enough to facilitate ploughing, sometimes with the chakitaklla (foot plough). In Choquemarka this work is done in groups of three, two men with foot ploughs and a third downslope using hands, a pick or raukana (.lajnpa or hooked-handle broad-blade implement) to turn champas (sods) and remove shrubby vegetation. Some woody branches are taken for fuel, and smaller material is left to dry for later burning on the field. A smoke haze is common in the sky during the dry season months of June to August when dried vegetation near field borders and crop stubble are burnt.

Lower altitude unirrigated fields (temporales) are used in a similar seasonal pattern but are not long fallowed. Many are only rested during the dry season after harvest. At this time animals are left to eat field stubble. Ploughing begins with the first rains, and is done by Spanish bullock plough. Rarely, a tractor is available for use on sufficiently level ground. Animal or purchased chemical fertilizers, where funds suffice, are applied before planting.

Irrigation is common in terraced, lower valley floor and flank locations. Canals are drawn from side streams and main courses of the Colorado and Blanca rivers. Sufficiently flat lands are chosen for effective irrigation.

Construction of short canals to fields near a side stream are not technically demanding and are built by household members and their neighbours. Both stone

walled terracing and an irrigation supply was organized in this way on a valley side pampa (relative 'flat') near Limatambo during the dry season of 1985. Long canals, and those requiring rock cutting, are a major project for community or private landholders which may take several years to complete.

Canal irrigation is a distinctive feature of many cultivated tracts between about 3400 m and 2400 m, associated with maize agriculture in the lower Humid Forest and Dry Hontane Forest Zones, and of nearly all field agriculture between 2400 m and 1800 m, in association with sugar cane or fruits in the Dry Forest and Thorny Voodland Zones. This is consistent with the cultivation

requirements where the soil water deficit, on general indicators, is high and probably extends over a longer period of the year (Table 2:3).

Where both rainfall and irrigated cultivation are an option for fields, agricultural organisation is more complex. Irrigation water is applied during the middle of the dry season to enable ploughing, sowing and initial growth of crops. An early harvest can be obtained of a crop which is otherwise scarce.

'Early potato' (ma w a y) was frequently sown under irrigation on valley floor fields between 2400 m and 3000 m in the dry season months of Hay, June and July. The same fields, especially with manure, can provide a successful wet season and irrigated dry season crop. Timing is of the essence for double cropping. An accepted guiding date for the latest time to sow a wet season maize crop at around 2600 m is the feast of Virgen de la Concepcion (8 December), because it is essential to allow for the crops growing season and have it ready for harvest before rains commence again (causing rotting and fungal disease). These factors led to a fairly frantic harvest of potato in a

central valley floor area in November 1985, and high, demand for maize to make chicha for workers.

The early dry season is a busy time. Crops are harvested, sorted and transported, and maize is dehusked and set out to dry for storage. Beans, wheat and barley are threshed, often using horses. Grain threshing is sometimes done on paved circular platforms, about 10 m diameter, located on level ground near fields. Stone walls of terraces are repaired and vegetation cleared from them, usually by burning. It is also a time for building, roof thatching, and pottery production by the women of Choquemarka village, since vessels can be dried (in the shade) and dry fuel is available for use in bonfire kilns.