ANDEAN AGRICULTURAL PROJECT KUSI ÑAN

Kusi Ñan is an Organic Farm project created by the graduates of the Kusi Kawsay Andean School. Following the Kusi Kawsay education, the first graduates (2012) were motivated to revitalize and reclaim their culture by contributing to their community as agents of change. Kusi Ñan serves as a model for Climate Change adaptation and mitigation! Kusi Ñan provides a beautiful, healthy and safe space to conduct empowering workshops for children, youth and communities.

About Kusi Ñan

The Kusi Ñan project of organic agriculture became a source of employment for the alumni and provided a creative solution. Kusi Ñan grows organic healthy, nutritious foods with non-polluting products, and thus provides the school snack for Kusi Kawsay, and sells their produce.  The Kusi Ñan project allowed the graduates to remain in their community rather than having to migrate to the city for employment, and as a result, has inspired them to start their own successful businesses or further their studies. Kusi Kawsay students continue to learn ancient Andean ways of farming permaculture practices, sharing with their peers. Furthermore, this organic nutritious produce is available to our families and community, and we sell to local businesses. Today Kusi Ñan is a flourishing farm serving their nutritious and organic produce to locals and restaurants in Pisac, around the Sacred Valley and in Cusco.

Mission

Kusi Ñan’s mission is to be efficient in and support rural agriculture through the wisdom of our ancestral Andean practices, which hold the solutions to ensuring global food security, tackling climate change and ensuring sustainability for a livable future.

About the Land

Kusi Ñan Farm leased a beautiful plot of agricultural land below the school grounds, and once it was revitalized with the irrigation system put into place and the soil regenerated organically, the planting began. Using ancient Andean knowledge of agriculture and local seeds, the youth were trained and mentored by farmers of the community, and the growing of nutritious organic food finally took root. Permaculture was taught, growing organic greens. Sadly, in late 2018 the lease of the land was not renewed, so the project was moved to the school land and functions on a smaller scale with the same essence of promoting and teaching organic agriculture where the growing of nutritious organic food took root.

Partnerships

The startup of the farm project was made possible by donations from individuals, and its continuation was made possible by support from EMpower and Enactus Ryerson University. Thanks to this valuable support and mentorship Kusi Ñan was established, and we are incredibly excited about the growth and potential for the future.
EMpower / The Emerging Markets Foundation is a global philanthropy focused on at-risk youth in emerging market countries. With a world-wide community of supporters, they strategically invest in vital, local organizations who work to empower youth.
Enactus stands for: ENtrepreneurial—having the perspective to see an opportunity and the talent to create value from that opportunity; ACTion—the willingness to do something and the commitment to see it through even when the outcome is not guaranteed; US—a group of people who see themselves connected in some important way; individuals that are part of a greater whole.

Workshops and Gatherings

Students, former students and the community are beneficiaries of the Kusi Ñan project. They can continue their education and personal growth (learning about business skills, organic agriculture, well-being, yoga, etc.) in different workshops. It also serves as a gathering space where one can be part of the celebrations of traditions like “faenas” (community work), where the community shared not only the work but music and local food, celebrating the traditions of the Andes.

Ñawpa Ñan Traditional Music Ensemble

Youth from the farm and former students from the school formed the music group “Conjunto Tradicional de Música Ñawpa Ñan”. This new generation of youth has taken over the task to celebrate and preserve their cultural identity. They were invited to the Paucar Raymi event in Ecuador, where they met with Ecuador´s Cultural Minister.