4 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF THE PERUVIAN HIGHLANDS - ECONOMY - 2024

The economic activities of the Peruvian Sierra can be found in the different departments that make up the central Sierra. The prevailing geographical conditions, such as the type of soils, the climate, or even the height itself, have meant that the main economic activities in this area are grouped into three large groups: mining activity, artisan production, and activity agricultural.

The Peruvian Sierra reaches the entire strip of the Andes mountain range, crossing the entire national territory, from south to north. The region's climate varies from semi-arid, sub-humid, temperate, to icy. This wide area constitutes 28.1% of the entire territory of Peru.

Source: Emmanuel DYAN from Paris, France, via Wikimedia Commons The Peruvian Sierra offers the most spectacular views of snow-capped mountains and glaciers in the region, as they have the highest concentration of them. The Incas revered and respected it, for them it was sacred. That is why they decided to build Machu Picchu, the sacred city, surrounded by those impressive snow-capped peaks.

Main economic activities of the Sierra del Peru

The sierra is different in terms of history, culture, topography, climate, economic activity and population settlement. Its climate is harsher, its topography more fractured, its land more scarce and its production more risky than in other parts of Peru.

The climate in the central and southern highlands is drier, its terrain is very steep, and its landscape is treeless. The flora and fauna are rare and those that have survived are native to the Andes. Few birds live in this area, as the trees do not exist.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of the Sierra is approximately 22% of the national GDP. This is mainly represented by primary metal-mining production, a contribution without which its presence in the national economy would be almost ghostly.

Annual GDP growth in the Sierra between 1970 and 1996 was only 1.9%, and only around 0.6% in terms of per capita income.

The economy, both in terms of employment and production, has not undergone major changes. Only agricultural production has experienced a slight increase.

-Mining activity

The Peruvian highlands have numerous mining resources. It has been determined that together with the formation of the Peruvian Sierra, from the late Cretaceous, intense mineralization occurred mainly in the highest sectors of the relief.

This constitutes the base of the heritage in mining resources, mainly polymetallic.

Within the mining activity there are both a mining center and a metallurgical center, both of great renown, located in Pasco and Junín, respectively.

Mining center

The mining center is known as the “Cerro de Pasco”. It is located throughout different provinces of the department of Pasco. It is a mining exploitation center with a great variety of companies involved with it.

Among the main precious metals that are mined there are silver, copper, zinc, lead, molybdenum and tungsten.

Metallurgical center

The metallurgical center is called "La Oroya". In this center, different precious metals such as zinc, lead or copper are extracted.

-Agricultural activity

The mountains are inhabited mostly by native descendants of the Incas, who have maintained many of their traditions and their way of life. They work the land by growing potatoes, olluco, quinoa, and they use llamas in the same way as the Incas.

The agriculture of the Sierra is more oriented towards subsistence. Returns and use of technology are lower and production risks are higher.

Agriculture in the Sierra is generally traditional and with little productivity, mainly due to the conditions under which the lands are worked, except in the Mantaro valley and some areas of Junín, Puno and Ayacucho.

The farmers of the Sierra lack a scientific and technical orientation, since they continue to use the same traditional agricultural tools, such as picks, shovels, etc.

Agricultural production

Within the agricultural activity is the production of grains, legumes and vegetables typical of the area.

With regard to grains, the most important are coffee and tea. Both are of excellent quality and with great international renown. These grains are grown mainly in the Pasco region.

The legumes and vegetables that are planted and then harvested are those that originate from the highlands: ears of corn, sweet potatoes, potatoes, wheat, onion, etc.

With the exception of potatoes and white corn, the main products of the sierra, such as wool, alpaca fiber, beef and sheep meat, milk, wheat and barley, are highly marketable.

However, they have been affected by the long-term decline in world prices of agricultural commodities, and by trade liberalization.

Competition in urban markets for imported products or substitutes for those produced locally has also been important.

Cattle raising

In relation to livestock, in Junín, Arequipa and Cajamarca cattle are raised. On the other hand, in the center and south of the Sierra pigs and sheep are raised. Camelid farming takes place in the higher regions.

It should be remembered that camelid farming in South America, developed for an economic reason, continues to be the exclusive heritage of Bolivia and Peru.

The current peak of the exportation of vicuña and alpaca fibers has given rise to a more technical livestock.

Trout is fished in the rivers found in the Sierra region. Trout farms have been erected as a way to increase the production of small fish, which are thrown into lakes and rivers. Catfish and silverside are fished in the waters of Lake Titicaca.

-Craft activity

The artisan production is based on the varied handicrafts, which are sold in the artisan fairs. These are produced by the inhabitants of the aforementioned regions of the Peruvian Sierra.

-Culinary activity

Additionally, there is the culinary activity. Thanks to the large number of animals in the Sierra, the development of a good culinary sample that is typical of this region has been generated.

This activity is among the minor economic activities, since this sector has not yet been properly exploited.

References

1. Discover Peru (2018). The Andean Mountain Range or Sierra. Taken from: discover-peru.org.
2. Cssc Group (2009). Economic Activities - Sierra Central Peru. Taken from: grupocssc.wordpress.com.
3. The Popular (2013). This is my mountain range, this is my Peru. Taken from: elpopular.pe.
4. Peru of my loves (2012). Economic Activities in Peru. Taken from: actividadeconomicaperu.blogspot.com.
5. World Bank (2002). A Rural Development Strategy For The Peruvian Sierra. Taken from: web.worldbank.org.
6. Luis Alberto Oliveros Lakoma (2018). The Sierra del Peru Does it have a Future? CGP. Taken from: cgp.org.pe.