09 December2024, Bolivia: Farmers in Bolivia face significant challenges, including diverse climate conditions, limited access to water, and crop pests and diseases. These issues are further compounded by rural labour shortages as young people migrate to urban areas, leaving fewer hands to sustain traditional farming practices. Access to agricultural advice and extension services is vital, helping farmers manage pests, adapt practices, and strengthen rural communities for greater resilience and food security.
Bolivia is divided into three distinct geographic regions with unique landscapes and climates. The tropical lowlands are known for their dense forests and expansive savannahs, while the fertile valleys, nestled within the Andean mountain range, are ideal for diverse agriculture. Finally, the high-altitude plateau, or Altiplano, lies between the eastern and western branches of the Andes and is characterized by its arid, rugged terrain. Farmers have adapted their agricultural practices in each region to the local climate, water resources, and traditions, making the most of Bolivia’s diverse environments.
Bolivia’s economic diversification
Bolivia has a rich mining history but has diversified its economy and agriculture is now a key sector. Today, export crops such as soybeans, sunflowers, sugar, rice, cotton, and coffee play a vital role in the nation’s economy.
Many people living in Bolivia’s valleys and highlands work in small-scale agriculture, producing staple foods like potatoes, beans, oca, quinoa, chuño, corn, wheat, oats, barley, and other vegetables. Additionally, the valleys and the tropical Yungas region yield a range of fruits, contributing to Bolivia’s diverse agricultural output.
Youth in agriculture and shifting rural dynamics
In Bolivia, farming is a family affair, especially in rural areas. However, in recent decades, the migration of people from rural areas to cities has transformed agriculture and rural communities. Driven by the lure of education, better job opportunities, and improved living conditions, young men and women leave their villages for larger urban centres. This has created a labour gap in rural areas, with fewer people to sustain traditional farming practices.
Youth training in Bolivia
Bolivia: population projections from 0 to 28 years of age. By area, age group and sex, 2018. (In thousands of inhabitants)
The graph shows 765,000 people aged 16 to 28 live in rural areas. If just a tiny percentage of these young people gained training through plant clinics, agricultural production in their communities would be significantly affected.
PlantwisePlus has partnered with the Instituto Tecnológico Agroindustrial de Tarata (ITAIT) to implement plant clinics into their courses. This public institution, funded by the Central Government of Bolivia, offers three study programs in agriculture, veterinary/zootechnics, and the food industry.
The curriculum combines theoretical and practical teaching, integrating science and technology with local knowledge. It emphasizes sustainable development and fosters students’ strong sense of service and social commitment. Additionally, the program aims to develop critical awareness of sociocultural realities, equipping students with the skills to create, apply, and transform knowledge while generating productive ventures.
Practical training and student contributions to plant clinics
In the last year of the agricultural degree, students take the subjects of phytopathology and entomology and receive training on integrated pest and crop management. They participate in laboratory practices, analyzing samples brought in by farmers to PlantwisePlus plant clinics. The course instructors are plant clinic leaders, allowing the students to actively participate in the plant clinics.
CABI PlantwisePlus has supported the partnership by equipping the institute’s laboratory for students’ practical training and providing crop pest and disease diagnosis services to other people, institutions, and projects that interact with the institute. Students can also build other lab skills, such as diagnosing nematodes through bioassays, preparing insect mounts, and identifying fungi.
Students participating in the plant clinics not only build skills but also confidence. At first, many are hesitant to make recommendations; however, over time, they acquire the knowledge and ability to engage with the visiting farmers. This, in turn, gives the farmers confidence in the advice they receive. The majority of students speak the native language, Quechua. This is important for making the clinics more gender inclusive as many women farmers do not speak Spanish and are less confident at asking for advice.
The knowledge the students acquire during their year participating at the plant clinics is taken with them and applied in their communities. As such, the collaboration between PlantwisePlus and the ITAIT is helping the programme strengthen national plant health systems.
Strengthening rural agriculture and career pathways for students in Bolivia
Many students are from agricultural communities and are familiar with the crops and problems that affect local farmers’ crops. The students’ training helps them find alternative solutions to combat crop pests and diseases, contributing to tackling the overreliance on chemical pesticides. Moreover, the knowledge acquired at the institute and plant clinic is spread directly to the students’ families and communities.
The course opens many doors for the students. Some return to their communities to work on their family’s land, others set up microenterprises to transform agricultural products or businesses selling agricultural inputs, and others choose to work in public institutions and farming projects.
Ensuring the sustainability of plant clinics in Bolivia
The sustainability of the plant clinics partnered with the ITAIT depends on integrating the clinics’ practical components into the curriculum. The director and teaching staff are making efforts to formalize this integration and ensure long-term continuity.
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