01. Alpaca breeders 
There are more than 80,000 alpaca farms in the country that belong to the least served stratum of Peruvian society. They live in extreme conditions above 3,800 m.a.s.l, and are direct descendants of the pre-Hispanic cultures of Peru.

Their homes are established by elderly husband and wife, and usually their kids emigrate to the city looking for a better future, due two critical conditions on the Andean living, poor education and low income.

Their houses are built with vulnerable materials, they do not have electricity, water and sewage services, they are small spaces where the kitchen and bedrooms are in the same room. The main cause of death is respiratory illness that become from the smoke of the firewood that they inhale day and night and for the cold of the Andes winters.

  • Low income
  • Poor education
  • Predominant language: Quechua
  • Main cause of death: Acute respiratory infection – ARI (cold and smoke in homes).
02. What we look for:
Our main concern is the necessity to promote the construction of suitable living accommodation for the alpaca producers who spend their lives in some of the country’s most remote locations, away of government reach and usually at extremely high altitudes above sea level.

We focused on improving living conditions, especially those related to:

Heating

Cooking fumes

Drainage

Electricity

Production of vegetables
and animal protein.

03. Quintal del Inca
Is a contest where each participant submits one quintal (equivalent to 46 kilograms or 35 pounds) of white or black Alpaca fiber, from the Huacayo breed (which is paid at the highest market price) for scrutiny by the expert Inca Tops sorters.

The Herdsman’s Cottage is, at present, the first prize in the “Quintal del Inca” alpaca-fiber competition organized by Pacomarca and Inca Tops on an annual basis.

The cottage is built and fitted out on land belonging to the alpaca producer who was declared the winner of the competition.
04. Design and protothype
In collaboration with experienced architects, we have developed prototypes for ecological dwellings made from locally obtainable materials and combined with innovative construction materials and heating concepts.
They are equipped with facilities such as:

Heating, running water, sewage disposal based on bio-digesters, solar energy, double glazing, and a plant nursery or installation for raising guinea pigs.

This would lead to a marked improvement in the living conditions of the alpaca herdsmen living at high altitudes.

05. How to collaborate
Thanks to companies such as: Sandra Jordan, Hess-Natur and Kuna we have built four “Herdsman’s cottage”, changing the way of life of breeders.
If you are interested in being part of this project and helping alpaca herders, you can write to:

 

Juan Pablo Rivera C.
COMMERCIAL MANAGER
jprivera@incalpaca.com
Phone:
++51-54 60 30 00
Address:
Calle Cóndor 100, Tahuaycani Arequipa – Perú

 

Jonathan Macedo, winner of “Quintal del Inca” 2019.