Abstract

MARKOS, Andrea. How an agricultural landscape evolves: the case of the Mojos plains. Rev. aportes de la comunicación [online]. 2015, n.18, pp.45-53. ISSN 2306-8671.

Landscape ecology provides elements to understand the origin of an agricultural landscape as unique as the llanos de Mojos', North-East of Bolivia, part of the Amazon basin. This region, nowadays a marginal one, has been the center of the development of a large hydraulic civilization which has left a legacy of agricultural engineering of admirable size and ingenuousity. Earthworks built hundreds of years ago maintain their hydraulic functions and in some instances their agricultural ones, being cultivates by the indigenous dwellers. Extreme events mark the adaptive development of an agricultural landscape being engraved in its memory. Such appears to be the case of the earthworks that transformed the landscape ofthe llanos de Mojos. Recent years' extreme climate events are causing significant investments in agricultural risk management systems inspired by the ancient techniques. An agricultural landscape is resurging and the spontaneous experiences aimed at recovering the ancient infrastructures seemto be more effective than planned interventions. Decision-makers are presented with an opportunity to strengthen food security supporting smallholder indigenous farmers who recover abandoned infrastructures, intensifying agriculture in spite of adverse phenomena.

Keywords : Adaptation; Climate Change; Landscape Ecology; Food Security.

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