Integrating farming and páramo conservation: a case study from Colombia.

Study of local history and aerial photos indicates that this zone has been a dynamic part of local farming systems since at least the 1950s and that the páramo has evolved from a subsistence farming area to a zone that now includes intensive potato production conducted by external entrepreneurs. The presence of these entrepreneurs is mainly due to small-scale farmers’ need for a cost-effective solution to maintain the productivity of their pastures.