Altitudes: Local Ecologies and Vertical Economies

Abstract

Selva Central" is a rural area of Peru defined by high-altitude forest, whose economy is largely dependent on the coffee production. The effects of monoculture are both tangible and intangible, ranging from a weak single-commodity economy to the loss of the multifaceted cultural expertise and traditions of local communities. The area, in fact, produces coffee for global exportation, while is suffering shifting local agricultural patterns due to climate change. This article argues while unfolding "Altitudes" strategic project, how visualizing climate change, rethinking the supply-chain, and understanding the local landscape as a vertical economy can highlight opportunities of moving beyond the monoculture of coffee, creating the conditions for newly (partially) self-sufficient local communities.