The project focuses on five areas of intervention:
1. Case study identification
Two sites will be selected in Peru (potential sites are located in the provinces of Lampa, Chucuito, San Roman, Abancay, and Anta) and/or India (potential sites are located in the provinces of Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka). These sites cover indigenous groups such as the Quechua and Aymara in Peru, and the Dravidian, Soligas, Garhwalis, Malayalis, Paroja, and Mali in India.
Why these sites?
Production systems at these sites in both countries are subsistence-oriented, involving the use of traditional grains on fragile, drought-prone soils.
Peru
In Peru such grains include Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa),Chenopodium pallidicaule (cañihua) and Amaranthus caudatus (amaranth). During the last few centuries the area planted with these crops has declined dramatically and despite recent food industry interest few varieties are being commercialized.
India
The same fate is taking place also in India with regard to a group of minor millets, once more popular and today falling into increased marginalization despite their important nutritional role. These grains include Eleusine coracana (finger millet “ragi”), Setaria italica (Italian millet, “thenai”), and Panicum sumatrense (little millet, “samai”).
In both project sites, in addition to neglected and underutilized species (NUS), other elements of agricultural biodiversity, such as animal species and "major" crops of importance in these systems, will also be taken into account where appropriate.
2. Valuation tool adaptation and development
In parallel to the above case study identification process, a background analysis (literature and existing secondary data review, key stakeholder interviews) will be undertaken, along with the identification of appropriate valuation tools and analytical approaches. This will also involve determining data requirements and elaborating and piloting survey instruments.
3. Development of the Payment for Indigenous Agri-Environmental Services (PIAES) framework
Following completion of Activities 1-2, implementation of community-level workshops and surveys, market studies, and associated analysis will lead to the development of an appropriate PIAES framework.
4 & 5. Policy-maker and national partner engagement, and dissemination of project results
Throughout the above project phases, policy-makers and national partners will be actively engaged in the research process. This will facilitate the eventual identification of potential indigenous agri-environmental service purchasers and the uptake of policy recommendations by decision-makers. A high-level policy-level dissemination event will be held towards the end of the project. The project will also produce a number of peer-reviewed and non-technical publications for dissemination to a wide range of stakeholders