Waru-Waru in Puno impressively demonstrate how millennia-old knowledge can suddenly become highly relevant again. In the Peruvian highlands, Aymara communities have brought back a traditional farming method that protects potatoes and other plants from frost, drought, and strong weather fluctuations.
In the Acora district, about 33 kilometers from the city of Puno, five of these historical cultivation systems have now been restored. The project combines agriculture, culture, and the protection of an extraordinary diversity of Peruvian potatoes. It is by no means just about preserving an old tradition. The Waru-Waru are again producing food and could show how traditional methods can help with today's climatic challenges.
What are Waru-Waru?
Those who look at the Altiplano landscape from the air can spot unusual structures in places. Long raised fields alternate with water channels. This is precisely the principle behind Waru-Waru. Crops grow on raised earth platforms, often called camellones. Between these platforms run channels where water can be collected and regulated.
This system fulfills several tasks simultaneously. It retains moisture in the landscape, regulates the water supply, and influences the temperature around the plants. This effect can be particularly important at night, as temperatures in the Peruvian Altiplano sometimes drop sharply. The water stored in the channels releases heat more slowly than the surrounding soil. This creates a more favorable microclimate around the cultivated areas.
The system also has advantages during dry periods. Water can be retained longer and used more efficiently. Waru-Waru are thus much more than historical field structures. They form an ingenious agricultural system adapted to the difficult conditions of the Andean highlands.
In Acora, the old fields return
The current project is located in the Acora district in the Puno region. The area lies at an altitude of over 3,800 meters. There, local communities began rebuilding abandoned Waru-Waru in 2022.
A significant impetus came from the communities themselves. Older residents recalled that the historical cultivated areas had been largely abandoned for decades. Together with the Asociación Aymara Suma Yapu, their restoration then began. Five Waru-Waru have since been reconstructed.
The project is supported by the World Monuments Fund Peru. Experts in cultural heritage, agriculture, engineering, and agrobiodiversity work together with the communities. However, it is crucial that not only historical field systems are reconstructed. At the same time, knowledge about their use is documented and practically applied again.
Potatoes play a central role
The project becomes particularly exciting when looking at one of Peru's most important foods: the potato. In the communities around Acora, there is an enormous diversity of native varieties. Some families collectively preserve more than 100 potato variants.
According to those involved, the Waru-Waru project has already recovered around 50 potato types. At the same time, seed banks have been expanded. The restored areas have now produced more than 100 tons of potatoes.
Part of the harvest is processed into chuño and tunta. These traditional preservation methods allow potatoes to be stored for many years. This gives the revitalization of the Waru-Waru yet another meaning. It can strengthen the communities' self-sufficiency in food.
Millennia-old technique meets modern research
How old the Waru-Waru actually are cannot be fixed to a single year. However, the tradition dates back several millennia. The project in Acora therefore shows an interesting connection between historical knowledge and modern research.
The World Monuments Fund works with the International Potato Center and MATER, among others. The various native potato varieties grown on the restored areas are also being investigated. A catalog of selected varieties is in preparation.
This not only documents plants. Knowledge about cultivation, seeds, processing, and the cultural significance of potatoes is also to be preserved.
Why Waru-Waru are becoming important again today
The climate of the Altiplano has always presented particular challenges for agriculture. Frost, intense sunlight, limited rainfall, and strong temperature fluctuations are part of everyday life. Added to this are changing rainfall patterns and longer dry periods.
It is precisely under such conditions that the Waru-Waru demonstrate their strength. Their water channels can store moisture, and water levels can be regulated at the same time. The stored water also influences the microclimate directly in the cultivated areas.
A technique developed centuries or even millennia ago thus answers questions that are particularly relevant again today. This has also attracted international attention.
International recognition for the project from Puno
The Waru-Waru of Acora have been included in international programs of the World Monuments Fund. As part of "Cultivating Resilience," the project is one of seven selected examples from different parts of the world. The program examines how historical cultural landscapes and traditional methods can contribute to adapting to climatic changes.
In addition to the Waru-Waru from Peru, the Chinampas of Xochimilco in Mexico, for example, are among the selected projects. Historical sites and landscapes in the USA, France, Great Britain, India, and Nigeria are also part of the program.
Thus, an agricultural tradition from Puno suddenly stands alongside internationally renowned cultural landscapes. This is remarkable for Peru, because here not only an archaeological testament is protected. The Waru-Waru are actually being used again.
An exhibition brings Puno to Lima
If you are currently in Lima, you can even get to know the project. From August 27 to September 1, 2026, the exhibition "Saberes ancestrales y reconstrucción de los Waru Waru" will take place in Barranco.
Photographs, videos, models, and information about the reconstruction of the fields will be shown. Representatives of the Aymara communities from Acora will also present their work and products. About four tons of native potatoes from the restored Waru-Waru have been brought to Lima for this purpose.
The exhibition takes place at proyectoamil in Barranco.
Address: Avenida Pedro de Osma 409, Barranco, Lima
Period: August 27 to September 1, 2026
Opening hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Admission: free
Important: The exhibition will be closed on August 31.
Afterwards, the communities from Acora will also present their products in the "El Mercadito" area of the gastronomic event Fusión.
More than an old cultivation method
The history of the Waru-Waru is particularly interesting because past and present are directly connected. Archaeological techniques are often reconstructed to show how people lived in the past. Something different is happening in Acora. Here, the old fields are once again becoming part of modern life.
Potatoes grow on them, families preserve seeds, and traditional knowledge is passed on. At the same time, scientists are researching plant diversity. This creates a connection between agriculture, research, and the preservation of the region's cultural knowledge.
At the same time, a possible answer to problems currently facing many agricultural regions is emerging. This makes the Waru-Waru a special example of living cultural heritage in Peru. Perhaps this is precisely their greatest significance: progress does not always have to mean developing something completely new. Sometimes it is worthwhile to look at what solutions people already found millennia ago.
Frequently asked questions about Waru-Waru in Peru
What are Waru-Waru?
Waru-Waru are traditional agricultural cultivation systems in the Andean highlands. Plants grow on raised earth platforms with water channels running between them. This construction helps regulate moisture and temperature.
Where are the restored Waru-Waru located?
The current project is located in the Acora district in the Puno region. Acora is about 33 kilometers from the city of Puno and at an altitude of over 3,800 meters.
Why do Waru-Waru protect against frost?
The water in the channels stores heat and releases it more slowly. This can reduce temperature differences directly at the cultivated areas.
What plants are grown there?
Native potato varieties play a special role. However, Waru-Waru can also be used for other traditional crops of the Altiplano, including quinoa and cañihua.
Can you visit the Waru-Waru?
The restored facilities are located in communities in the Acora district of Puno. The project is not a classic tourist attraction with regular visitor operations. Interested parties should therefore check local offers and visiting options before traveling.
Where can you visit the current exhibition?
The exhibition "Saberes ancestrales y reconstrucción de los Waru Waru" runs from August 27 to September 1, 2026, at proyectoamil, Avenida Pedro de Osma 409 in Barranco. Admission is free. The exhibition will be closed on August 31.
Sources
World Monuments Fund – “Saberes ancestrales y reconstrucción de los Waru Waru”
Agencia Andina – Reports on Waru-Waru and food security, August 27, 2026
El Comercio Perú – “Rescate milenario,” August 28, 2026
Inforegión – Report on the restoration of Waru-Waru in Acora, August 28, 2026
Image source Hero: World Monuments Fund (WMF) – Waru-Waru, Acora/Puno
