Alpaca: textile gem, pending challenge [REPORT]

By: Rodolfo Ardiles Villamonte In the harsh heights of the central Andes, specifically in Uchcumachay, Pachamachay, and Telarmachay, in the district of San Pedro de Cajas, Tarma province, Junín region, more than six millennia ago, the ancient Peruvian domesticated the alpaca (Vicugna pacos), which today represents identity, sustenance, and a valuable resource for Peru. There, the first Andean shepherds began to forge an inseparable relationship with this camelid, transforming it into an ally for their sustenance, economy, and culture. Today, that age-old story continues to be written in the frozen punas, where thousands of alpaca herders keep the breeding alive. Peru concentrates nearly 87% of the world's alpaca population (3,000,000 heads) —with more than 4.3 million specimens, distributed across 17 regions—, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation. According to the 2012 National Agricultural Census (Cenagro), 99% of the alpaca population is managed by ...