The andenería, or terraced landscape of Laraos, is believed to date to the pre-Inca period and is a defining feature of the steep slopes of the Peruvian Andes. Similar to the terraces in the Cuzco region, scholars believe that the design and technology used on the Laraos terraces were transferred to Cuzco. (...)
The andenería, or terraced landscape of Laraos, is believed to date to the pre-Inca period and is a defining feature of the steep slopes of the Peruvian Andes. Similar to the terraces in the Cuzco region, scholars believe that the design and technology used on the Laraos terraces were transferred to Cuzco. Several areas of the terraces are still maintained for traditional Andean crops using historic agricultural technology. The traditional hydraulic engineering for the irrigation system was particularly advanced when it was created, as water can be collected at higher elevations, conducted to the village, and distributed throughout the terraces.
As with many traditional agricultural landscapes, these evocative vistas require significant effort to maintain, but are not as efficient and profitable as contemporary cultivation strategies in wider use. In addition, the region has experienced increased migration to urban areas by laborers seeking other economic and employment opportunities. With decreased cultivation, the terrace system has eroded. Another factor threatening the well-being of the cultural landscape is the increased contamination of the water supply from the waste of a nearby mine.
