Researcher Diary: Street market memories

On our final weekend in Bolivia, we – the three HAFL students all stationed in Cochabamba for our internships – visited “La Cancha” in the southern part of the city one last time to buy some souvenirs.
 

Market madness

The Cancha is one of the biggest informal street markets in South America and offers just about anything you could imagine: from fresh produce to clothes to electrical devices and even living animals!

You could spend the whole day simply strolling around the different areas of the Cancha, and it feels like a full day trip, too, even if you’re only there for a few hours. Walking through the masses of people doing their grocery shopping, hearing all the vendors praising their products, and avoiding the traffic passing right through the middle of it all adds to the impressive chaos.

This last trip reminded me of the many other times I’d visited the Cancha during my six-month internship – when I wasn’t there only to buy things. Because it’s one of the most frequented sales venues in the area, I also visited the Cancha and Cochabamba’s other popular markets to talk to local pesticide vendors.
 

Thesis interviews

The main work for my bachelor's thesis consisted of developing a Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safe Use Action Plan (PERSUAP) for greenhouse vegetable production to be implemented at Hacienda Pairumani, one of two model farms of the Fundación Patiño.

With the help of various employees, I consulted several store owners to gather a list of available and recommended pesticides against the main pests of future crops in the foundation’s greenhouses (“pests” defined as any organism or agent harmful to the crop). As part of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy planned for the greenhouses, I then analysed those pesticides to choose the best options in relation to user safety, environmental impact and effectiveness.

Away from the markets, I also had the chance to talk to local producers to gather information about their pest management and pesticide use, to then formulate recommendations on how (the) Fundación Patiño can help improve their situation.

It was interesting to talk to the farmers, to learn about their management practices and especially also to understand some of the main struggles they face as producers.
 

About Fundación Patiño

The Fundación Simon I. Patiño, a well-known Bolivian foundation created in 1931, supports the country’s sustainable development through facilitation work in education and culture, paediatric health, and agroecology. Its goal is to develop models and best practices that can be replicated by Bolivians to improve their livelihoods.

The experience of being part of Fundación Patiño, and being able to contribute even just a small part to achieving their goals through my own bachelor’s thesis work, makes me happy! I can look to the future filled with positivity.

As mentioned in a guided tour through the Villa Albina (a former residence of the founder’s wife now serving as a museum), our current dreams – however small they might be – are the seeds leading to a brighter future when nourished and cared for properly!