ENTRE MODERNITE ET TRADITION: LE ROLE DES COOPERATIVES AYMARA DANS LA GESTION DE LA BIODIVERSITE DE QUINUA A COLCHANES (CHILI)

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5International audienceIn this paper we explore the tensions that Aymara Quinoa producers must resolve between the logic of their ancestral culture and of new forms of collective action at their disposal: association and cooperatives. Colchanes county perched on the Aymara altiplano is the main Quinoa production area in Chile, The main activity is agriculture, mainly quinoa crop and vegetables, camelid livestock and tourism (accommodation, crafts ...). Much of the production is self-consumed and surplus is marketed in local markets especially in Bolivia. The difficult economic situation, lack of opportunities has led to a temporary or permanent migration of a large portion of the population; the younger generations move to town. To benefit from an advantageous market (high prices), local farmers have established a quinoa cooperative (Quinacoop) and an association (Jura Marka), to commercialize their production. Inside these organizations appear tensions between "tradition" and "modernity". We rely on the B. Latour's work on modernity to try to understand both the tension and the way that the Aymara, in cooperatives and association, are trying to solve them. Our observations show that the hybridization processes are around three types: i) linking labour organizational forms (shared (ayne) and individual), ii) linking quinoa cropping systems (in the altiplano) and systems of activities most of which are conducted in the coastal zone and iii) linking generations, young people and tata