Chile: Campaign launched to sponsor 112 varieties of ancestral native potatoes in Lemuy
From La Melga Chiloé they explained that the sponsorship mechanism works as direct financing to cover operational costs that affect the continuity of the crop.
A community-based agricultural conservation initiative is seeking individuals willing to become sponsors to protect 112 ecotypes of ancestral native potatoes cultivated on Lemuy Island in the Chiloé Archipelago. This campaign, led by the La Melga Chiloé Community organization, proposes a one-time annual contribution of $10,000 for each sponsored variety. The funds raised are given directly to farmer Yolanda Millapichún, recognized as a Living Heritage of the Chiloé Province.
According to the group, the campaign for the 2026 season was officially launched on June 21, coinciding with the celebration of We Tripantu (the Inca holiday). The main purpose is to maintain a "garden of varieties" that brings together diverse and endemic tubers, considered a fundamental part of the food heritage of the Los Lagos Region, through manual planting and technical care.
From La Melga Chiloé, they explained that the sponsorship system allows them to channel resources directly toward the crop’s operating costs. These include fertilizers, agricultural supplies, and the rental of machinery and tools necessary for managing the orchard, all of which have complicated the project’s economic sustainability. All the money raised is transferred directly to Yolanda Millapichún, who is responsible for preserving and reproducing the varieties selected for sponsorship.
The campaign also seeks to garner support from citizens inside and outside the country, with the aim of strengthening this solidarity network, stabilizing agricultural conservation efforts, and preventing the work from being compromised by financial problems.
The current genetic collection originated approximately fifteen years ago, when a researcher from the Austral University of Chile donated an initial batch of 200 biological samples. Since then, Yolanda Millapichún has managed to stabilize and multiply more than half of these, resulting in the current catalog of 112 unique varieties of native potatoes.
Those who choose to participate in the sponsorship program will receive regular email updates on crop progress, weather conditions, and the harvest status of their chosen variety. The list includes local ecotypes with names such as Señorita, Pichiche, Ojitos Colorados, Rosa, and Cielito, among others.
Fuente: miradasurtv.cl
