The terraced agroecosystems of Willka Qhichwa, nestled in the Andes, near the Urubamba sacred valley to the Incas, were built between 1000 and 1400 BC. These water distribution systems served as the agricultural backbone of the Inca empire.
The terraces and related hydraulic structures were built with unique expertise, employing extremely advanced and resilient construction techniques. These systems demonstrate remarkable resilience to extreme climatic events because they have stabilized large portions of the mountains at hydrogeological levels. Today, these areas continue to be cultivated and managed by local communities according to tradition.
Beyond their technical and architectural value, the significance of these agroecosystems lies in their preservation of an essential relationship between people and the ecosystem through an extremely rich and articulated cosmovision.
Copyright: 'Children of Water' documentary series,
by Joy Penroz & Sylvain Grain.
Co-produced with CNTV Chile and RTVC Señal Colombia.