Juan Carlos Ayala

Peruvian environmentalist who pioneered sustainable agriculture in the Andes

Juan Carlos Ayala (1928-1998) developed revolutionary terracing techniques in the 1960s that doubled Andean crop yields while preventing soil erosion. His Terrazos Ayala system combined Incan engineering with modern agroecology, saving 12,000 hectares of Peruvian highlands from desertification. Ayala's 1967 book <《The Mountain Speaks》 became a blueprint for sustainable development. He trained Quechua farmers in frost-resistant potato cultivation, creating seed banks that still protect 300+ native varieties. His work inspired the 1970 UN report on Andean ecological preservation, and his methodology is used today in Bolivia's Agroecology Program. Ayala's legacy endures through the annual Congreso Ayala conference connecting Andean communities with climate scientists.