El manejo de vicu as silvestres (Vicugna vicugna) en Jujuy (Argentina): un análisis de la experiencia del proyecto MACS en Cieneguillas

This paper presents results of a wild vicu a management undertaken in Cieneguillas, Jujuy Province, Argentina from 2001 to 2005 as part of the project Sustainable economic utilization of wild South American Camelids: Strategies for improving rural productivity in pastoral communities in Latin America. MACS. INCO-DEV European Union program. Because the vicu a fibers are one of the finest in the world, we include a brief description of the species and its historical use as a resource. A theoretical framework was developed for adaptive management that includes precaution and well-being as guiding principles for wildlife management. Social aspects of the project were analyzed including environmental education, costs of capture, and commercialization of the fiber. The results show that the management of wild vicu as can be biologically sustainable even though the project still has not yielded results for social development, mainly because the fiber has not been sold yet. The social actors and their interests are identified and the findings, achievements and difficulties are discussed within the larger environmental context.