Animal science and rural sociology professors lead students on a trip to an Incan agricultural experiment station

By Dr. Samuel Mindes

Nestled in the Sacred Valley of the Andes, just a few miles from Cusco City, Peru, the major jumping-off point for a visit to Machu Picchu, sits another important artifact of the Incan Empire. Moray, a name likely derived from the Quechua for ‘circular place below’ (muyu uray) or ‘corn harvest’ (aymoray), is an astonishing example of agricultural innovation and engineering, where seeds were developed for new climates to support a bustling and expansive civilization. Using terraces, precise positioning, careful planning, and patience, crops could be moved through various microclimates and genetically adapted to survive under harsh conditions.

The archaeological site Moray immediately takes your breath away, not only because it sits at an elevation of 11,100 feet, but because of the scope and scale of the achievement. A group of Iowa State University students and faculty had the opportunity to experience this during a Spring Break study abroad trip through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Led by Gustavo Gutierrez (Animal Science), Maria Wurzinger (Animal Science), Katie Dentzman (Rural Sociology), and Sam Mindes (Rural Sociology), eight students explored an agricultural experiment station that predates any at ISU — or any other US land-grant institution, for that matter. Their guide, Abel Santander of Cusco, showed the group the site and provided interpretation in the context of history and local culture.

Originally built by the Wari people (6^th–10^th centuries) and completed by the Incan Empire (12^th–14^th centuries), Moray has three separate circular terraces at different levels, offering the greatest variation. From the lowest of the lower bowl to the highest terrace at the highest bowl, there is a difference of roughly 150 meters (nearly 500 feet). This elevation range is larger than we see in all of Iowa’s agricultural land, but covering an array of altitudes is not the only reason for Moray’s unique design. The terraces, which were originally natural sinkholes, sit behind mountains that shift the sunlight, wind, and humidity throughout the site, leading to temperature variations of up to 15ºC (27ºF). As an important Inca agricultural research site, crops were developed and adapted to survive in different climates, altitudes, and conditions, supporting the growth of an empire that covered the vast terrain of the Andes, where severe conditions are the norm. Irrigation channels and carefully engineered stone walls facilitated site management and prevented flooding. 

During their site visit, students and faculty experienced the variable conditions, and their guide, Abel, encouraged everyone to stop and feel how the wind changed and the humidity shifted as they explored the site. The mountains offered protection that site managers carefully used to strategically adapt crops to new environments. The students and faculty also learned that the site would have served as a host for seed and crop development through exchange and hybridization. Adaptation was not only about experimenting under new conditions; the population thrived because they aimed to share knowledge, materials, and techniques to ensure that all parts of society found success. Through physical and social exchange, the developed crops were more nutritious and drought- and cold-resistant.

This feat of agricultural engineering was part of the Quechua effort to cultivate over 1,000 potato varieties, 250 corn varieties, and hundreds of quinoa varieties, among many other advancements. The Incan Empire was expansive, and its survival was predicated on innovation and exchange, seen at sites like Machu Picchu and Moray. Despite living in the challenging Andean climate, the empire thrived. Lessons from the Quechua, seen at these Incan archaeological sites, and advanced by their Wari predecessors, can still be learned today. As two students, Lori Hilby and Jack Mason, who were tasked with offering the rest of the travelers a primer on Moray, put it in their brochure (shown below): 

Moray is an early example of climate-adaptive agriculture, where the Incas used terraces and microclimates to experiment with crops in harsh Andean conditions. This innovation shows that sophisticated agricultural science existed long before modern technology. The site highlights Indigenous knowledge of soil, climate, and crop management, offering valuable lessons in food security. Today, Moray remains relevant as a model for sustainable farming, rural development, and understanding how communities can adapt to environmental challenges

Iowa State University currently operates research and demonstration farms in 20 counties across the state, covering roughly 16,000 acres. Sites are distributed to allow comparisons of soil, climate, markets, and resources, and they serve as testing grounds for new seeds, crops, and agricultural practices. Through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the State of Iowa, Iowa’s Agricultural Experiment Station funds these operations and the projects they house. Research and demonstration farm sites provide opportunities for faculty and staff to experiment across different conditions and geographies, while considering the long-term impacts on natural resource systems. 

Land-grant institutions like Iowa State University are carrying on a millennia-old tradition of agricultural innovation and engineering paired with knowledge transfer and revolutionary thinking, to sustain society in the face of humanity’s greatest challenges. Like the Quechua people, the Incas, and the Wari people before them, Cyclones value adaptation while recognizing the importance of agricultural tradition and learning from those who came before us. Like the terraces at Moray, success at ISU’s farms is a long-term goal achieved through small but fundamental steps.