Martín del Valle, José Tomás Ibarra, Pablo Aguirre Hörmann, Roberto Hernández and José Luis Riveros
Only 30% of households in Bairro Boroma (Boroma neighborhood) have a regular protein intake, mainly due to the lack of a proper cold chain. We analyzed the level of knowledge about a local dried meat called chinkui, examining the relationship between this knowledge and its value for strengthening local food security. Through surveys of Bairro Boroma goat herders (n = 23) about “chinkui awareness” and passive observation of chinkui preparation (n = 5) from local biotype goats, we found that chinkui was known to most goat herders (91.3%), but was used only irregularly, mainly because knowledge transmission has decreased over time. From passive observation, we found that the amount of dried meat obtained from an animal rarely exceeded a yield of 10% and its performance and safety depended on weather conditions and the absence of other animals in the area of preparation. It is, therefore, recommended to strengthen initiatives to increase the amount of chinkui, based on local knowledge, so as to enhance its frequency of consumption and the possibility of using it as a sustainable alternative source of protein.
