Heifer Peru participants are learning to care for guinea pigs and maintain gardens, which will help support their families when the coffee harvest is slim due to coffee rust, disease or plague. Guinea pigs provide protein and additional income. Alfalfa, cabbage, celery, onion, spinach and other vegetables grown sustainably in bio-gardens support nutritious diets for families and their livestock.
Martina Sanchez Barrios, 26, with one of the family’s guinea pigs. Photo by Jake Lyell Photography
I personally do not eat guinea pigs for ethical reasons myself. The guinea pig in the picture looks just like my Rex only much larger. I can understand how the people who live in the area can eat locally grown but I don’t think of pets as a source of food.