Pobladores de los Andes. Entre la riqueza y la pobreza

The Andean Region (RA) is one of the largest mountain systems in the world, through the countries of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. This paper describes an approach does and proposes strategies in three areas that can catalog the "wealth" and "poverty" of these countries: 1. biodiversity, 2. agricultural production and 3. food culture (expressed as food security) in people over the life 2000msnm characteristics are unique. The information was obtained from review of databases and national and international journals in each area and in each country. The general trend information found for residents of the RA in each country or Latin America, although specific studies also found to dwell on the 2000m. The biodiversity of this region, expres-sed in number of species is classified as mega and in turn conservation priority. The agricultural production sector of a high economic impact, occupies large areas that are used with few crops, requires efficient use of factors of production, development and / or application of technological innovation and expan-sion of capacity to address various risks. In terms of food culture in most countries is a priority to increase the level of health and education, especially in espe-cially in children and rural residents. One could sum-marize the R.A. is one of the richest and in turn poor worldwide. Think of a worthy present and future requires strong strategic approaches that lead to 1. overcome the mental inertia of the current reality of pobreaza, 2. research, 3. technify, 4. educate and 5. to economic investment. International cooperation among countries will be a decisive element.