MACA in our time only can be found  in a limited area of the Peruvian Andes and in altitudes beyond 3.400 - 4.800 m over sea level.
As Europeans we can easily imagine that very little can be grown so high, but over the ages this plant got adapted to its environment. Extreme variations of  temperature; the burning sun of the daytime and frosty temperatures  during the night doesn't affect the plant at all.
Maca is grown by the native inhabitants of the Peruvian higland for ages and can be dated back to well before the time of the Incas.

The plant grows close to earth and produces a tuber of aproximateley the size of an egg, which can be consumed in different forms. Maca  is a vital crop for a population living in rough areas, which do not allow other crops to be grown. It also creates a small additional income and serves as a product to exchange against others like sugar, which would not be available.
Due to its high content of proteines, vitamines, phosphor and minerals Maca  became known as 'Andean Ginseng', 'Peru Ginseng' . Because of it revitalizing properties Maca is also called 'Vegetal Viagra', which definitely supported the revival of cultivation of this nearly forgotten plant. Today Maca has become an important commodity within Peruvian exports.

Spanish  conquerers were well aware of the aphrodisiacal properties of the maca root and is also today very appreciated for its libido enhancing properties in humans and animals.
Maca revitalizes, helps to build up the body's own strength and influences positively the female  menstruation cycle and relieves disorders caused by menopause.
It also helps solving problems of subfertility in man and women.
Even today Maca is grown in a traditional way, as it was passed from generation to generation and Maca for  the loss of interest in the crop during many years, has never been exposed to genetic 'improvements'.

Very much in contrary to an industrial exploitation of Maca, the root has to be dried in its own environment and in the heat of the sun, which excludes an industrial processing in the humidity of Lima, as otherwise valued properties would be lost.
Today our Maca is once again a contribution of the Andean People to humanity, which just recently starts to discover its values.