2022
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Named person(s)
Segundino Ignacio
Date photo taken
16 February 2022
Partner organization
Programa de Desarrollo Integral Interdisciplinario – PRODII (Interdisciplinary Comprehensive Development Program
Province/State
Norte de Potosi
Country of origin
Bolivia
Region
Latin America and Carribbean
Photo credit
MCC photo/Rachel Watson
Themes
Food, Climate Change
Description
Segundino Ignacio stands by a reservoir that is part of a family irrigation system. These reservoirs capture water from springs in the surrounding area that can then be used for irrigation and for animals.
Personal/Project impact
Gabriel Acarapi Chuca of MCC partner PRODII explained how Manejo Integral de Cuencas (MIC, Comprehensive Watershed Management) systems work during a community visit high in the Andes.
"Because of the hilly terrain these systems all work with gravitational force. There is no implementation of water pumps. The irrigation systems for these projects take water from open springs at a higher altitude than the location of the farmland. At the springs, participants build a water catchment tank that will capture accumulated water from the spring. Depending on the size of the springs there could be several springs in close proximity that funnel water to one water catchment tank. For springs that are farther apart, they will have separate water catchment tanks. From these tanks water flows in a tube down to a reservoir built by the participants. Depending on the amount of water available these reservoirs can hold 10,000 – 20,000 liters of water or more. From the reservoir, tubes take water to the farming plot."
Project Summary
The current project with PRODII has the objective of contributing to a comprehensive management of the territory, reducing the adverse effects of climate change through adaptation and mitigation measures aimed at guaranteeing food security of the most vulnerable sectors of Indigenous rural farmers. Working with 189 families in the department of Potosí, Bolivia, the project promotes the practices of family irrigation systems, native seed recuperation and conservation, agroforestry systems, and the protection and implementation of hydro-ecological areas. This leads to improvement of food security and sustainable livelihoods with increased farming productivity, diversification of crops, and more continuous agricultural activities throughout the year, reducing seasonal migration and increased community investment of project participants.