IBSA Fund Annual Report- BOLIVIA
Bolivia (Plurinational State Of)
Increased Access to Water, Improved Livestock
Production and Post-drought Food Security
Approved Budget:
$500,000
Duration:
March 2018 – December 2020
Mostly contributing to:
SDG 6
Partners
Ministry of Rural Development and Land; Autonomous Departmental Government of Beni; Federation of Ranchers of Beni (FEGABENI); municipalities; indigenous peoples; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bolivia
Overview
This project addresses the issue of access to water for the rancher associations and indigenous farming communities to improve their livestock production, livelihoods and food security. Water wells will be built for daily use as well as for raising herds of cattle in the urban and rural communities. The project will also strengthen the capacities of the rancher associations to increase their resilience against droughts. Technical assistance from the Autonomous University of Beni (Universidad Autónoma del Beni José Ballivián) will be provided to strengthen local capacity for the construction and maintenance of wells.
The partnership between the private sector and State authorities promotes an inclusive development approach that potentially will enable the project to be scalable and replicable. While strengthening the livestock-production sector, it will engage urban and rural communities and rural and indigenous peoples as beneficiaries so that they can jointly address the problem of access to water in 19 municipalities of the Department of Beni.
Results (Intended Outcomes/Outputs)
- Water wells drilled for the rancher associations and urban, rural and indigenous communities; and
- Increased capacities of FEGABENI and its partners to evaluate the impact of drought with updated information and the design of recovery and resilience measures.
Key Achievement
Eight water wells, with depths between 48 and 118 metres, were drilled in three municipalities of the department, benefiting over 400 people. Drilled wells benefit livestock producers and families that live and work in the catchment areas. The wells provide safe access to water for human consumption and hygiene, for livestock and agricultural production.
Link of the Project to National Priorities
The Government strategy focuses on increasing the resilience of the productive systems for food security with sovereignty within the framework of “life systems”, as indicated in Pillar 9 of the Patriotic Agenda 2025. On the other hand, as indicated in Pillars 2 and 9, the Government aims to ensure that 80 per cent of the rural population will have safe water services and to promote the rights of indigenous farming communities. This project provides access to safe water services for household consumption, livestock and irrigation.
Strengthening South-South Cooperation
South-South cooperation is being strengthened in the project in two ways: (a) providing IBSA Fund resources to the Plurinational State of Bolivia to install the water supply systems for the people in need; and (b) replicating in that country an innovative well-drilling technology applied in India. This type of cooperation is a bold, innovative and growing means to achieve the SDGs.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Appropriate and timely planning and coordination are essential for the smooth implementation of activities such as drilling wells in difficult geographical areas. The scheduled drilling was delayed due to a longer rainy season (until mid-April), which did not allow moving of the drilling equipment. There were also delays in the allocation and disbursement of counterpart funds that the municipalities had committed to drilling wells in the communities.
Way Forward
In terms of sustainability, FEGABENI provides the well-drilling service at a lower cost than the market. This cost also includes a percentage intended to guarantee the sustainability of the second year of operation. In the case of FEGABENI, the operational cost will be covered by its own associates, while in the case of urban and rural communities, it will be covered with counterpart resources from the municipalities.
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