This project supports 7 high-mountain communities (Peruvian Andes) who are restoring indigenous water management technologies to cope with the loss of their key water source-glaciers. Their goal is to restore wetlands, using proven techniques to secure water for their livelihoods and wildlife. They document their results and share techniques with other mountain communities. As climate change advances, these indigenous communities are an example to the World. Join their efforts!
Mountains are the "water towers" of the world. In Peru, the 18 glacier ranges supply fresh water to nearly 7,000 indigenous mountain communities, providing support for their livelihoods and local wildlife. Glaciers in Peru lost 50 percent of their area between 1970 and 2020 and most are expected to disappear by 2050. This will have devastating consequences for mountain people and wildlife. We must find and scale-up solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change on vital water resources.
To cope with vanishing glaciers, our project will implement nature-based solutions inspired by traditional water management practices. These ancestral technologies include building small lagoons, infiltration ditches and silt dams to retain water underground. These are all low-cost solutions that rely on local materials and indigenous knowledge. We plan to also document this local knowledge, show evidence of effectiveness, and share the results and experience with 35 mountain communities.
When mountain water is secure, innovation can follow. Reliable water sources are the foundation that underlies mountain economies, allowing them to improve and adapt to climate change. This project's site-specific solutions are to be implemented via the indigenous grassroots network 'RETAMA' whose aim is to connect hundreds of mountain sites in Peru using nature-based solutions. We are deeply committed to scaling up effective indigenous solutions. Lessons learned in Peru are relevant worldwide
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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