Glacier melt, weather extreme and drought: The consequences of climate change make it difficult for the farmers in the Andes. The municipality of Quispillacta is comparatively well prepared because it has long been familiar with the ecological knowledge of its ancestors. 

Magdalena Machaca is worried. Because climate change has led to the farmers in the Andes in the Andes with large temperature fluctuations and the glaciers melt. "We live in the mountains," she says, "the snow up there has always been our natural water source. In the dry season we rely on the streams and sources that arise from the thaw. But many mountains are no longer snow -covered. «Magdalena Machaca is agricultural scientist and quispillacta - 13 hamlets at 2,500 to 4,500 meters - is her home. After completing her studies, she returned there and founded the Bartolomé Aripaylla Association with her sister Marcela Machaca in 1991. Just a year later, they received support from Hommes. 

The Machaca sisters primarily rely on the traditional ecological knowledge of the Indian communities in order to improve water supply, to make certain properties of plants usable and thus improve the yields of the peasant families. "We spoke to the elders to find solutions to the problem of drought times," recalls Magdalena Machaca. »And we discovered the Qucha Ruway - a practice that enables rainwater to store in lagoons and at the same time maintain nature and biological diversity. We use clay, stones and plant material for the dams. Certain algae promote infiltration. Everyone helps with construction, including the young people and the children. «

 

Defy the consequences of climate change 

In the meantime, ABA has created more than 120 ponds together with the village communities and attached the banks so that the fall rain can be collected. The water seeps into the deeper layers of the mountain and fills the groundwater memory. With its long roots, the Putaqa plant can pull the groundwater to the surface where it is needed. Many families have created such a "Putaqa source". "The lakes can at least partially replace the ecological function of the disappeared glaciers," says Magdalena proudly. »This means that the farmer families can also maintain their food production in drought. We have become more resilient against climate change. " 

Thanks to ABA, the topic of rainwater storage has also been reached in Peruvian politics. Several regional governments that were still frowned upon and relying onto mechanized agricultural methods alone, which were still frowned upon and only rely on technically long ago, have recognized the success of the measures and decided to implement the ABA concept in other areas. The work of ABA and Terre des Hommes works far beyond Quispillacta.