Bolivia: new boost to take potable water to rural areas

In the past five years, Bolivia has experienced important advances in the provision of water and sanitation services, but there is still a long way to go to achieve safe access to this basic service for all Bolivians, especially those in rural areas. 

With this objective, CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, recently approved a new phase of the program Mi Agua (My Water), which since 2011 has contributed to provide access to water and sanitation to 120,000 families in rural areas, and stable irrigation systems for 80,000 families. 

The project, headed by the Ministry of the Environment and Water, and executed by the Fondo Nacional de Inversión Productiva y Social (National Productive and Social Investment Fund) is focused on rural populations of less than 2,000 inhabitants, where there is a greater precariousness in the potable water, sanitation, and irrigation infrastructures.   

With this new impulse, better quality projects will be developed to continue narrowing the gap in access to water and sanitation in the country. Part of the funds of the program will be aimed at constructing and improving irrigation systems to increase the productivity of small and medium-sized farmers. This measure intends to increase and improve the conditions of life of families in rural areas of the country. 

In addition to investments in infrastructure works, through Mi Agua CAF supports Bolivia's efforts to promote the development and training of rural communities, as well as the strengthening of institutions that provide water services (DESCOM-FI) concerning potable water and sanitation. CAF also provides technical assistance for irrigation projects with the objective of ensuring their sustainability. 

Irrigation agriculture is one of the main sources of income for Bolivian and Latin American farmers. Therefore, access to water and sanitation is vital to increase productivity and promote competitiveness. Tweet