CAF to Allocate USD 35 Million for Irrigation Tech in Bolivia

CAF will finance USD 35 million (94% of the program), with a USD 2.2 million counterpart (6% of the program) by the national government, for the Program “Towards food sovereignty with irrigation technology,” which aims to help improve efficiency in the use of water for irrigation, through the comprehensive implementation of technical irrigation systems down to the plot level, in an effort to boost production, productivity and contribute to food security and reduce vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

The idea is to optimize the efficiency in the use of water for irrigation purposes by up to 90%, increasing the number of hectares with technology, boosting tomato, onion and potato productivity, generating higher income based on increased production in 29 municipalities of Bolivia.

The program calls for the provision of technical irrigation equipment (sprinkler/drip) to 6,000 families producing onions, tomatoes and potatoes, which will help reduce the deficit of these three products by 30%. It also includes the strengthening of producer and irrigator organizations, through technical assistance during 4 crop cycles aimed at training experts in cultivation, marketing and distribution of their produce in the domestic market.

“This initiative is essential to promote the efficient use of water and contribute to food sovereignty in the country, and that is why we are pleased to contribute to improving the quality of life of farmer families, providing them with equipment in their plots and knowledge, to help them manage their productions better, with more efficiency and with greater productivity,” said Julian Suárez, Vice President of Sustainable Development at CAF.

The Project will improve the nation’s indicators in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically in SDGs 1, 2, 6, 9 and 12, as it contributes to the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), eradicating extreme poverty, enabling irrigation for food security with the subsequent reduction of malnutrition, fostering resilient infrastructure, with a rational use of natural resources.