Context
On the Bolivian Altiplano, climate change combined with intensification of farming, particularly of quinoa, is exacerbating water scarcity and soil degradation. In this arid region, agricultural irrigation using wastewater is often seen as a quick-fix solution, as it compensates for water shortages and enriches soils with nutrients.
However, this practice raises major medium- and long-term environmental and health concerns: soil salinization, contamination by heavy metals from mining activities, and risks to human health.
These impacts are still poorly understood on a regional scale, due to a lack of data, difficult access to the area and the socio-economic context.
Objectives
WASACA aims to establish an environmental and climatic diagnosis of the Bolivian Andean plateau, based on satellite data, field sampling and modelling. The aim is to identify high-risk agricultural practices – in particular wastewater irrigation – and to work with local stakeholders to develop sustainable adaptation trajectories for 2050 and 2100.
The project aims to provide monitoring, awareness-raising and decision-making tools for farmers, NGOs and public institutions.
70 % increase in food production by 2050
84 000 tonnes of quinoa produced in Bolivia in 2014 (compared with 34,000 in 2009)
40 years old satellite data analysed to assess soil salinity
