In Bolivia, Indigenous knowledge regarding traditional water systems is gaining prominence as climate pressures, including drought, intensify. A severe drought in 2022 affected the municipality of Ascensión de Guarayos, highlighting the vulnerability of its single water reservoir.
The communal spring-fed pools, or paúros, maintained by the Guarayú Indigenous People, were neglected due to urbanization and modern infrastructure. Rolando Ágreda, with support from his teachers, initiated a competition in 2022 to restore these paúros across the municipality. The initiative involved locating the pools, removing trash, and clearing vegetation to allow water to filter through.
Source: Mongabay