Between October and November 2020, Gerenssa was in charge of the project evaluation “Food security in rural communities of Colquechaca municipality”, executed by the Tomás Katari Polytechnic Institute (IPTK) with funding from the Liechtenstein Service for the Development (LED).

Colquechaca is a municipality located in Potosí north, one of the Bolivia's poorest regions with a 97% poverty incidence  compared to 39% at the national level, it is also a territory with a reduced HDI of 0.36 compared to 0, 67 at the national level, it is an area with reduced  water resources availability, with an average annual rainfall of 436 mm compared to 1,123 mm at the national level, it has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the country with 27% compared to 4% at the national level, has one of the highest rates of chronic malnutrition with 44% compared to 15% at the national level, its population is one of the most unmet needs, with a UBN prevalence of 88% compared to 45 % at the national level.

In this context, the Project sought to respond to the multiple needs of 350 target families –in twenty-two communities of four sub-centralities: Titiri, Queojo, Kellu Kasa and Palcoyu– taking advantage of local resources, seeking to enhance the capacities of the population instead of introducing foreign elements that are generally unsustainable in the medium and long term, it has been seen that the strategy addressed by the Project has been correct and has generated significant favorable effects on the target families and communities.

Given the reduced availability of water resources and rugged terrain in the region, semi-underground circular water reservoirs have been built, sprinkler irrigation systems linked to these reservoirs and anticline terraces that made it possible to recover steep terrain for the cultivation of vegetables and greens. The Project has provided training and technical assistance, as well as improved seed and some construction materials, while the families have contributed with local labor and materials, thus avoiding incurring an unsustainable paternalist approach.

In a complementary manner, having observed a high incidence of consanguinity in sheep herds, “black face” half blood reproducers have been provided for the improvement of cattle and laying hens in order to improve the availability of animal protein for families in these areas; in addition stoves have been built with reduced fuel consumption that prevent the accumulation of smoke and soot inside the houses and water filters were provided in order to improve access to safe water in the communities; Work has also been done, particularly with women, in political training and economic empowerment, through training workshops and textile production that were installed and equipped in each of the sub-centralities; It should be noted that the equipping of these workshops was a consequence of the incidence generated by women's organizations (trained and strengthened by the Project) that sought and obtained financing from the municipality for the acquisition of weaving machines.

An improvement in the availability of food has been achieved, since families that previously only produced potatoes once a year, after implementation, produce an average of twice a year diversified crops (onion, broad bean, beet, carrot, pumpkin, cabbage, including fruit trees such as peaches among several others), they also have chicken eggs and sheep meat available in greater quantity and quality; In turn, productivity improvements have contributed to increasing economic income (from the sale of surpluses, sheep fiber and textile production) and generating savings (for example, if before they had to move to an urban center to acquire food once a month now they do it once every two or three months); There has also been an improvement in the diet diversity  in these families and important improvements in the quality of life and in the health status of the recipients (thanks to healthy kitchens and water filters).

It is evident that in one of the poorest regions of the country the needs are still many and that this Project constitutes an important contribution but there is still much to be done, the comprehensiveness of the model, the focus on nutritional food security, as well as the level of appropriation that was achieved by the population, clearly this is a good example of how to implement development actions based on the recipients's needs and voice, making them participants and not mere beneficiaries, taking advantage of local resources and potentialities and avoiding introducing approaches, technology and other elements whose relevance may be very high in other contexts, but in our country and in certain particular regions it has not been proven.