Fresh WaterNGO
Reciprocal Water Agreements: Protecting Bolivia's Forests for Water
by Fundación Natura Bolivia · HQ 🇧🇴 Bolivia
0farmersFarmers protecting forest under Reciprocal Water Agreementsas of 2023-01-19 · may be outdated
0hectaresForest conserved under Reciprocal Water Agreementsas of 2023-01-19 · may be outdated
0hectaresWater-producing forest secured through associated protected areasas of 2023-01-19 · may be outdated
Fundación Natura Bolivia pioneered Reciprocal Water Agreements (ARA), in which downstream water users fund upstream farmers and communities to conserve the forests that produce their water supply, often in the form of beekeeping equipment, fruit tree seedlings, or improved cattle management rather than cash. The model now operates through local Water Funds in dozens of municipalities across Bolivia. It has since been adapted and exported to 16 other countries as a low-cost, locally governed alternative to traditional payments for ecosystem services.