Practical Action (Bolivia)
Practical Action is an international development group, building sustainable lives and livelihoods with people on the frontlines of poverty and climate change. Its vision is for a world that works better for everyone. Practical Action works with marginalised communities across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America to develop lasting and locally owned solutions for sustainable agriculture, clean energy access, efficient water and waste management, and climate resilience and adaptation. Underpinning all their work is a focus on influencing policy makers to address systemic barriers to progress, as well as the advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
In 2024-2025, the Eurofins Foundation is providing funding to “Solar Empowerment for Smallholder Farmers in Bolivia.”
Rural Bolivia faces two interrelated challenges: high levels of poverty, and increasingly severe impacts of climate change, especially drought. Around half of the rural population live in poverty and over half in food insecurity.
In the Altiplano highlands area, irrigation systems are based on dams and canals channeling surface water, which are highly dependent on regular rainfall. The water is salty and unfit for human consumption. Due to the small population, geographical dispersion, and distance from the main cities, marginalised communities of the Altiplano lack access to services and local governments do not have sufficient resources to invest in these communities.
This project supports the adaptation of 10 communities (280 households) through the introduction of improved solar-powered irrigation systems, and training farmers on nature-based agricultural practices to improve productivity and conserve natural resources.
This project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
