Adaptation to climate change and resilience to risks has the face of a woman. In the neighborhoods of El Alto and the hillsides of La Paz, women not only train in risk management but also become builders of rainwater harvesting systems. THEY are the ones that guarantee life, building the future.
For more than ten years, the Llanos region of the Orinoquia, in Colombia, has been the theater of operation of the armed conflict and dominion, first of the guerrilla and then of paramilitary groups. The violence forced the population to cultivate the coca leaf and process cocaine. Many people were killed, entire families left their farms and migrated to the city. A group of families in the areas of Murujuy, Guanape and Sunape, located in Meta and Vichada Departments, have come out of this crossroads:They process essential oils for commercialization in urban markets, 250 kilometers away, and take advantage of renewable energies to supply themselves with water and electricity, improving their well-being as farmers.
AulaViva Tropical is the name of the farm of brothers Jose and Juan Pablo Zarate, located in the plains municipality of Lejanias in the department of Meta – Colombia. The farm is a fairly complete agro-energy model, result of the conviction of the people. Water, sun, biomass and micro-organisms are used, in a friendly and sustainable way to generate energy in different ways. The energy balance is absolutely positive. The approach of the farm also incorporates people, practicing collaborative and reciprocal logics, viable in spite of (or precisely because of) the currency shortage. AulaViva Tropical is a site of inspiration and empowerment for some and a place where experiences are shared for others. In short: a place that makes energy flow.
There are many peasant families that incorporate different techniques and management strategies, achieving the conversion of waste into raw material, optimizing the use of resources. The imple mentation and use of a biodigestor is often an important step on the way to the agroecological farm.