R-U-R-A-L
A word. A concept. Spaces. Territories. Communities. A philosophy of life. The rural world, where everything begins, is an organic laboratory where we can characterize phenomena and especially where it is possible to intervene judiciously in order to collectively improve the living conditions of its inhabitants and their environment.
Based on this observation of rurality, we launched the local RuraLab initiative which will be based in the "La Trinidad" Nature Reserve, in the village of Santa Helena, Barichara, Santander, Colombia. It is about co-creating a space for social experimentation that aims to design, test and implement tools to improve the sustainable and resilient practices of local inhabitants. In this way, social actors participate in the creation of proposals and solutions to local problems, always through changes or innovations that improve specific aspects of their communities. The team The Rural Laboratory is the result of a strategic alliance between the NGO Evolutio-International based in Switzerland, two social organizations in Barichara and an eco-friendly tourism company (La Juanita Hostels). We will respond to local challenges to develop innovative collective actions with the community in the fields of health, education, housing, culture, fair trade, rural tourism, natural resource management and agricultural techniques, rural solidarity economy and social cohesion.
FIRST STEP OF THE INITIATIVE: S.O.S AGUA BARICHARA! SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS TO A PERMANENT LOCAL PROBLEM
The Barichara region is bordered by several river basins. However, most of these sources are polluted by the sewage systems of several municipalities. To supply the city, there are some dams that collect rainwater. Unfortunately, the rainfall is not sufficient to meet the demand of a growing village. The lack of good governance, a permanent drinking water service as well as an optimal reach of the sewerage networks constitute a problem which requires an urgent solution. This diagnosis is shared by all the actors present in the field - public and private entities and associations.
Areas for reflection and work in progress
Water management will therefore be a cross-cutting and permanent theme of the initiative around which many other issues of interest to the community will be added. To meet this immense challenge, the team joined forces with an engineering office in Bogota, Nebulón. The idea is to develop an artefact (cloud catcher) - integrating identity, history, culture and other specificities and local values - which makes it possible to meet the needs for drinking water. By capturing the relative humidity of the atmosphere, water will be produced and dispensed for human consumption on a small scale, whether in the family or in rural schools. At the same time, it will seek to promote reforestation of the tropical dry forest, in order to alleviate long-term droughts.
