Rosita is a rural woman from the community of San José, located in the municipality of San Rafael, in Velasco, Bolivia. For International Rural Women’s Day and the Global Day of Action for Food Sovereignty, she tells us how climate change has affected her community and work, and the approaches taken to strengthen community resilience in San José.
Credit: Rosa Pachuri Paraba
Climate change has affected the community where Rosita lives in various ways: “in the seasons when it was supposed to rain, it no longer rains, there is a lot of drought and frost, causing an increase in fires in the territory,” said Rosita. According to the Sistema de Alerta Temprana de Incendios Forestales (Satif – Earth Warning System for Forest Fires), 50% of the territory of the department of Santa Cruz is at extreme risk of forest fires, with an affected area of 70,545 hectares so far this year and 2,776 burns reported in the month of September alone. In relation to agricultural work in the community of San José, this has meant that it has not been possible to plant crops in the seasons in which they traditionally used to do so.
Credit: Rosa Pachuri Paraba
A key action that Rosita and her community have been taking forward is to ensure that deforestation does not take place: “we should not deforest because the forest gives life”. They have also been responsible for restoring forest areas that have been affected by fires, through Analog Forestry: “Analog Forestry helps us because it maintains the native trees and also restores the entire ecosystem. Through Analog Forestry, forests are formed and biodiversity is maintained”.
The International Analog Forestry Network (IAFN) has been accompanying Rosita and her community since 2020. Among other activities, we have been able to conduct in-person and virtual trainings, providing support and guidance in the establishment of an Analog Forestry demonstration site.
Credit: Rosa Pachuri Paraba