Omereque Atajados 

In 2010, Mano a Mano built 153 atajados, or small water ponds, in Omereque. Each pond provides water for one to four Bolivian farm families. Water pond in Omereque.

Mano a Mano’s mission in these water projects is to improve conditions and quality of life at the family and community level, ensuring agricultural production by using appropriate accumulation of rainwater in times of greater availability and its application as supplemental irrigation in agriculture and feeding livestock and locals.

Project Information

These water reservoir projects retain water and provide water access year-round, which allows for farmers to grow more and better crops, which in turn increases family nutrition and household incomes.

We utilized the atajado design (atajado means “water pond”) in this community, rather than a large reservoir, due to the wide dispersal of community members in difficult geographical terrain.

The specific objective of the atajados was to expand availability of water for irrigation, through the construction of atajados in the commmunities: Mataral Alturas, Cillca Aqguada, Pampa y Cerreras, Huanacuni Grande, Salado Khasa, Tranca Laguna y Sanchu Laguna, and the municipality of Omereque, totaling 136 families.

As with all of Mano a Mano projects, the Omereque Atajados are a collaboration between many groups. Learn more about our partnership model here.

More Information about the Omereque Atajados