Water for Life and Sustainability Water Fund Cauca Valley, Southwestern Colombia

Abstract

Cauca Valley is Colombia’s largest sugarcane-producing region. Irrigation demands, combined with the needs of a growing population, of around 1.2 million living in five cities, have led to increased water scarcity in the region. As in many other Andean regions, use of the upper watersheds for cattle grazing and small-plot farming has led to altered water supplies, increased erosion and landslides, diminishing water quality and created new challenges for irrigation. TNC's innovative Water Fun d aims to secure freshwater supply by compensating upstream farmers to conserve or restore watershed headwaters.