Last updated: October 2024
The urban farm of Lak'a Uta is an initiative launched by the NGO Fundación Alternativas, which established the first community garden in Bolivia, located in the city of La Paz at an altitude of 3,600 meters above sea level (1-3). The initial plan was to develop the garden on private land, but since the goal was to create an open space accessible to all citizens, the project eventually sought a public location (3). The subdistrict of Cotahuma granted them permission to use the Lak'a Uta park, an abandoned area rendered unusable by two landslides in the previous year (3). Through voluntary efforts and an investment of 2,800 euros, the land was transformed over three years to accommodate 40 plots of 16m² each, with individual families cultivating a variety of vegetables (3). Now celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the project adheres to many principles of organic agriculture in an urban setting (5). The area has become a biodiversity hotspot, featuring an artificial pond, 16 wild plant species, and 39 fauna species, including 34 bird species, two types of frogs that provide natural pest control, and three bee species (3-5). Compost is produced naturally using waste management practices and worms (4-5). In addition to edible vegetables, the garden produces medicinal plants, some of which help stabilize the soil and prevent further landslides (3-4). The infrastructure also includes a rainwater collection system (3-5). Originally, the project aimed to improve access to food, particularly in response to the growing urban population (1-3). Over time, it has also fostered a strong sense of community, while promoting urban gardening through educational workshops and disseminating information nationwide (1-5). It is estimated that 20,000 people have been educated on urban agriculture, healthy eating, and reconnecting with nature (5). The project has also contributed to shaping a local government law supporting urban gardening within the municipality (3).
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Environmental quality
- Waste management
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Water security
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Improving mental health
- Improving physical health
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social cohesion
- Social justice and equity
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable production
- Food scarcity / security
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Landslides & mudslides
- Environmental Degradation
- Physical water retention and availability
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Agriculture/ crop production
- Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods
- Rapid urbanization
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Mental health issues (stress, anxiety)
- Disconnection from nature
- Social fragmentation and isolation
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments), Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Creation of lakes or ponds, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management), Educational and awareness raising programs, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities, Regional or international exchange of knowledge and experience concerning NBS governance and management, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Habitat mapping, restoration and monitoring-focused management
Project objectives
To improve access to food and food production in urban settings, promoting food security and the cultivation of medicinal plants (1-5).
To produce food organically, incorporating waste management practices for increased agricultural yield through bio-composting (1-5).
To disseminate information and provide support for urban agriculture in Bolivia, focusing on healthy food production to improve physical health and foster a reconnection with nature (1 & 3).
To create a community among neighbors and volunteers, fostering social cohesion and recreational activities in the green space, thereby enhancing mental health (1-3).
To enhance biodiversity around the gardens by creating habitats, such as a pond, and supporting pollination (4 & 5).
To raise awareness of and implement climate resilience practices by selecting species that prevent erosion and stabilize the land against landslides and flooding (3 & 5).
To include low-income families in the management and production of the farm, providing them with plots and improving their access to food (2).
To create a smart infrastructure for rainwater management and retention, including the development of an artificial pond (3-5).
Implementation activities
1. Restoration of a public park that was rendered unusable due to landslides for urban agriculture, open to the public (3).
2. Arrangement of 40 plots of 16 m2, each managed by a family, for food production (1 to 5).
3. Organise monthly reunions and exchange of harvest to create a community with the volunteers in the gardens (2 & 3).
4. Organise educational visits to the farm, with 5 plots as example for education; conferences on urban and healthy food; discuss with governmental actors to encourage and foster urban agriculture (3).
5. Habilitation of up to 20,000 people on knowledge about urban gardening, healthy food, and (re-)connection with nature (5).
6. Promotion of waste management practices, with the introduction of worms, for the production of organic compost (5).
7. Fixing the soil to prevent landslides with medicinal plants (3 & 5).
8. Restoration of canals and creation of an artificial pond, to enhance biodiversity, providing habitat for 16 plant and 39 fauna species, with some of them providing the role of natural pest controllers (3 to 5).
9. Mapping the species and their habitat in the area (5).
10. Provide pollitation for 3 species of bees (4).
11. Creation of infrastructure for rainwater collection and recycling, to be used in the garden (4 & 5).
12. Hiring two experts on agriculture an urban farming to provide expertise to the volunteers and visitors (2).
13. Creation of 2 reports about the users of the garden on community and food security (7&8).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
- Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
- Increase the use of or more efficient agroforestry practices (e.g. soil moisture, reduce evaporation) or drought-resistant species for agriculture
- Improved agricultural practices for improved food security and prevention of food scarcity
- Reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. awareness raising)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Low-income neighborhoods
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
- Taskforce groups
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
- Citizen monitoring and review
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The NGO Fundación Alternativas started the project, rehabilitating the land with the help of neighbours and volunteers (3). It funded the creation of the plots, with money provided through individual donations and funding from international NGOs (WWF, Welt Hunger Life, Belgium for Development, German Cooperation, Eclosio, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) and Sweden (6). Alternativas manages the plots with the volunteers, provides expertise by hiring experts on the field (agriculture and biodiversity) and prepares reports about the farm, about food security in the region and the country, and organises visits on the farm and educational workshops on urban farming, healthy food and connection with Nature (1 to 5). The city hall of the subdistrict of Cotahuman provided the land for the creation of the urban gardens (3). Private companies donated material for the construction of the gardens (2). Private individuals are hired to conduct biodiversity monitoring of species in the area (5).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation
Financing
Total cost
Less than €10,000
Source(s) of funding
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
- Multilateral funds/international funding
- Private funding by citizens
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Donations
- Membership or entrance fees
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Improved resilience against landslides
- Expected improved resilience against landslides
- Environmental quality
- Improved waste management
- Achieved improved waste management
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved stormwater management
- Achieved improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Achieved enhanced support of pollination
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Achieved increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Achieved improved social cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Achieved improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Achieved increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Achieved increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Achieved improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Achieved improved mental health
- Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Achieved enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Achieved improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Expected increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Achieved increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Fundación Alternativas (n.d.). Agricultura Urbana - Fundación Alternativas. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Díez Lacunza, G. (2017 ). Lak’a Uta, un huerto urbano donde los vecinos cultivan su comida - Periodismo de medio ambiente y turismo de Bolivia. La Región , Accessed on September 10, 0004, [Source link];
3.
Fernández Ríos, M. (2024). Lak’a Uta, 10 años de un huerto orgánico que empezó con un 'no se puede' -. La Razón , Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Segales, E. (2024). Lak’a Uta_ descubre el sendero ecológico en el primer huerto urbano de La Paz y aprende sobre seguridad alimentaria - Periodismo de medio ambiente y turismo de Bolivia. La Región , [Source link];
5.
Fundación Alternativas (2023). Bio Ruta Lak'a Uta – Alternativas 2023. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Fundación Alternativas (2021). Sobre Nosotros - Fundación Alternativas. Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Skipton, J. & Calderón, A. (2015). Estudio-de-Impacto-del-Huerto-LakaUta 2015. Fundación Alternativas , Accessed on September 11, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Secretaría Municipal de Planificación (2018). Cartillas Macrodistritales - Cotahuma. Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz, Accessed on September 11, 2024, [Source link];
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Panoramic Image of the gardens
https://alternativascc.org/agricultura-urbana/
Volunteer working on a plot
https://alternativascc.org/agricultura-urbana/
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Lak'a Uta
https://www.bolpress.com/2024/09/09/laka-uta-10-anos-de-un-huerto-organico-que-empezo-con-un-no-se-puede/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.