2021 Benefitting Society - Autonomous University of Querétaro - Mexico

2021 Benefitting Society - Autonomous University of Querétaro - Mexico

Water scarcity, food sovereignty and housing improvement in communities of the protected Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve

The Coordination for Education and Community Outreach, designed in 2012, promotes the work of interdisciplinary student teams at the University to contribute to the sustainable development of the rural communities of the Sierra Gorda Querétaro México, in the context of the climate emergency. We work in collaboration with members of communities, non for profit and international organisations, governmental bodies, and individuals who want to contribute.

We have worked in the following areas developing and strengthening adaptative capabilities around climate change: water scarcity; building around 120 ferrocement cisterns for rainwater catchment with collection capacities of 15,000 litres each; produced organic food grown with little water in small spaces; household improvements, using local materials offering clay build workshops; and advising small producers. 

Given the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions, we are working remotely with our students to promote demonstrative vegetable gardens in their communities and to teach them to be community educators promoting adaptative actions and projects addressing climate change.

Top 3 learnings:

1. Searching for solutions towards water scarcity has broad community consensus.
2. Our methodology encourages values; inclusion, participation, solidarity, gender equity, sustainability and empowers people.
3. Welfare practices and populism were obstacles to our work.