Philosophy

Effective sustainable development combines local leadership, external support, and science-based decisions.

TERRA Resource Development International (TERRA) is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization dedicated to improving water access and quality and improving agricultural productivity in order to: (1) increase health and income and (2) improve a community's preparedness and resiliency to climate change, especially recurring droughts.

TERRA focuses its efforts in Bolivian communities that receive little attention from national and international aid programs. In Bolivia, the majority of aid organizations avoid smaller, isolated communities because they present access challenges and because their small population is a disincentive. Yet, precisely because of the isolation, small size and neglect, the people suffer from a lack of clean drinking water and a deficiency in skills that would improve their agriculture. In addition, many people in rural communities earn less than two U.S. dollars a day, causing unacceptably low standards of living that make the communities more susceptible to droughts.

TERRA provides up to 70% of the needed costs for groundwater drinking and irrigation systems. To ensure sustainable projects, Terra organizes local water committees that collect user-fees. The fees pay for monthly visits by a support service, administered and trained by Terra, which conducts educational workshops and maintenance. In this manner, Terra creates a business relationship between villages and the support service, giving communities continual access to expertise and education.

Antonio watering