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| Asociación Urku | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asociación Urku |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | La Paz, Bolivia |
| Region served | Bolivia; Andes |
| Focus | Rural development; Indigenous rights; Agricultural innovation; Water resources |
Asociación Urku is a Bolivian non-governmental organization focused on sustainable development, indigenous rights, and agroecological innovation in Andean communities. Founded in the late 1990s in La Paz, the association works across the Altiplano, Yungas, and inter-Andean valleys to support peasant communities, municipalities, and indigenous organizations through technical assistance, capacity building, and advocacy. Its programs link traditional knowledge with contemporary practices to address challenges such as water scarcity, seed sovereignty, and territorial rights.
Asociación Urku was established in 1998 by a coalition of field technicians, agronomists, and community leaders from El Alto, Cochabamba, and Oruro in response to repeated droughts and the effects of privatization policies implemented under the New Economic Policy era. Early collaborations included partnerships with Movimiento al Socialismo, municipal offices in Achacachi, and campesino unions in Potosí. During the 2000s the association expanded programming after engaging with international agencies such as Food and Agriculture Organization, Inter-American Development Bank, and United Nations Development Programme. The organization became more visible during national debates over the Water War (Cochabamba) legacy and the constitutional process that produced the Constitution of Bolivia (2009), aligning with federations like Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia and regional NGOs such as Fundación Tierra.
Asociación Urku’s stated mission concentrates on enhancing resilience for Andean communities by promoting agroecology, defending collective territorial rights, and improving water management. It undertakes activities including participatory research with institutions like Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, technical trainings alongside Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología, and policy advocacy in coordination with Comité Nacional de Defensa de la Democracia. Programming emphasizes seed recovery linked with networks such as Red de Semillas Nativas and socio-environmental monitoring that informs actors like Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Agua (Bolivia) and Defensor del Pueblo.
The association is governed by a board of directors drawn from community representatives, academics, and civil society figures from cities including Tarija and Sucre. Operational units include a technical office for agroecology, a water resources team, a legal aid unit for land tenure, and a communications department that liaises with media outlets like Página Siete and La Razón (Bolivia). Its governance model mirrors practices used by federations such as Central Obrera Boliviana and incorporates community assemblies modeled after indigenous ayllu systems present in Qullasuyu territories. The organization maintains regional field offices in municipalities of Camiri, Mizque, and Coroico.
Notable initiatives have included a watershed restoration program in the Choqueyapu River basin, a participatory seed bank network for quinoa and tarwi in collaboration with researchers from International Potato Center and CIP, and a micro-irrigation pilot with municipal partners in Vinto. Programs often integrate methodologies developed in workshops with Bioversity International and training modules based on manuals used by Asociación de Productores de Quinua de Bolivia. Educational outreach includes school garden projects tied to curricula at Unidad Educativa Franz Tamayo and vocational training linked to the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje model. Emergency response actions have been activated during floods that affected Beni and cold spells in Potosí, working alongside the Red de Emergencia Nacional.
Funding streams combine local membership contributions, grants from multilateral agencies such as United Nations Environment Programme, bilateral cooperation with embassies including Embassy of the Netherlands in Bolivia, and project-specific support from foundations like Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Strategic partnerships include municipal governments in Sacaba and Tiahuanacu, research collaborations with Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, and alliances with indigenous organizations including Confederación de Pueblos Indígenas de La Paz. The association participates in regional networks such as the Andean Community forums and platforms convened by Mercosur-linked civil society groups. Financial oversight practices reference standards promoted by Transparency International and auditing procedures aligned with norms from Bolivian Superintendencia de Entidades Financieras.
Asociación Urku has been credited with restoring multiple micro-watersheds in the Cordillera Real and improving seed resilience for cultivars like quinoa, contributing to livelihoods in provinces such as Aroma and Pacajes. Its work has been featured in reports by FAO and case studies produced by Universidad Mayor de San Simón, and it has received awards from municipal councils in La Paz and civil society recognitions from Red Andina de Productores. The organization’s participatory methodologies have influenced policies debated in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly and informed technical manuals used by the Servicio Departamental de Salud (La Paz). Ongoing evaluations by entities such as World Bank-funded programs highlight gains in household food security and water access metrics in intervention zones.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Bolivia Category:Organizations established in 1998