Costa Rica's water supply system is under strain. On some days the taps run dry by noon. One reason is the poor state of much of the country's water infrastructure, especially in urban areas. San Jose, the capital, has grown rapidly and is now home to around 75% of the entire population.

A bigger issue is the state of Costa Rica's rivers. Over the years, rainfall levels have decreased and dry periods have become longer. At the same time, deforestation has depleted important groundwater sources. Many of the rivers that still flow have been poisoned with chemicals from farms or industry.

It is these farmers who are in a key position to help fight the country's water problems by working more sustainably. Part of this means using fewer chemicals and not cutting down trees in the first place. It also means planting more trees and rotating crops or animals to let the ground regenerate.

Now an initiative is bringing these ideas together and encouraging farmers to combine pastures and trees, so they can enjoy shade in some places and help conserve water. It is a sustainable idea that can be exported to many neighboring countries.

A film by Linda Vierecke

Project objective: The conservation of forest ecosystems because these are often endangered from competing land uses, like agriculture. Besides direct grants, the project also encourages private investments in low-emission agricultural production that does not lead to deforestation.

Project partners: LandScale is a collaborative initiative led by Rainforest Alliance, Verra and Conservation International. It works with various political partners in the target countries. In Costa Rica, this is the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC). There are various local implementation partners, including the Agua Tica water fund.

The project is also supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). 

Project duration: The project runs for five years and will end in March 2022.

Budget: The German Federal Ministry for the Environment is funding the project in Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala and Peru with around Є4 million.