ABCD-Training-of-Trainers-Tools-July-2013

As a result of this dam construction, it was possible to increase the area of cultivable land through
irrigation. Without the resources to purchase advanced technologies, the community again showed its
ingenuity. Some community leaders had heard about simple techniques for irrigation on the radio or
seen examples of irrigation systems on programs shown on their battery-operated TV. The decision to
try this in Cullpe required the mobilization of community members in a labour-intensive system to: 1)
collect hundreds of thousands of milk and sardine cans; then 2) attach each to a plant and keep it
constantly filled with water, allowing the water to drain gently out of the hole at the bottom clogged
with wool. At harvest, they calculated the rewards of their efforts: savings in water use, an increase in
productivity, a reduction of disease, and an increase in revenues. After a few years, the increase in
revenues meant that the handcrafted irrigation system could be replaced with sprinkler systems. They
now have 20 hectares of irrigated land.
Starting in 1995, some NGOs, such as CIED and Instituto de desarrollo y medioambiente (IDMA), and
state institutions collaborated and strengthened the development process that Cullpinos had started
years before. By this time, the dam for the reservoir had been built and 10 hectares of land were being
irrigated. The high self-esteem, and the high regard for their efforts in the region as a whole, allowed the
people of Cullpe to interact with these agencies on an equal level. This collaborative relationship
resulted in the construction of a second reservoir; the establishment of a micro credit system to allow
farmers to invest in farming inputs and irrigation systems; and the ongoing training of community
members in pest and disease management, soil and water management, livestock rearing, and
promotion of aromatic and medicinal herbs.
Collaboration with outside agencies in the public and private sectors is essential for securing health and
education services, improving market access, and maintaining sustainable growth in the face of a rapidly
changing agriculture sector, much of which has been dominated by agro-industrial farming for export.
As such, Cullpe stands out as an excellent example of a community that works collaboratively with
multiple stakeholders to ensure continued development, but on its own terms. It also illustrates how
success breeds success – external agencies are much more attracted to work with communities that
have already proved they can mobilize themselves to drive their own development.
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