Kuikatl (canto de agua). Upcycling water for agriculture

Kuikatl is a design approach for water recycling and management, which aims the empowerment of agricultural communities towards the future

Long Description

Despite many threats, chinampa agriculture, a unique and ancient agro-ecological model which dates from the precolonial times in Mexico, survives in a state of permanent crisis. At the expense of Mexico´s diversity and food sovereignty, indigenous communities with agricultural vocation, face not only sociopolitical disadvantages, but recent ecosystem imbalances risen from the latest effects of climatic change.

It is well known that water is increasingly scarce, especially fresh water, so this resource is better used for human consumption. Consequently, water availability for agriculture is neither good nor sufficient. Agricultural irrigation many of the times is then done with domestic, industrial or farming waste water, which constitutes a human health and ecosystems risk.

A water treatment system that would make possible water rehab and regulation is needed, in such a way that the performance of these indigenous communities’ labour would be less compromised by today’s complex and uncertain environmental conditions. More specifically, Kuikatl system purpose is the treatment for the recovery of waste and bad quality water for agricultural irrigation.

If a community that has experienced shortage, or bad quality water, may have the opportunity to learn about water conservation and management by getting access to appropriate technology, this would represent the possibility of improving their farming practices and therefore stimulate a better standard of living.