In 1980, Erik Nijland traveled to Latin America for the first time as a student. Today, over forty years later, the native Dutchman has long felt at home here. He has lived and worked in Peru and Bolivia, Guatemala and Honduras, and has both Dutch and Bolivian citizenship. Since this March, he has been working for Mission 21 as a specialist in the field of food sovereignty.
Nijland accompanies the partner organizations, coordinates the projects and ensures contact with Mission 21 in Basel. For this article, he provides information via video call. Because of the time difference, it is only 7:30 in the morning. Nevertheless, he seems wide awake and talks vividly about his home in Cochabamba, 2650 meters above sea level. Erik Nijland knows life in Latin America as well as everyday life in Europe. Nevertheless, he remains curious: "Even with increasing experience, I want to remain open, listen and learn," he says.
Difficult access to water
Listening to people these days, he hears about many problems. "The situation in Latin America is dramatic," he says. "Peru is one of the countries most affected by Corona compared to the rest of the world. It is also bad in Bolivia." The economic hardship is great, he says. This compounds existing difficulties, he says: "In the Andes, the consequences of climate change are very present. A big problem is access to water. It is getting drier and drier. This is an obstacle to agriculture and therefore to food sovereignty," Nijland says.
Mission 21's partner organizations in Bolivia and Peru are helping people to ensure sufficient food nevertheless. "For example, they use alternative technologies to build water reservoirs," Nijland tells us. "Something like that can bring about decisive changes. It's especially important for women farmers. The projects empower women specifically. Many men move to the cities in search of work, and women are left alone in the countryside with family and farming responsibilities." For him, it is very important to get involved, and the commitment of Mission 21 supporters is just as important. There is still a lot to do - but as the example with the water reservoirs shows: small changes can make a big difference.
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