El Río Aguas is drying up
The village in which Sunseed sits - Los Molinos del Río Aguas - is in an important conservation area with a unique ecosystem. It is home to wild species, rich formations of gypsum and a host of environmental projects. El Río Aguas provides water for a population of roughly 50 people in Los Molinos and around 8000 local inhabitants in Almeria - but gradually our water is disappearing.
Industrial agriculture versus rights of the people
The precious fossil water from Río Aguas is being over-exploited by the surrounding monoculture olive plantations at quadruple the amount of available resources. Since illegal deep wells are being dug, there has been more than a 40L reduction to the flow of water in just a few years.
Without water
there is no life
This highly unsustainable practice is threatening the livelihoods of many villages across Almeria. Pueblo-Gochar held 100 inhabitants in 2001, and by 2016 there were just four. If this pace of water use continues, Los Molinos will experience the same fate.
6,000,000
intensively-farmed olive trees
10
litres per day/per tree
400
percent aquifer over-exploitation
What are we doing
to stop it?
In 2014, Ecologists in Action and Mediterranean Ecologist Group demanded immediate action be taken by the Junta de Andalucía to prevent further deterioration of the river. They were met with no response.
In 2017, the case of El Río Aguas was taken to the International Tribunal for the Rights of Nature. In 2018 this precious space was recognised as facing an ecocide. Disappointingly little has been done on a municipal level to combat the worsening situation.
Sunseed continues to work alongside Ecocidio Río Aguas, Acuiferos Vivos, and local residents to fight for the rights of our water supply and all the living beings that depend on it.
We continue to raise awareness, host our annual Festival en Defensa del Agua, and fight day to day to protect this stunning landscape that we call home.
