Allies for Water: Water Conservation in the Dominican Republic
Water is an essential resource for life, ecosystems, and economic development. In the Dominican Republic, watershed protection has become a priority, and the Coca-Cola System, formed by The Coca-Cola Company and its bottler Bepensa Dominicana and organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, has played a key role in this effort through the Allies for Water program.
For more than 10 years, this initiative has contributed to the conservation, restoration and reforestation of watersheds, which has achieved results such as the replenishment of millions of liters of water in the country.
Conservation and restoration of key watersheds
Aliados por el Agua focuses on protecting strategic areas such as Haina-Duey, Mahomita and Nizao, with comprehensive actions ranging from reforestation to responsible agricultural management.
To date, the Coca-Cola System in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy has obtained relevant achievements such as:
- 471 hectares restored in the province of San Cristóbal, in areas connected to the Nizao and Haina rivers.
- Increased forest cover, which reduces surface runoff and favors aquifer recharge.
- Regulation of water flow and improvement of water quality, ensuring a safer resource for local communities.
These results show how coordinated intervention between communities, the private sector and environmental organizations can generate sustainable benefits.
What has been the impact on rural communities?
The "Allies for Water" program not only protects natural resources, but also boosts the local economy through:
- Responsible cocoa farming and other agroforestry practices that improve productivity without degrading the soil.
- Prevention of erosion and recovery of soil fertility.
- Improved quality of life for rural communities that depend directly on water and agriculture.
In this way, Aliados por el Agua demonstrates that environmental sustainability and social development can go hand in hand.
Alliances that multiply results
Collaboration is at the heart of this program. As Juan Amell, Director of Corporate Affairs of Bepensa Dominicana, noted, "When communities, authorities, organizations and the private sector work together, extraordinary results can be achieved".
In this sense, the sum of wills has been fundamental to generate a positive impact through this project, consolidating a model in which all actors have an active role.
Innovation in sustainable water management
The Coca-Cola System's long-term vision includes the development of innovative mechanisms to guarantee access to water in the future. Among them is the participation in the foundation of Water Funds in the country, models that allow coordinating efforts to protect watersheds and guarantee safe water for future generations.
Lidia Castro, Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability for Coca-Cola Caribe, stressed that water is the main ingredient of its products and an essential resource for everyone: "We continue to promote more responsible water management in our operations, improving efficiency, treating water appropriately and returning it safely to communities".
Environmental Education with Circular Life
Aliados por el Agua also has an educational approach, developed in collaboration with Vida Circular. Through this platform, content is shared to inspire more people to adopt responsible habits in the use and conservation of water and other natural resources.
According to Pedro Arias, Operations Manager of ALPLA Central America and the Caribbean: "At Vida Circular, we believe that environmental education is key to driving real change. Protecting water and ecosystems is everyone's responsibility".
In this way, the program not only restores ecosystems, but also strengthens citizen awareness through environmental education about water.
With more than a decade of positive impact, Aliados por el Agua has established itself as an example of how multi-sector partnerships can achieve lasting changes in water conservation. The Coca-Cola System and its allies have demonstrated that protecting water is possible when communities, companies and organizations work with the same purpose: to ensure a sustainable future for all.
