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¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to the official website (and blog) of The New Mexico Acequia Assocation. Acequias are the historic communal irrigation systems that support the culture and livelihood of thousands of families in New Mexico. Our mission is to sustain our way of life by protecting water as a community resource and strengthening the farming and ranching traditions of our families and communities.
Click here for the proceedings of our recent Congreso de las Acequias on Saturday, December 1st.
Check out our most recent online newsletters:
Noticias de las Acequias February 2008
Noticias de las Acequias July 2007
Noticias de las Acequias November 2007
Information about our programs can be found in this site, starting with the links below :
¡ Que Vivan las Acequias ! Radio show - This is a monthly half-hour radio show that explores the richness the acequia culture and the challenges facing acequias. The show also chronicles the work of the New Mexico Acequia Association and the activities of the Sembrando Semillas team.
El Agua es la Vida, Water is Life Campaign - This is a campaign to defend water as a community resource by challenging the economic and political forces that are resulting in the commodification of water. We view water as a “don divino” a divine gift that must be treated with respect and reverance. We are cultivating acequia leaders, allies, and youth leaders around basic principles through our Agua es Vida Declaration.
Acequia Governance - Acequias have sustained customs and traditions of water sharing for hundreds of years in New Mexico. This program builds on the centuries-old acequia legacy by strengthing self-governance of acequias with regard to water management, water rights defense, and water policy advocacy. NMAA supports acequias through workshops and consultations on acequia bylaws and infrastructure planning.
Nuestra Cosecha (”Our Harvest”) - Land, water, and culture are connected through our food and farming traditions. Through this effort, NMAA is seeking to increase the production of locally grown food that is spiritually and culturally meaningful to our communities. NMAA is leading the Northern New Mexico Food and Farm Policy Project as part of this effort to develop policy recommendtions for local, state, and federal levels to improve the viability of small scale farming and ranching in northern New Mexico.
Sembrando Semillas (”Planting Seeds”) - The NMAA is working to build the next generation of acequia farmers, ranchers, and community leaders through a community-based, experiential learning process. Through seasonal, hands-on activities, youth have the opportunity to experience traditional agricultural practices and affirm their identity as land-based people.
New Mexico Food & Seed Sovereignty Alliance - The Traditional Native American Farmers’ Association (TNAFA) and the NMAA created an alliance to support traditional farmers in efforts to raise indigenous crops for continuation of native food traditions, to increase the cultivation of native seeds, and to defend native seeds from genetic engineering.