High in the Andes mountains of Peru, María Montalvo Arce grows grapes.
Well, most years she grows grapes.
A year ago, the worst floods Peru ever experienced wiped out almost all of María's harvest. The rain lasted a month.
"We couldn't harvest the usual amount, which is between 200 and 400 boxes of grapes," he said.
As of last September, she had only harvested about 20 boxes, and the selling prices were extremely low. Along with its grapes, the floods wiped out the water system in María's community and systems throughout the district of Cascas, Peru. Cascas is known for its oenology, a tradition and an economic engine for the region.
"This year's rain was different," Maria said. "Every year there is rain in this area, but it never rains so hard that it disrupts the water supply."
After the floods, the 2017 growing season was the first time in more than 20 years that Maria did not have safe, reliable access to water. For three months, María's family and everyone in her community of Pampas de San Isidro walked to the river to collect water, some using motorcycles and mules to transport the water to their homes.
The floods isolated the community of María and the nearby city of Cascas, washing away roads and hillsides. People living at higher altitudes could not get food or fuel, and propane prices increased by nearly 600%. Grape farmers like Maria throughout Cascas lost entire crops.
María's son, Cristian, was isolated in a coastal town during the flood, all the roads to Cascas had been washed away. When he was able to return, he helped repair the community's water system. He said all the families in the community helped with the work, with the support of Water For People and the local water committee.
"We pretty much rebuilt the entire system, all the connections and new pipes," Cristian said.
One year after the flood, María and her family are looking to the future, but with realistic expectations.
“We are replanting seeds and moving forward,” she says. "But the rains were mainly due to climate change, and this could happen again. We have to be prepared."
