1. A system of basins located along the Andes from the very south to the northeast of South America with large bio-physical contrasts and
characterized by rapid political and economic changes with extremes in wealth and poverty. Water use and governance, particularly within the
agricultural sector have been identified as a significant factor influencing poverty, food security, and welfare.
3 basins- Fuquene in South Western Colombia, Jequetepeque in Northern Peru and Ambato in Central Ecuador have been selected to investigate
agricultural water productivity, water availability and analysis of water governance institutions.
It is anticipated that a basin-wide analysis of the status of agricultural water use within the Andean region will eventually provide opportunities for
poverty alleviation by presenting planning and development agencies with relevant knowledge and recommendations to facilitate specific
improvements in water use when formulating programs and undertaking their implementation.
Finding solutions to end water poverty
The Andes BFP understands the relationships between water, agriculture and
poverty using spatial analysis and modeling tools. Primarily Geographically
Weighted Regression (GWR) is used to cross analyze poverty data with other water
related variables. Patterns of poverty distribution are investigated in upper stream
areas draining to Dams and cities. Poverty models for the watersheds have also
been constructed with the support and collaboration with local stakeholders using
statistical analysis alongside a Bayesian Network framework.
Studies to date show a correlation between poverty and factors like access to water
resources, water distribution, pollution, and irrigation infrastructure. For rural
households possible poverty exit pathways are: Irrigation as found in the
Jequetepeque basin in Peru; the development of dairy operations, high value crops
(flowers, coffee, etc.), rural non-farm income and rural non-farm employment.
Analysis of indirect poverty-water relationships: The increase of local participation
Promoting sound water governance
Within the Andes water use is managed by government
in water resource governance could prove an effective intervention as rural families
organizations at national and sub-national levels, and
participating in farmer organizations or cooperatives may be less likely to suffer
organized by sectors e.g. agriculture, urban development,
poverty. One example is the possible collective negotiation of water access for
electricity and energy. Large amounts of legislations
irrigation
concerning water are continuously generated which address
the needs of the different sectors. These policies often lead to
confusion and conflict among different interests regarding
Improving water resource access and levels of productivity roles, responsibilities and ultimately rights to water use and
access, an issue of particular significance at the micro
Close to 80% of total water use in the Andean countries is consumed by watershed level where interventions to increase agricultural
agriculture with the exception of Colombia, which uses more water for domestic productivity and reduce poverty such as Payment for
purposes. Water used per capita is higher in Ecuador than in any of the other Environmental Services schemes are best implemented.
countries. A potable water supply is not universal in the Andes, half of rural The establishment of better information flows between upper
populations or more lacks access to a potable water supply. and lower basin authorities has been identified as a key
In watersheds, upstream-downstream interactions play a large role in the strategic intervention that would improve water quality and
distribution and access to water, creating competing uses and conflicts. In levels of access as well as increasing the participation of
Fuquene, the growth of the dairy industry in watershed has come at the expense local communities in water governance management.
of water quality in the downstream reservoir, a problem affecting both rural and
urban residents.
In the Jequetepeque basin, downstream irrigation depends on water services
supplied by the upper basin but residents of the upper basin receive no
compensation for land use that supports water resources. This situation
suggests an opportunity to establish payment for environmental services
schemes considered important for poverty alleviation because poverty is higher
in upper parts of the basins compared to the lower sections.
The Andes BFP has approached the
complex problem of water access and
productivity by creating an online Policy
Support System aimed at policy makers,
NGOs, students
and scientists. This online
system combines
geo-browsers, remote sensing, and
regional data sets for watersheds within
the Andean region. The simulation of
models allow to consider policy options Example screen from the Policy Support System
related to water access
and productivity and the role of
interventions and institutions in affecting
them.