maria teresa armijos: communal water dynamics: politics, identity and natural resources in the andes
DESCRIPTION
Presentation at the STEPS Conference 2010 - Pathways to Sustainability: Agendas for a new politics of environment, development and social justice http://www.steps-centre.org/events/stepsconference2010.htmlTRANSCRIPT
Maria Teresa ArmijosInstitute of Development Studies
Research Funded by Proyecto Paramo Andinoand Natural Resources International Foundation
Water User Associations are in charge of managing small drinking water systems in rural Ecuador.
This form of administering drinking water was introduced during the 1970’s
Today it is a widespread practice considered part of indigenous and peasant governance practices.
In the process of managing a particular resource, water, people struggle to exercise and define a form of citizenship
Otavalo, Ecuador
Two Communities
Drinking water
systems
Ethnographic and
historical research
Establishment of piped water
systems in the 1970’s.
Reluctance to accept it.
Institutional arrangement
Governing board in charge of
maintaining and operating water
systems
Work parties or mingas are carried
out to maintain the system
Rules, tariffs and sanctions that
apply to other aspects of social life
“Regulatory community”
“Nowadays is water that gets everything done, if there is a minga to clean the road, and people don’t work, it is through water that they will be ‘charged’. If someone does not participate in the minga they risk being cut from the system. This means that water is a medium to ‘charge’ people for work that has not be done.”
Gilberto CifuentesTeacher
“When they started looking for water they found itup in the mountain, a water spring, and then thepiped water project began. Then we worked,everyone did, we did it through the minga, thiswater is product of the minga, of the communitymembers, we are always working, it is thestrength of all of us, men and women working. Iworked too, the same my husband, making thetanks to collect drinking water!”
Guadalupe CholangoCommunity Member
Responsibility
Involvement and acceptance
Ability to sanction and inspire
cooperation
Control of labor force
Gained political power through
control of natural resources at the
local level
Conceived as a civil right by
indigenous and peasant
communities
"We are autonomous, we want to be respected because we have worked for many years”
Eduardo Quimbiurco, Leader of the Communidad de Ayora
“It has coasted us a lot to have water and we are well organized, it would not be fair if the government takes away this right from us”
María Isabel Gualotuña, member of La Vaqueria WUA.
Trying to satisfy daily needs
and in the process a political
and social meaning is created
Autonomy has led to the
strengthening of local control
of resources
New types of knowledge and
conservation initiatives help
legitimise these systems
Power relations, inequality,
accountability and efficiency.
The Water User
Association has become
an important local
governance institution
WUAs are asserting control over natural resources at local level
Beyond access : issue of control and governance of resources as a right.