Cochabamba : Urbanisation and irrigation channels in Bolivia

How to facilitate the consultation between irrigators and urban dwellers near irrigation channels in a peri-urban area?

Start date of project

01/01/2006

Localisation

Municipality of Tiquipaya, metropolitan region of Cochabamba, Bolivia

Description

The Tiquipaya valley in the urban area of Cochabamba in Bolivia has for fifteen years been facing rapid and uncontrolled urban expansion which affects the traditional collective irrigation systems for the region's agriculture which crisscross the valley. Degrading infrastructures, obstructing canals and access roads and evacuating wastewater into canals affect the functionning of irrigation systems and put farmers off from carrying out regular maintenance. The proposed approach, based on recognition of the dual irrigation and drainage function of canals in this area, aimed to facilitate the development of negotiations between farmers and urban residents on the issue of maintaining irrigation canals.

It was organised in five stages.

  1.  Detailed socio-technical diagnostics so that the community could select two or three priority work themes. A non-computerised role play (Larquaninsh'ej) was developed using a stakeholders' analysis;
  2. Game sessions uniting (gathering) farmers and urban residents from communities, to facilitate the exchange of representations on problems encountered in a ludic, tension-free framework and to help identify possible solutions;
  3.  A participative inspection of canals then identified the problems in the field and initiated a discussion on potential solutions. Developing a community map and problems identified to select collectively the solutions which were validated during restitution to the entire community;
  4.  Technical draft solutions were then developed with the support of the project consultants and submitted to the authorities for financing;
  5. Agreements were then put together within communities and between communities and the local authorities on the future maintenance of infrastructures.

Although the infrastructure projects could not find financing and were not pursued, the approach as a whole drew attention to the dual role of canals in the area and modified the representations of local stakeholders and the authorities. Thus the Tiquipaya municipal authority has allocated a small budget item to maintaining irrigation canals and the federation of irrigator associations uses the agreement (put together) as a basis for discussion with the municipality towards a larger-scale agreement on the future and management of irrigation infrastructures in the municipality.

Partners

Chercheurs et INCO (programme UE)

Teams

D. Vega, R Peñarietta (UMSS Centro Agua)
N Faysse (UMR G-EAU/CIRAD)

Funding

University Mayor of San Simon