Mapping a history of water security in the peruvian andes : a case study of mullak'as-misminay

Abstract

Marginalized populations in peripheral regions of the Andean highlands are among the most negatively affected by climate change and other social and environmental stresses. These communities' experiences with hardship have led to innovative adaptation strategies. This research provides an illustration of water security in Mullak'as-Misminay, Peru. Local knowledge systems contribute to water security, however their cohesiveness is diluted by pressures that devalue traditional practices for the sake of modern approaches to water management and agricultural production. Yet the stress from these pressures can also accentuate manifestations of Andean reciprocity that have traditionally informed water security. Lessons from the region demonstrate that water security is not exclusively a matter of quantitative calculations, but one that requires qualitative considerations informed by the local socio-cultural context. An Andean model of water rights may provide avenues for communities such as Mullak'as-Misminay to meet water security challenges.