A Stepwise, Participatory Approach to Design and Implement Community Based Adaptation to Drought in the Peruvian Andes

Ralph Lasage, Sanne Muis, Carolina S. E. Sardella, Michiel A. Van Drunen, Peter H. Verburg and Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts
Additional contact information
Ralph Lasage: Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sanne Muis: Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Carolina S. E. Sardella: Parsons Brinckerhoff, Level 27, 680 George Street, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia
Michiel A. Van Drunen: Amsterdam University College, Science Park 113, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Peter H. Verburg: Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts: Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 2, 1-32

Abstract: The livelihoods of people in the Andes are expected to be affected by climate change due to their dependence on glacier water. The observed decrease in glacier volume over the last few decades is likely to accelerate during the current century, which will affect water availability in the region. This paper presents an approach for participatory development of community-based adaptation measures to cope with the projected impacts of climate change. It combines in an innovative manner participatory design with physical measurements, modeling and a vulnerability analysis. Vulnerability to drought is made operational for households in a catchment of the Ocoña River basin in Peru. On the basis of a household survey ( n = 94) we explore how a vulnerability index (risk divided by response efficacy) can be used to assess the distribution of vulnerability over households, and how socio-economic factors determine this vulnerability. Water entitlement, area of irrigated land, income and education are all significantly correlated with vulnerability to drought. The research showed that the main source of spring water is local rainwater, and that water use efficiency is low. The selected adaptation measures aimed to increase water availability close to farmland, and increase water use efficiency of farmers and households.

Keywords: vulnerability assessment; water resources; water rights; subsistence farming; modeling; survey; climate change; impact; hydrology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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