Abstract

LASCANO-DEMERA, Luis. Hydro-social transformations in Picaihua, Tungurahua (Ecuador): a multiscale analysis from the political ecology of water. Inter disciplina [online]. 2022, vol.10, n.28, pp.507-542.  Epub Dec 05, 2022. ISSN 2448-5705.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ceiich.24485705e.2022.28.83312.

This article proposes an analysis from the political ecology of water of the water resource management in the parish of Picaihua, province of Tungurahua (Ecuador) in the 80s and 90s, and the changes produced since 2008. Transformations in this approach are explained in terms of hydrosocial territory and hydrosocial networks, the last of which incorporates concrete and historical structural factors at the country and world-system levels. Two stages are considered: the neoliberal stage and the postneoliberal stage in Ecuador, both with different hydro-social political projects. The objective of this study is to find out if the political praxis in the postneoliberal stage implied progress in terms of hydro-social justice in Picaihua. In the neoliberal stage, the hydrosocial territory of Picaihua had as its main actor a Water Board that promoted community and participatory management, but operated with economic weakness in a hydro-social network that promoted the unequal and privatizing distribution of water resources. In the postneoliberal stage, the new role of the State irrupted in the hydrosocial network with public investment to meet water needs, which was seen positively by Junta de Agua. However, the top-down approach in hydro-social planning failed to promote participatory community water magement.

Keywords : political ecology of water; hydrosocial territory; hydrosocial networks; Junta de Agua; neoliberalism; postneoliberalism; World-System; State.