Challenges of Water Needs – Water Management Experiences in the Chaco Region

Abstract

About 2.4 billion people in the world live in water-scarce regions. Approximatelyhalf of the world’s population suffers from water scarcity for at least part of the yearand 52% will be severely water-stressed by 2050. These figures are expected to increase,exacerbated by climate change and population growth. In Argentina, there is a semi-aridsub-region representative of the South American biome known as Gran Chaco, in theChaco Salteño area (northwest). Here, access to water in rural communities is a structuralproblem, representing the greatest constraint to the productive capacity and resilienceto climate change of families. At the socioeconomic level, it is one of the regions with theworst rates of access to water and sanitation, and with the highest levels of unsatisfiedbasic needs. Indeed, one of the most pressing problems is the lack of water in sufficientvolumes for consumption and production. In this context, it is imperative to manageaccess to safe water, with technical solutions appropriate to the social, cultural, andenvironmental context and that are sustainable over time. This document analyzes thisproblem in the region, presenting successful experiences of water management based oncollaboration between the State and civil society.