Integrating Jalca Ecosystem Conservation into Local Planning to Secure Water Supply

The Jalca's Participatory Management Plan (PMP) is a document that was developed with the participation of leaders, authorities and community members, which establishes the programmatic and action framework to achieve management objectives in the short, medium and long term (10 years). The PMP reflects the main needs of the communities in terms of threats, analyzed with the communities in order to minimize these threats together. The active participation of both men and women, as well as people from all generations of the community, was sought in its preparation. The plan consists of 5 components that allow planning, in a collective analysis, actions for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and water. These components take into account the socio-environmental problems and threats identified in the socio-ecological diagnosis and in the prioritization of threats for this micro-watershed, including both local anthropic pressures and the adverse effects of climate change. Its purpose is to promote a process of social change, management and implementation of sustainable alternatives for the conservation of the Jalca. The PMP becomes a dynamic instrument for the management and sustainable management of the Jalca at the community level.

Within the concept of integrated management of the family plot, water harvesting was one of the most important points to make the process sustainable. In this sense, it was sought that the Jalca communities strengthen their water culture and use it efficiently and conserve the ecosystem that provides it, taking into account that it is likely that water scarcity will increase due to the effects of climate change. Thus, the farming family incorporated the efficient use of water and its conservation as a fundamental aspect of their development, making the most of water runoff during the rainy season through family micro-irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. The objective was to harvest, augment and use water. The land micro-irrigation systems were built by combining traditional and technical knowledge, within the framework of communal family work called "mingas", which strengthen social organization and the values of mutual support and social cohesion between families and the community. In addition, the PPA Project provided part of the food, some of the necessary tools and materials, as well as technical guidance and accompaniment in the process. The local government provided machinery and fuel for digging the wells.

The objective of this measure is to prevent water loss by retaining water, increasing its capture, and preventing and controlling erosion during periods when rainfall is more intense. To this end, we are working to protect meadows, water sources and springs with live fences planted with native species of queñuales (such as Polylepis incana or Polylepis racemosa), mainly, as well as colle(Budleja sp.), elder(Sambucus peruviana) and alder(Alnus spp), and stone piles. At the same time, the ecosystem's capacity to continue generating services for the communities and resist climate variations is maintained and increased, thanks to the fact that the organized population cares for, protects and conserves the springs, meadows, grasslands, grasslands and forests of the Jalca or upper part of the basin, and makes good use of the water.

The selection of forest species is based on traditional knowledge about the species that are best suited for the intended purpose. Thus, it is built by combining traditional knowledge with technical knowledge and participatory community work such as mingas, which integrate and increase social cohesion.

The objective of implementing native plant nurseries is to promote forest plantations in thickets and/or agroforestry, which contribute to carbon sequestration, do not degrade the soil and do not consume much water as eucalyptus or pine. This will contribute to water regulation and protect the soil from erosion. In turn, these species have economic value and are of practical use to the community because they are an important source of wood for carpentry, construction, firewood and charcoal, as well as being melliferous (used by bees to produce honey), medicinal (they cure various diseases, such as digestive, respiratory, renal, etc.) and useful for dyeing fabrics (they give different colors). In addition, Polylepis forests are in danger of extinction and currently form relict forests in patches. Thus, the community plants to produce trees and shrubs; they know and practice good management and value the importance of Jalca's native trees and shrubs. The process goes from the collection of vegetative material for propagation to the planting of the seedlings produced in the selected sites. They are implemented by combining traditional and technical knowledge and with communal work such as mingas.

Backstrap loom weaving with dyed ram's wool with natural inputs was a traditional activity in the community since ancestral times. However, its products were not adequately valued and their quality could not compete with other similar products made with synthetic wool. Through this measure, knowledge was recovered about the plants used for this purpose and the processing methods, and how to make these inputs available through the production of these plants. This activity made it possible to increase the production of dye plants in bio-gardens and to value them as an input for handicraft fabrics. In addition, the community members were trained in weaving and dyeing techniques for their handicraft production, which improved the finishes and quality of the final products. The dyeing of ram's wool with plants allows for a diversity of color tones in a natural way and with local inputs. By improving the quality of the finishes and the manufacture of their weavings, they increased their income, since the sale of their weavings constitutes the family's petty cash, allowing them to cover their daily expenses, in a context in which income from their agricultural activities is increasingly fluctuating.