Andes System of River Basins

Benefit Sharing Mechanisms

The CPWF works in nearly 10 small basins in the Andes region covering four countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Andes communities are facing many challenges that are emblematic of other areas in the world, including: globalization of trade, changes in food consumption patterns, social and environmental conflicts, climate change and the relentless process of urbanization.

A major area of research identified ways to share the costs and benefits of land and water resource development and conservation between (relatively wealthy) downstream urban water consumers, successful agribusinesses, hydropower companies and (relatively poor) upstream rural communities.

Related to this is the challenge of developing benefit-sharing mechanisms (BSM) that encourage investments to improve sustainable production and livelihoods resilience in rural areas.

The Andes Basin Development Challenge

To increase water productivity and reduce water-related conflict through the establishment of equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms

Andes Projects

• AN1 Designing and implementing benefit-sharing mechanisms
• AN2 Assessing and anticipating the consequences of introducing benefit  sharing mechanisms
• AN3 Benefit Sharing to improve water productivity and reduce water-related  conflicts
• AN4 Coordination and multi-stakeholder platforms

Research into Use Project

• Andes – Slash and Mulch – RIU-PN15