Towards sustainable water management in Latin America and the Caribbean: exchange of experiences of methods to conserve water, increase water availability and improve water use efficiency

The objective of this seminar is to exchange and gather knowledge of different sustainable water management techniques in the Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC). The goal of this workshop is to exchange experiences and make a comprehensive inventory of technologies available for improving sustainable water management in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Water management in Latin America and the Caribbean is challenging and is becoming more and more complex. During the last decades, climate change has resulted in variations in rainfall patterns and the melting of glaciers, which affects the water supply in the region. At the same time, the demand for water increased due to population growth, the increase in the area of irrigated agriculture, development, industrialization and other factors. In response, researchers, technicians and farmers in the region have developed and implemented initiatives to improve the sustainable management of water, which have been successful and have potential to be improved. These practices could be replicated, extrapolated or adapted in other areas of Latin America and the Caribbean and the planet, however, many are not being adequately disseminated.

In this context, it is necessary to explore and compile information on traditional and modern techniques for sustainable water management. The UNESCO International Hydrological Program (IHP), in coordination with the Regional Water Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Zones of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAZALAC) and the project "Water security and climate change adaptation in Peruvian glacier-fed river basins” (RAHU Project), are organizing the seminar "Towards sustainable water management in Latin America and the Caribbean: exchange of experiences of methods to conserve water, increase water availability and improve water use efficiency". This activity will bring together implementers of sustainable water management techniques, as well as professionals who have analyzed the current situation, without excluding other interested parties. Further information on the training will be made available via the website https://en.unesco.org/water-climate-knowledge-forum.