Water Power and Governance: Nature Conservation Conflicts and Peasant and Indigenous Struggles in Northern Coastal and Andean Peru

This session investigates the intersections of water governance, socio-environmental conflicts, and nature conservation struggles in northern Peru, focusing on peasant and indigenous andean and coastal communities in Lambayeque. These communities face complex challenges shaped by neoliberal water governance models, agribusiness expansion, and conservation policies. In this region, peasant and indigenous communities are working together to protect and preserve their water resources amidst growing pressures from the agroindustry frontier. This collaboration highlights the emergent socio-ecological interactions between these communities, their struggles for empowerment, and their efforts to secure equitable access to water. The research examines both the barriers and opportunities for their integration, aiming to provide insights into sustainable water management practices and community-based governance.

The case of the Muchik community in coastal Lambayeque reveals the tensions between conservation efforts and neoliberal agricultural development. Market-based water management strategies and the creation of the Chaparrí Nature Reserve by the Muchik community have led to power struggles over land and water control. The introduction of hydraulic infrastructure projects, as part of broader regional development plans, threatens both the conservation of the reserve and the integration of the Muchik community with neighboring Lambayeque communities. This study explores the power dynamics that emerge when neoliberal water discourses intersect with conservation efforts, revealing the political and socioeconomic forces shaping these conflicts. By analyzing the case of the Muchik and neighboring communities, this session will illuminate the broader implications of neoliberal water governance on Indigenous and peasant communities across Peru and Latin America. It seeks to foster discussions on how alternative governance models can support equitable water distribution, local empowerment, and the preservation of ecological integrity in the face of ongoing global environmental challenges.