Themes: Water

Themes: Water

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Promoting resilience and equality in local water management in Latin America

Environmental pressures—including land degradation, pollution, and climate change—have significantly constrained the capacity of natural watersheds in Latin America to provide clean water, leaving human populations increasingly vulnerable. To address these challenges, the CDKN Latin America (LATAM) regional programme, coordinated by Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA), supports the Andean Water Funds Platform. This multi-actor governance space now brings together 12 Water Funds across Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

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15th June 2026
Systematization of the experience of the project implemented by the Regional Water Fund - FORASAN Piura This document describes the implementation experience of the project “Restoration of ecosystems with Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures, with a focus on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in the Samanga Peasant Community”, in the province of Ayabaca, Piura region.
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15th December 2025
Driving equitable ecosystem-based adaptation: Lessons from water funds in Latin America This blog, by Gabriela Villamarín and Karen Hildahl of FFLA-CDKN, explores how the Andean Water Funds Platform is implementing Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures with a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) approach across Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The blog highlights the crucial role of community-led, participatory design and implementation in these initiatives, showcasing how water funds are addressing climate threats while fostering social equity for groups experiencing vulnerability.
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8th December 2025
Towards resilience and equity: FFLA-CDKN aligns with Latin America’s water funds This blog, by Paola Zavala and Karen Hildahl, explores the recent strategic pivot by FFLA–CDKN toward supporting water funds in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It explains how these long‑term financing mechanisms harness inclusive, multi‑stakeholder governance to protect watersheds and drive equity‑focused climate adaptation.
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23rd October 2025
Working paper: Learning from eight water funds in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru Water is the foundation of human well-being, sustaining all aspects of life. However, in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, current water governance faces challenges such as sectoral silos, unsustainable development, insufficient regulation, and limited resources, all of which are intensified by climate change. To address these issues, water funds have emerged as a promising mechanism to protect water sources, improve access, and ensure sustainable water management for communities and ecosystems.
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18th March 2025
Advancing sustainable food systems and enhancing water security through supporting ecosystem-based approaches: Insights from the Step Change initiative Last month CDKN had the pleasure of attending a learning review of the Step Change initiative which brought together multiple project partners to reflect on progress, surface synergies and outline pathways for collaboration between projects to amplify impacts across research, policy and practice.
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20th May 2024
From frost to flow: An exemplary community-led initiative for water supply in Ladakh, India Damini Rathore of ICLEI South Asia highlights the success of a pilot project to supply water to remote areas in Ladakh, India during winter. The initiative sets an example for how to provide a constant water supply and has established the critical role of smart water management systems.
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10th May 2024
Four ecosystem-based adaptation projects with a social and gender perspective begin in Latin America Four CDKN-supported Knowledge-to-Action (K2A) projects began activities recently, two in Colombia and two in Ecuador. These K2A projects are part of a small grants programme (US$ 50,000 per project) that aim to sustainably protect natural resources in these countries while considering the effects of climate change and promoting ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and gender and social inclusion.
Active
Project
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Building water resilience in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid land areas

This project aims to inform inclusion and meaningful participation of communities and collaboration with key stakeholders in decision-making, implementation and management of locally-led water investments, to ensure their efficacy and sustainability.

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4th April 2024
Revitalising Alappuzha's canals with community collaboration: A case study of urban transformation in Kerala, India For World Water Day 2024, Damini Rathore of ICLEI South Asia analyses the roles of appropriate technology, capacity development and community engagement in a case study of urban transformation in the city of Alappuzha, in southern India.
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28th March 2024
Fog catchers: Improving Mexico’s climate resilience using traditional knowledge In Oaxaca, Mexico, a climate resilience project adopts fog catching and ancient Waru Waru techniques to combat water scarcity. The initiative embraces local and indigenous wisdom to alleviate drought impacts, illustrating innovation's pivotal role in adaptation amidst limited resources. This story is part of a series celebrating the locally-led solutions supported by the UNDP implemented - Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator programme.
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22nd March 2024
Water for peace, or water for war? Notes on weaponisation of water for World Water Day 2024 Barbara Schreiner, Executive Director of Water Integrity Network, emphasises the urgent need to confront the weaponisation of water, a violation of human rights and international law. Addressing root causes, promoting accountability, and fostering cooperation are crucial in safeguarding water as a source of peace, not conflict.