Abstract

JIMENEZ-OTAROLA, Francisco  and  BENEGAS-NEGRI, Laura. Experiences and Contributions of CATIE to the Watershed Management in Tropical America. Ciencias Ambientales [online]. 2019, vol.53, n.1, pp.153-170. ISSN 2215-3896.

The contributions and experiences of CATIE in watershed management in Tropical America are discussed through its human capital formation programs, as well as the implementation of development and research programs and projects. The main experiences, contributions and lessons learned are described, exemplified through the justification of the watershed as a unit of planning, management and co-management of natural resources; of the importance of approaching watershed management as a social construction; of conceiving the basin as a system and water as the integrating resource; to assume the management of the basin as a shared responsibility of the stakeholders; of the creation of basin committees as a mechanism for institutionalization, governance and sustainability of actions; of the implementation of actions and processes with short, medium and long time horizons; of the progression from management to co-management as part of the innovation to overcome limitations of the conventional watershed management approach; of having a tested methodological route for the watershed management process and for the elaboration of management plans. Finally, some key elements for the management and co-management of watersheds are presented, including the intervention by micro-basins; the creation and strengthening of capacities; the importance of facilitating processes; the participatory action-research associated with the adaptive management; taking advantage of learned experiences; territorial ordering; financial mechanisms and the sustainability of actions.

Keywords : co-management; lessons learned; natural resources; planning; water.

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