Switzerland is committed to and in line with the 2030 Agenda, and sees partnership for the management of water, climate services and disaster risk management as a key condition for sustainable development.

In the first week of September, Lea Valaulta, coordinator of SDC’s Global Water Programme in Berne and Diana Rojas, SDC Programme Officer in Colombia, visited Peru in order to strengthen ties of collaboration and partnerships and reaffirm Switzerland’s commitment in its endeavour to guarantee the human right to water and sanitation in line with the United Nations SDG6 and the 2030 Agenda, and to continue pooling efforts in search of a solution to the global water crisis.

The delegation joined the Lima-SDC Regional Hub team to visit the Rimac River basin, which is home to seven ecosystems in Peru’s Andes and coast and has 14 life zones. The wet basin occupies about 68 per cent of the total surface area. However, there is a higher population density in the dry basin (32 per cent) in peri-urban communities and in the city of Lima, representing a greater risk for the population in the event of natural phenomena.

During the tour, the delegation made a stop at the Nicanor Mujica agricultural training centre in the city of Matucana, and held a meeting with local authorities, including the Rimac River Users’ Board and the Council of the CHIRILU Basin (the Chillon, Rimac and Lurin Rivers), who presented the basin’s situation and challenges. In addition, they attended an information fair which identified innovative local business opportunities that could boost the local development of the communities in the basin.

Finally, the delegation went to the community of San Antonio de Pedregal (Chosica), where the population lives in an area exposed to high-level risk, due to flash floods, commonly called «huaicos«, which regularly occur in the rainy season. Thanks to this visit, the delegation was able to talk to members of the Participatory Monitoring Network (MOP Network), who have used simple and practical technology to establish a community warning system. Their information is also used by government agencies such as SENAMHI and the local Civil Defence Offices, which can then disseminate information and take action in the event of a «huaico«. The delegation also visited a pluviometric station that constantly transmits meteorological information to SENAMHI, using free software and improving access to data, to issue forecasts and reduce costs so that the network can buy more measuring instruments.

The visit to the Rimac basin gave the delegation first-hand knowledge of the coordination with strategic partners through two of SDC’s projects. One is the «Water Unites Us» Project, whose purpose is to strengthen the implementation of public policies and multi-stakeholder partnerships to encourage the leadership of systemic change towards responsible consumption and increase the value society places on water. The second is the «Anticipatory Action in the Andes» project, which develops innovative strategies to strengthen anticipatory action through early warning systems, and encourages forecast-based decision-making.

At the end of the day, Lea Valaulta highlighted: «Switzerland remains committed to our partners and the government and will continue to join forces with them, contributing to the solution of the global water crisis, and strengthening efforts to guarantee the human right to water and sanitation, in line with SDG6».

Links of interest:
FS Anticipatory Action in the Andes
FS Water Unites Us