Impact of the conservation mechanism to supply water to community drinking water systems and irrigation systems in rural Andean regions and its relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The conservation of ecosystems is key to ensuring the availability of natural resources like water, a critical service for sustaining human activities. However, the impact of conservation on human well-being remains uncertain. This study explores the links between water provision, local activities, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on the rural Andean community of El Carmen de Jadán, Azuay, Ecuador. This community, located downstream of the Aguarongo Protected Forest (APF), depends on water from headwaters for agriculture, livestock, and daily needs. Conservation efforts since the 1990s have helped secure this resource. We developed a storyline to build a conceptual framework integrating water provision, respondents’ activities, and personal and community goals. Then, we surveyed 55 water users and analyzed the results using two indices: Level of Support for Contribution (LSC) and Importance of Contribution (IC). A network analysis of high LSC and IC values revealed co-occurrences among components. Results show that the activities most linked to water are human consumption (44–52 responses), followed by livestock (29–37), agriculture (24–29), and ancestral health practices (28). Human consumption was related to SDG targets 2.4, 6.1, 6.4, 6.6, 12.8, 13.3, 15.2, and 15.4 (346–416 connections). Agriculture, livestock, and ancestral health practices were linked to all targets analyzed, including 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 2.4 (253–308, 220–427, and 286 connections). These findings underscore the connection between ecosystem conservation, livelihoods, and global goals. Strategies such as irrigation optimization, water monitoring, and community participation can enhance water management and promote local well-being.