Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: The Impacts of Two Irrigation Management Strategies on Water Distribution and Access in the Bolivian Andes

博士论文改进补助金：两种灌溉管理策略对玻利维亚安第斯山脉供水和获取的影响

• 批准号: 0920928
• 负责人: Christopher McCarty
• 金额: $ 1.49万
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-15 至 2011-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0920928&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Grant; Impacts

University of Florida doctoral candidate, Timothy Podkul, under the guidance of Dr. Christopher McCarty, will carry out research with the overall objective of understanding the relationship between social organization and access to irrigation water in water-scarce communities. This research is grounded in anthropological theories drawn from a broad base of international literature concerning the interrelationship between community organization and governance, and water access and distribution strategies.This study will focus on two agro-pastoral communities in the Bolivian Andes, a region plagued by severe alternating drought and flooding. In both communities, the production of alfalfa and grass for livestock is essential to economic security. Two strategies are used to manage the distribution of scarce irrigation water: (1) independently-organized systems and (2) state-supported Water User Associations (WUAs). In one, distribution is organized and enforced locally by the users, while in the other, the irrigation water is under control of a WUA. Social network data from each community will be collected to examine how structural properties of actors within the network affect water distribution. Associations between other variables such as water management strategies, geographical location within a community, and community consensus about water management norms will also be measured as potential predictors of water access. Particular attention will be paid to the changing cultural and political roles of the Water Chief and community social structure as WUA-appointed leaders take over water management duties.This research addresses issues of importance to water and agricultural management and policy in a region where implementation of best practices for successful natural resource management could decrease conflicts and out-migration. This study has both theoretical importance and practical applications for those seeking to understand the increasingly tenuous relationships between communities and government authorities in areas of scarce vital resources. Funding this research also supports the education of a graduate student.

佛罗里达大学博士生蒂莫西·波德库尔将在克里斯托弗·麦卡蒂博士的指导下进行研究，其总体目标是了解社会组织与缺水社区获得灌溉水之间的关系。 本研究以人类学理论为基础，这些理论来自广泛的国际文献，涉及社区组织和治理之间的相互关系，以及水的获取和分配战略，本研究将侧重于玻利维亚安第斯山脉的两个农牧社区，该地区遭受严重的干旱和洪水交替。 在这两个社区，苜蓿和牲畜草的生产对经济安全至关重要。两种策略被用来管理稀缺灌溉水的分配：（1）独立组织的系统和（2）国家支持的用水者协会（WUA）。 在一种情况下，分配由用户在当地组织和执行，而在另一种情况下，灌溉用水由用水者协会控制。 将收集每个社区的社会网络数据，以研究网络内行为者的结构特性如何影响水分配。 其他变量之间的关联，如水管理战略，在社区内的地理位置，以及社区对水管理规范的共识也将被衡量为潜在的预测水的获取。 将特别注意水酋长和社区社会结构的变化的文化和政治作用，因为WUA任命的领导人接管水管理职责，这项研究解决了水和农业管理和政策的重要性问题，在一个地区，实施成功的自然资源管理的最佳做法可以减少冲突和向外移民。这项研究具有理论意义和实际应用，为那些寻求了解社区和政府当局之间日益脆弱的关系，在稀缺的重要资源的领域。资助这项研究也支持研究生的教育。