Pomboza, Pablo

In the Ecuadorian Andes, community-based irrigation systems managed by peasant and indigenous communities are under threat due to the increasing migration of young people to cities and abroad and the lack of economic opportunities in rural areas for young professionals. This research aims to examine how young people contribute to transforming community water management for agroecological production in hydrosocial territories of the Ecuadorian Andes. It first analyzes the inclusion of young people in community irrigation organizations. Then, it evaluates the role of international cooperation in supporting the implementation of agroecological practices as socioeconomic opportunities for young people. Finally, it explores avenues for strengthening youth leadership in community management of irrigation water and agroecological innovations. More broadly, we aim to break with the stereotypes often associated with young people as being lazy or apolitical. Another common imaginary is to portrait a massive return of young entrepreneurs to rural areas and place all the responsibility for a sustainable future on their shoulders. On the contrary, this research aims to show the more complex realities and challenges faced by the actual rural youth. This research analyzes these transformations in three hydrosocial territories of the Ecuadorian Andes: the indigenous communities of Cangahua (province of Pichincha) and Quisapincha (province of Tungurahua), and the peasant community of Yunguilla (Metropolitan District of Quito, DMQ). This project offers a transdisciplinary approach by enhancing collaborative research between academia and the community, by involving young people from rural areas into the production of research results through creative products such as multilingual videos in Kichwa and Spanish. The main result of this project is expected to be the strengthening of youth leadership in community organizations that manage irrigation water systems and agroecological practices in community territories.