Collab: The "Plurinational Observatory of Andean Salt Flats" ("OPSAL") a collective created for the protection of the salt flats and wetlands in the Andean Puna region against the advance of mining extractivism in the Atacama Desert (Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina)
The salt flats, aquatic ecosystems of vital importance to the Andean Puna ecoregion, are key components of the habitat for scientifically significant species such as flamingos, and other species like vicuñas, llamas, and alpacas, which hold ecological and economic value for the Indigenous and rural communities that inhabit them. These unique environments not only support a distinct biodiversity but also create the necessary conditions for the existence of ways of life for indigenous communities that depend on both traditional and modern agro-pastoral practices, thus supporting food sovereignty and climate resilience.
In this context, the presence of Indigenous pastoralist-farmers is essential. Their ancestral knowledge and sustainable practices contribute significantly to the protection of biodiversity, the conservation of water sources, and the maintenance of the Andean salt flats and wetlands.
Answering the question posed in the title: yes, it is evident that there is a profound relationship of reciprocity and co-production with the natural environment and the Indigenous communities, highlighting the importance of community water management, which represents a symbol of their ancestral identity and resistance for the surrounding communities.
In these times of water crisis (which is exacerbated by a prominent extractivist development model), water sovereignty emerges as a critical tool to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. According to experts on the subject, there is a profound relationship between the inhabitants of these territories, grounded in a respectful dialogue with nature that has endured over time.
The traditional practices of Indigenous peoples linked to the Andean salt flats (including agriculture, pastoralism, transhumance, and herb collection) have a direct impact on the formation and sustainability of various types of Andean wetlands, such as salt flats, lagoons, rivers, thermal springs, low-lying (flat areas saturated with water known as "vegas") and bofedales. Thus, irrigation managed according to natural cycles, cultivation at specific times of the year, and the seasonal migration routes of animals demonstrate a profound understanding of local ecology and the interdependent relationships between humans and the environment.
Today, August 9th, is recognized worldwide as "International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples", for us it is imperative for us to acknowledge and strengthen these practices that not only safeguard the natural wealth of the Andean salt flats but also promote the cultural continuity and ways of life of the communities that have historically inhabited them #ForABetterWorld.
Bibliography:
Consult text "Booklet: the salt flats are wetlands, Author: Carlos Ulloa Fuentes" (Spanish: Consulta del texto "Librillo: los salares son humedales, Autor: Carlos Ulloa Fuentes")
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