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An Intercultural Water Plan

A participatory planning document where ancestral knowledge and modern tools come together to address socio-environmental challenges

By IW:LEARN

May 19^th, 2025

The Awá People have protected their Katsa Su (territory) since time immemorial.

For them, water is more than just a resource: it is life, connection, and legacy. Through a collective process, they developed their Intercultural Water Governance Plan to safeguard their water sources, strengthen their governance structures, and ensure safe access to water.

This is a story of resistance, identity, and future.

Ricaurte Nariño Col; Credit: MMCG Binational Basin Project

Water: Source of Life and Autonomy

"God created water. Through a spring, He made water flow from within the earth. Then, He placed crabs at the headwaters of the streams so they would dig deep caves, allowing the water to pour forth." (Humberto Pai, 2012).

Since ancient times, the Awá People have protected the essence of their Katsa Su, the territory that gives life to their communities, rivers, and forests. Their history flows with the water, a sacred element that sustains their identity and traditions.

For these binational People, water is a living spirit that connects communities, nurtures biodiversity, and safeguards ancestral knowledge. From the mountains to the rivers that run through their lands, water is the bond that unites generations and protects their future.

El Baboso, Carchi, Ecuador. Credit: MMCG Binational Basin Project

A Vision Built Collectively

The Awá People inhabit a vast territory spanning more than 434,962 hectares across Colombia and Ecuador, with an approximate population of 64,430 people.

In Colombia, they are present in the departments of Nariño, Putumayo, and Cauca; in Ecuador, they live in the provinces of Carchi, Esmeraldas, Imbabura, and Sucumbíos. Aware of the importance of strengthening territorial governance, they embarked on a comprehensive diagnostic process that combined mapping with the ancestral wisdom of their communities.

Through collective dialogue, they identified goals and priorities to protect their water sources. Their voices shaped an operational plan focused on territorial protection, updating regulations, capacity-building for the Awá People, organizational strengthening, and ensuring safe access to water.

In the photo below, from left to right: Representatives Gran Familia Awá Binacional Jesús Iván Nastacuas (Coordinator GFA); José Nastacuas (President FCAE); José Miguel Cucardo (Vice President de ACIPAP); Claudia Pai (Coordinator Gran Familia Awá); Floriberto Cantincus Bibicus (Advisory Secretary General UNIPA). Photo: MMCG Binational Basin Project

Photo: Representatives Gran Familia Awá Binacional

"For us, water governance begins with the governance of Katsa Su (Territory). That’s why water is integral—it is a source of life. From the plants, cliffs, rivers, and streams that we have, water (kuázi) is the essence of our survival."

Said Claudia Pai, Coordinator of the Familia Awá Binacional

This effort is not only about managing water—it is a reaffirmation of the Awá People’s right to make decisions about their territory and natural resources. The validation of this Plan marks a milestone in their autonomy and in their relationship with national and international institutions.

The Integrated Water Resources Management Project of the Mira, Mataje and Carchi-Guáitara binational basins -led by the environment ministries of Ecuador and Colombia, supported by UNDP and financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)- played a pivotal role in developing the institutional and community capacities that made this initiative possible.

Photo: Claudia Pai, Coordinator of the Familia Awá Binacional. Credit: MMCG Binational Basin Project

This is a story of resilience, identity, and future. The Great Binational Awá Family resonates in every river, every forest, and every decision made in defense of their Katsa Su (Territory).

About the project

The Integrated Management of Water Resources of the Mira, Mataje and Carchi - Guáitara Binational Basins, Colombia - Ecuador project is executed by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, under the implementation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

It focuses on one of the root causes of the current situation: water governance. The central element proposed by the theory of change suggests that improving water governance (e.g., multi-level dialogue, watershed identity, empowered communities) will generate a series of improvements along the causal chain.

For more information, visit the website https://mmcg.iwlearn.org/ or contact Sebastian Izquierdo, Project Coordinator at sebastian.izquierdo@undp.org.

Footnotes

Word by Cristina Aza Tenganan. Photos: MMCG Binational Basin Project

FootNotes

Word by Cristina Aza Tenganan. Photos: MMCG Binational Basin Project

© 2026 IW:LEARN

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