Peru is a country with a culture of ancestral agrarian development, therefore, there is evidence of climatic records that indicate that pre-Hispanic societies experienced severe droughts in the past. According to Ari Caramanica, professor of the Department of Business Administration and Researcher at the Universidad del Pacífico (UP) Research Center, ancient societies had a series of strategies to manage the different challenges that drought can generate, including the lack of available water for agriculture and soil loss, which was fundamental to combat the effects of aridity, both above and below the surface. 

"Ancient farmers adapted their crop fields based on water availability and location, used rock formations to capture atmospheric moisture, and adapted irrigation soaks to maximize water. They encouraged tree growth along riverbanks and in marginal desert areas to reduce wind erosion. And fighting drought went beyond soil and water erosion: the ancient Peruvians carefully chose their crops to match the available resources," she said. 

The risk of drought can affect any environmental area; however, those with agricultural irrigation systems that depend on rainfall are particularly vulnerable. According to Caramanica, some of the modern practices can contribute to the vulnerability of these regions such as lack of water storage, excessive dependence on pumped groundwater and agricultural production throughout the year. These activities, she says, can drain the water supply even before the onset of a drought and have basin-wide impacts, affecting not only economic productivity, but also poverty-related water access: water for hygiene, drinking water, and water for smallholder farmers. 

"Agro-industrial activity is a central factor contributing to global climate change and vulnerability to drought. This type of agriculture often focuses on lucrative and water-expensive crops, such as fruits, sugar, certainly vegetables and rice. Agroindustry produces year-round monocultures, which not only consume an inordinate amount of water and contribute to greenhouse gases, but also impoverish soils. This has secondary consequences that are exacerbated during drought: impoverished soils require more fertilizer, which through the application of irrigation water eventually seeps down to the water table and contaminates this crucial supply," she said. 

In terms of actions we can take to reverse the damage and reduce our vulnerability to drought and climate change, she noted that there are a number of strategies that farmers and governments are exploring, which can be adopted at the individual and regional level. At the individual level is the practice of "climate smart" agriculture, harvesting rainfall in water storage devices, growing multiple crops and developing fallow fields to help counteract the primary and secondary effects of drought. At the regional level, implementing policies to regulate groundwater use, infrastructure to control and capture floodwater, and atmospheric water harvesting technologies (fog capture). 

She also emphasized that all results in a responsible use of water, which means an efficient use of the resource, as well as strategies on crop selection, soil management and conservation of forests and plant communities not related to agriculture. "Water systems are highly integrated with other aspects of the socio-natural environment, so it is ineffective to focus on a single type or use of water: to combat the future impacts of drought, a fully integrated approach is required," she said. 

Coastal cities and climate change risks 

The coast of Peru is home to major cities, so they need to manage and regulate urban water use. According to Caramanica, there is a series of activities that range from the intervention of green spaces with native plants, to the execution of river infrastructure, maintenance of riverbanks, water cleaning and prevention of quarrying activities in river beds that may affect their course. She also considers it necessary that irrigation canals be maintained and lined with sustainable materials to prevent water loss, and that sewage systems and runoff water be regulated to prevent contamination of groundwater systems. In addition, she stressed that water recycling and infrastructure for collecting water from floods and fog would create a supplemental supply. 

"Most importantly, cities should begin to implement carbon sequestration and climate change strategies, and build basic infrastructure in anticipation of an influx of climate migrants," she emphasized. 

In this regard, she warned that climate change and drought disproportionately affect developing countries, impoverished populations and small farmers. "Peru is especially vulnerable to climate change, partly because its water supply depends on both rainfall and glacier systems. As glaciers retreat, farmers formally dependent on glacier-fed rivers will migrate to coastal areas, where water supply is already limited. Climate change migrants, and particularly women and children, are vulnerable to disease, natural disasters, food and water shortages and poverty. As the drought continues to drive the population to move throughout Peru, these changes will put further pressure on already overextended water systems," she concluded.