Toward a Water-Cultivating Society, Resistant and Resilient to Droughts: Protecting and Managing Our Waters to Perpetuate Life in Times of Drought and Climate Change

Abstract

The GAR Report — Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2021, by UNDRR (the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) — warns of the growing threat of drought, particularly in South America, highlighting its impact on the Sendai Framework for Action and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as its potential to generate political instability and worsen poverty. Recognizing the deep historical connection between droughts and sociopolitical change, this paper proposes a development model for Colombia. It suggests moving toward a "water-cultivating society" that not only makes use of the country's vast water wealth and aquatic biodiversity, but also promotes efficient water use and the creation of resilient water infrastructure. The initiative seeks to replace reactive crisis management with anticipatory, proactive planning oriented toward water and food security.

In essence, the paper proposes turning vulnerability to drought into a strategic opportunity for sustainable development, strengthening the country's social and economic fabric by fostering a culture of productive, conscious use of water resources.