Approach to the climatic change from the irrigation perspective and drain in Ecuador.

Abstract

The principal impacts of the climatic change are the modifications that occur in the cycle of water and carbon, such as in temperatures that provoke melt waters and drainages of great magnitudes. The abrupt changes of these variables are determining the work to develop in the Ecuadorean agricultural ecosystems where there are local intensive precipitations and extensive periods of drought, modifications in solar radiation, frost, increase of the mid temperature and therefore, it is evident in the feeding security, and the way and quality of life in rural zones. In dependence of the edaphoclimatic region, the most affected crops are rice, maize, soya, quinoa, potato and cattle raising. The principal measures for adjustment and mitigation of this phenomenon in the country are described in The National Strategies of Climatic Changes of Ecuador. The objective of this work was to describe the approach that specialist in irrigation and drainage have about climatic change and its influence on the work they carry out. Starting with a documentary analysis the principal challenges are defined to face the variations in the rainfall pattern and temperature that influence in major evapotranspiration of crops, and for increasing water necessity, all of these are directed to efficient administration of water, with methods and techniques that respond to the new conditions of less availability of this resource.