Integrating the Water Demand Approach in the Planning Practices to Face Drought Risk in the Potosí District (Bolivia)

Abstract

Drought, as a slow-onset hazard with multiple temporal scales, lacks a universally accepted definition, resulting in fragmented strategies to address it. Traditional supply-driven water management, which treats water needs as fixed requirements, has contributed to resource overuse, overcapitalisation, and pollution. This paper examines a case study in the Uyuni and Tomave areas of the Potosí district, Bolivia, where a water demand approach has been applied to enhance community resilience against drought and desertification. Measures include combining local and expert knowledge for an early warning system, implementing water pricing policies and metering to reduce wastage, and developing irrigation and sustainable land-use practices supported by international programmes. The findings highlight the importance of shifting from reactive to proactive hazard management and integrating water sector initiatives with broader development planning.