This study examined how the application of a concrete series of activities to protect the páramo in the central Andes of Ecuador can be compared with social technology. This is understood as a way of developing, implementing, or managing technology in interaction with the population, with the aim of generating dynamics of social inclusion, improvement of living conditions, and sustainable development. A mixed methodology was used, including quantitative analysis based on satellite images available for 3 periods (1986–2000, 2000–2008, and 2013–2021) to determine páramo loss, and qualitative research to understand the relationship of communities to páramo changes. The patterns of land-use change, the situation of the páramo, and the main actions to protect the ecosystem were identified. The results showed that from the first to the second period, there was a loss of 17.2% of the páramo, while from the second to the third period, the loss decreased to 3.3%. This improvement can be attributed to the delimitation of conservation areas within communal areas, accompanied by restoration, a change in the dynamics of livestock ownership, and the creation of socioeconomic alternatives for farmers in the lowlands. This set of actions addresses 3 key issues: land use, livestock management, and community governance. We consider these actions to be social technologies because the conservation measures were adopted by an empowered community, open to cooperation and agreements, that understands the importance of protecting the páramo so that they and those living in the lower basins have access to water. This management vision is supported by several organizations working in the area and represents a line of action that the authorities should promote to prevent further loss of the páramo while simultaneously providing livelihood opportunities for the inhabitants of the area.

El objetivo de este artículo se centra en identificar en la literatura contemporánea, el concepto de “tecnología social” en el Ecuador. Para tal efecto, se realizó un análisis documental a través de una base de datos científica, y se logró establecer el nivel de avance del tema en el Ecuador y la región. Los resultados indican que el término tecnología social se utiliza en Latinoamérica desde el 2004, mientras que en el Ecuador el término es de reciente data (2019), por lo que no cuenta con experiencias que puedan ser retroalimentadas como tal por la comunidad científica. Sin embargo, aproximaciones a lo que se esperaría de una tecnología social estarían relacionadas con economía y ambiente. Este estudio pone de manifiesto la necesidad de impulsar la tecnología social en el Ecuador, lo que permitiría alcanzar un desarrollo basado en una verdadera transformación social.

In the rural parish of Salinas, located in the central highlands of Ecuador, most of the communities are settled in a páramo ecosystem, whose deterioration has become a concern since the beginning of the century. The scarcity of water that some communities have experienced has led to a reconsideration of economic activities, as part of a community process that began 50 years ago, which has currently allowed them to overcome extreme poverty. This research aims to analyze the socio-technical reconfiguration process these communities have undergone in their new role as conservationists that has simultaneously ensured their livelihoods. The methodology applied is a qualitative approach based on a discourse analysis. The results indicate a process of applying social technology to protect the páramo. The availability of economic resources, a new mentality and the exercise of authority are key starting elements for the latter, and through strengthened organizations, permanent reflection, creativity, and the search for sustainability, the primary objective can be reached: the protection of the páramo.

Conservation and land use policies are key to regulating water in watersheds, influencing water quantity, quality and storage, and mitigating risks such as erosion and flooding. In Ecuador, the Socio Bosque Program (SBP), part of the Good Living Development Plan (2013-2017), focused on conservation without fully considering water benefits. To optimize its implementation, the upper basin of the Coca River, relevant for its hydroelectric potential, was evaluated by analyzing the inclusion of water criteria in the SBP. Four scenarios of land cover and land use change were developed using the Delphi method: Business as Usual (BAU), Strengthening of SPB (SBPS), National Incentive Plan (NIP), and Degradation (DEG). Runoff rates were estimated for each scenario using a land cover and land use model (TerrSet) and a hydrological model (SWAT). The results show that BAU and DEG cause a decrease in lateral and base flow and an increase in surface runoff, while NIP is the only scenario that maintains water regulation. This highlights the need for future incentives to prioritize strategic areas for water regulation in line with watershed management objectives.

Conservation and land use policies are key to regulating water in watersheds, influencing water quantity, quality and storage, and mitigating risks such as erosion and flooding. In Ecuador, the Socio Bosque Program (SBP), part of the Good Living Development Plan (2013-2017), focused on conservation without fully considering water benefits. To optimize its implementation, the upper basin of the Coca River, relevant for its hydroelectric potential, was evaluated by analyzing the inclusion of water criteria in the SBP. Four scenarios of land cover and land use change were developed using the Delphi method: Business as Usual (BAU), Strengthening of SPB (SBPS), National Incentive Plan (NIP), and Degradation (DEG). Runoff rates were estimated for each scenario using a land cover and land use model (TerrSet) and a hydrological model (SWAT). The results show that BAU and DEG cause a decrease in lateral and base flow and an increase in surface runoff, while NIP is the only scenario that maintains water regulation. This highlights the need for future incentives to prioritize strategic areas for water regulation in line with watershed management objectives.

Social technology is based around three axes: community, environmental protection and economic solidarity. The páramo itself is a vital ecosystem for water regulation as it is the source of water supplies for human consumption and performance of economic activities. This article intends to identify the limitations to apply social technology to the protection of the páramo in the central highlands of Ecuador, where processes of self-management, empowerment, participation, agreement-making, cooperation and pursuit for collective welfare have been observed.The methodology is quantitative within the framework of discourse analysis. The results show that, in order to reach a large agreement for the protection and recovery of the páramo, involving all of the communities settled in the area, it is necessary to overcome limitations mostly related to the lacking attention by the government in regards to basic utilities, management plans for conservation areas and studies for economic alternatives allowing communities to subsistin the lower zones, compromising not to extend their agricultural borders further into the highlands. This information helps strengthen natural resource management from a new perspective.