Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2009
Publisher
Ignation Center at Santa Clara University
Abstract
When I first arrived in the Peruvian Altiplano as a Maryknoll missioner 15 years ago, I was struck by the presence of a beautifully engineered system of irrigation canals extending through several communities. Engineers love to solve problems, and seeing progress like this in a very poor region of mostly subsistence farming was encouraging…until I learned that it had never delivered a drop of water, and probably never would. The design of the system had been done by outsiders unfamiliar with the intricacies of farming in the harsh, high-elevation climate, completely unaware of the unique form of land ownership. As a water resources engineer, I began my journey of reflection on the role of engineers in serving the poor in less developed areas.
Recommended Citation
Maurer, E.P., 2009, Water for Life: A Journey to Nicaragua Exploring Sustainable Development, Explore 12(2), 30-34.
