Water resource development and land settlement in Southern Peru: The Majes Project
| Title | Water resource development and land settlement in Southern Peru: The Majes Project |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 1985 |
| Authors | Maos, J. O. |
| Journal | GeoJournal |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pagination | 69-78 |
| Abstract | The Majes Project involves the diversion of water from the Atlantic to the Pacific watershed, the construction of a water storage and a control system for hydroelectric-power generation, and the irrigation of 60, 000 ha of desert lands in the S coastlands of Peru. The project envisages the rural and urban settlement of about 160,000 people, based on farming and related economic activities. An initial area of 3,000 ha has already been prepared for cultivation with water from the non-regulated flows of the Colca and Sihuas rivers and development of the first villages is now under way.This article examines the evolution of a capital-intensive, multi-purpose development scheme and the pressure exerted by the region for its execution. The physical planning of the human settlement is appraised in the light of experience gained in the adjacent La Joya Project. Criticism is directed at the lack of flexibility, due to the separation of production and dwelling functions, and the imminent problems of social inequity. The lessons gleaned from actual implementation, however, may provide valuable insights for the elaboration of improved settlement patterns in forthcoming phases of the project. |
| URL | http://www.springerlink.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.1007/BF00572940 |
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