Communities In Ecuador Research Articles

Lying about the future: Shuar-Achuar epistemic norms, predictions, and commitments

Is there variation across cultures in what counts as a lie? Here we present evidence for a potentially unique conceptualization of lying in Shuar-Achuar communities in Ecuador, contrasting this conceptualization with people in twelve other countries and non-Shuar-Achuar Ecuadorians. In Shuar-Achuar communities, but not others, predictions of the future that turn out to be false are considered lies, even when the events that render them false are unforeseen. Failed commitments, on the other hand, are not seen as lies when unforeseen events prevent them from being kept. To explain this phenomenon, we suggest that there is an epistemic norm that regulates predictive speech acts in Shuar-Achuar communities, linked to the view that the future can be known under certain special circumstances. This norm holds that claiming knowledge of the future is a form of lying when events prove the prediction false. Commitments, on the other hand, do not imply certainty about the future and so are not considered lies when circumstances prevent them from being fulfilled. In addition, we found several other factors that influence whether speech acts are categorized as lies, including the speaker's expertise, group membership, and the nature of the outcome.

P28-034-23 WAWAS SALUDABLES: Nutritional Education Tool for Children With Micronutrient Deficiency From Rural Amazonian Communities in Ecuador

P28-034-23 WAWAS SALUDABLES: Nutritional Education Tool for Children With Micronutrient Deficiency From Rural Amazonian Communities in Ecuador

Caries Experience in Preschoolers in Three Ecuadorian Communities.

Dental caries in the preschool population presents a significant challenge in the field of global public health, including Ecuador. Early detection of this disease is crucial for developing effective strategies for prevention and promotion of oral health, which can have a substantial impact on the quality of life of preschool-aged children. This study evaluated 600 children aged 3 to 5 years attending preschool education centers using the ICDAS II diagnostic criteria. The Student's t-test was used to analyze differences between the means of two independent groups. Additionally, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to assess differences between the means of three or more groups. The prevalence of caries was 87%, with a dft index of 3.85 in the three provinces studied. A high treatment need was observed in 84.17% of the population. No significant differences in the DFT index were found based on gender, although both groups exhibited elevated values. No significant differences were observed in relation to province and environment. The second molar was the most affected tooth, with a caries prevalence of 58.8%. Despite the lack of significant differences among the evaluated variables, a high prevalence and experience of dental caries were found in the studied population.

Ethical Challenges of Cross-Cultural Research - The Example of a Psychological Research Project in the Andean Context.

Using the example of a psychological research project in the Andean context, this explorative interview study adds to the current debate about ethical challenges of psychological cross-cultural research projects by being one of the first to address those challenges empirically. Using a multilevel approach, we conducted interviews with three groups of experts (study participants, i.e., Kichwa mothers, research assistants and experts on research in Indigenous communities in Ecuador; N = 10). Overall, the thematic analysis identified that the establishment of horizontal research relationships allows the best adaption to context-specific values (e.g., balance between giving and receiving), norms and societal structures. On the grounds of the analysis, we derived reflective questions for addressing the complex ethical challenges in future cross-cultural projects.

Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of primate communities in Ecuador

One of the fundamental objectives of ecology is to study the relative importance of ecological, evolutionary, and stochastic processes in determining local community structure. Many studies have focused on taxonomic diversity, paying relatively little attention to other dimensions of biological diversity, such as phylogenetic and functional diversity. Little is known about how these dimensions relate to each other, and the ecological processes that influence their variation. In this study, we characterize these three dimensions of biodiversity in 14 primate communities from different ecosystems in Ecuador to understand possible mechanisms responsible for their assembly. Results show that coastal communities are taxonomically less diverse than those from the Amazon and present different functional groups. On the other hand, phylogenetic diversity is higher in Amazonian communities, showing a tendency for overdispersion (high values of MPDPD = mean phylogenetic distance per pair and low PSC = degree to which coexisting species are related). This indicates a possible influence of biological factors, such as competition, on community assembly. For all three dimensions, climatic variables were the most significant predictors of community structure, while vertical forest structure contributed significantly to variation in the phylogenetic dimension. The high functional diversity reported in this study highlights the importance and vulnerability of this group and the ecosystems they inhabit. Macroecological studies, such as the one presented here, allow a better understanding of community structure and provide important information for the development of conservation strategies.

Co-Harboring of Beta-Lactamases and mcr-1 Genes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from Healthy Carriers and Backyard Animals in Rural Communities in Ecuador.

Few studies have addressed drug resistance of Enterobacterales in rural communities in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the coexistence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase genes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains carrying the mcr-1 gene in rural communities in Ecuador from healthy humans and their backyard animals. Sixty-two strains, thirty E. coli and thirty-two K. pneumoniae strains carrying the mcr-1 gene were selected from a previous study. PCR were performed for the presence of ESBLs and carbapenemase genes. The strains were further characterized, and the genetic relationship was studied with multi-locus sequencing typing (MLST) of seven housekeeping genes. Fifty-nine of the sixty-two mcr-1 isolates (95%) harbored at least on β-lactam resistance gene. The most prevalent ESBL genes were the blaTEM genes (present in in 80% of the E. coli strains) and the blaSHV gene (present in 84% of the K. pneumoniae strains). MSLT analysis revealed 28 different sequence types (ST); 15 for E. coli and 12 for K. pneumoniae, with most ST never described in humans and animals. The coexistence of mcr-1 and β-lactams resistant genes in E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains is alarming and threatens the efficacy of last-resort antibiotics. Our findings highlight backyard animals as a reservoir of mcr-1/β-lactams resistant genes.

An assessment of the impact of formal and informal messages about COVID-19 on the knowledge and practices for prevention and control among rural and urban communities in Ecuador

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of formal and informal messages transmitted to urban and rural communities in Ecuador, on the knowledge of prevention and control of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Six focus groups were carried out with six to eight people per group through Zoom platform, from August 2020 to April 2021; NVivo 12 software was used for the thematic analysis of the data. Thirty-nine people, including male and female, participated in the study with mean age 39 years. Main outcomes included: use of alternative medicine for prevention and control of COVID-19; religious acceptance; impact of COVID-19 on mental health; lack of understanding and knowledge of the disease; and the mixed messages shared through official and unofficial channels about virus prevention and control. The study demonstrates the importance of using formal channels of communication to transmit accurate information, to reach people regardless of their geographical location.

EIL based on research creation-projects that facilitate English learning and intercultural revitalization for Ecuadorian communities through the arts

UAProyectKids is an EFL community outreach action research project based on the creation of artistic and pedagogical material for learning the English language from Ecuador’s local intercultural experiences. It was implemented at an art’s public university in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where students from different artistic careers take English classes in order to graduate with a B1 level, but also to engage in transdisciplinary practice and creation with this foreign language. A collaborative methodological approach was used to determine how students should create these pedagogical resources while practicing their English in the process of creation throughout the semester. Results were measured by formative examinations and other instruments to record students’ perceptions on project based learning and collaborative sessions from the pedagogical innovation strategy.
 Furthermore, inter institutional cooperation and feedback enabled students to improve the quality of their projects, which included final products such as vocabulary flashcards, illustrated tales, audio books, and animated short films. Moreover, organized field trips to different communities and schools in the coastal and highland regions of Ecuador were able to guarantee the replication of the creative model for practicing English from relevant intercultural contexts that were worked with community members and children. This article is a must-read for any teacher or researcher interested in knowing about project-based learning experiences and its applications in the EFL field. It is also intended for institutions seeking to implement pedagogical innovations that help students awaken their collaborative learning by paying it forward to other learning communities.

Distribution of Dental Fluorosis in the Southern Zone of Ecuador: An Epidemiological Study.

In recent decades, the increase in fluoride exposure has raised the numbers of dental fluorosis in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities In Ecuador, but the last national epidemiological study on DF was conducted more than a decade ago. The objective of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to determine the prevalence, distribution and severity of dental fluorosis (DF) using the Dean index in 1606 schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years from urban and rural environments in provinces that make up the Southern Region of Ecuador. Participants met the inclusion criteria which were age, locality, informed consent document and no legal impediment. The results are presented using percentage frequency measures and chi-square associations. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 50.1% in the areas of Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago, with no significant differences (x2 = 5.83, p = 0.054). The types of DF found most frequently were very mild and mild in all provinces; a moderate degree was more prevalent in Cañar (17%). There was no significant association (p > 0.05) between sex and the presence of dental fluorosis and, with respect to severity, the most frequent degree was moderate at the age of 12 years. The prevalence of dental fluorosis in the area evaluated is high, especially in the light and very light degrees, with a tendency toward moderate levels. It is necessary to carry out studies on the factors that are predisposing to the development of this pathology in the population studied. This research is an update regarding this pathology in Ecuador, so it is concluded that it is necessary to continue developing studies based on the findings obtained, thus contributing to the public health of the country.

The main recommendations to fight human infections caused by avian influenza A (H5) and the way forward in Ecuador

Dear Editor, Influenza viruses are one of the viruses of public health importance because of their propensity of causing epidemics and pandemics. Waterfowls have been shown to be the main natural reservoirs of influenza viruses and humans, as the hosts are often infected with avian influenza viruses such as avian influenza A (H5)1. Last year, November 30, 2022, the health authorities of Ecuador declared a health emergency of 3 months outbreak of avian influenza A (H5) virus in their country, and an epidemiological alert in December 2022 was indicated after the detection of an outbreak of avian flu in poultry farms in the Andean province of Cotopaxi, Ecuador. This outbreak has extended to January 2023, thus prompting them to inform the World Health Organization about the scourge of avian influenza A H5 infection. They reported a case of human infection with avian influenza A (H5) in a 9-year-old girl from a rural area in Ecuador on January 9, 2023. So far, this is the first case of human infection caused by the avian influenza A (H5) virus reported in Ecuador but also in Latin America. This case of human infection has been linked to exposure to poultry animals2. Human cases of infection with avian influenza viruses are usually the result of exposure to life or dead infected poultry as well as contaminated environments3. Currently, bird flu is an incurable disease without treatment. At this stage, there is in fact no sufficiently effective vaccine with marketing authorization2. Hence, posing more public health challenges to the Ecuadorian communities and the world at large. The public health measures such as; health education about the signs and symptoms of avian influenza virus A (H5), good hand hygiene practices, good food handling, etc., should be well implemented at both the rural and urban centres in Ecuador. Emergency preparedness, surveillances and disease control strategies should be closely observed to avoid further infections of avian influenza A H5 and a pandemic that may arise. Also, at each entry and exit points in the country, surveillance, and control strategies should be imposed among travelers as well as restrictions on commercial travel. Also, rapid detection of infection should be done immediately there is a suspected case of avian influenza A H5 in the country. Travelers should avoid contact with animals in markets and should also avoid frequenting places or places that appear to be contaminated with animal faeces. Travelers should strictly adhere and comply to barrier measures, such as; washing their hands often with soap and water or with hydroalcoholic solutions, covering their mouth and nose, avoiding touching their eyes frequently. They should also practice good food safety and personal hygiene measures. These measures would serve to preventing a future pandemic or even an epidemic of avian influenza A (H5). Finally, the Government of Ecuador through its Ministry of Public Health in collaboration and in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) as well as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) should put more efforts in strengthening the health facilities and equipments in Ecuador. Such facilities would include; mobile clinics, diagnosis for rapid detection of infection for a close surveillance of avian influenza in the country. Ethical approval None. Sources of funding None. Author contribution A.A.: conceptualization of ideas and manuscript preparation. A.A., M.O.O., C.B., H.C., J.O., K.L., H.E., F.K.: writing. M.O.O.: supervision; review and comments; and data curation. Conflicts of interest disclosure The authors declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with regard to the content of this report. Research registration unique identifying number (UIN) None. Guarantor Aymar Akilimali. Provenance and peer review Not commissioned, externally peer reviewed.

Use of Informational Brochures on Knowledge of Cataracts in Rural Ecuador.

Background Cataracts are the leading global cause of preventable blindness. Despite the high prevalence of cataracts in rural Ecuadorian communities, no community-wide educational efforts on the impact of cataract-related blindness have been attempted. This study used an educational brochure to assess individual knowledge of cataract blindness before and after the distribution of the brochure. Methods We conducted electronic surveys with 100 patients over the age of 18 who visited the Fundacion Internacional Buen Samaritano Paul Martel (FIBUSPAM) clinic serving the Chimborazo region of Ecuador. Participation in the study included an introduction and written consent followed by a pre-survey. Every patient was given a brochure. After reviewing the brochure, patients were then asked to complete the same survey again. Each survey question received one mark. Knowledge was considered "good" if the subject correctly answered four out of seven questions and "poor" if they scored ≤3. Results Of the 100 patients, 21 had poor knowledge surrounding cataracts. Cataract awareness was lowest in the group without formal education (50%). In addition, 17 participants demonstrated poor knowledge before the informational brochure was distributed, and all improved to "good" knowledge after. Following brochure distribution, there was an improved knowledge of cataract anatomy (correct answer: 32.9% to 94.6%), treatment of cataracts (80% to 95.9%), cataract symptoms (36.7% to 95.9%), age at risk (88.8% to 97.3%), and relationship to blindness (93.5% to 98.6%). In contrast, overall knowledge of the risk factors for cataracts (46.8% to 37%) and prevention of the onset of the cataract (81.3% to 77%) slightly decreased after the brochure was given. Overall, the increase in the number of correct answers after the brochure was not significant (p = 0.25). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is a rare study to assess the effect of informational brochures on cataract knowledge in rural Ecuador. This study was limited by selection bias and did not look at the long-term recall of knowledge. The results of this study suggest that brochures can improve health awareness; however, brochures alone may not be enough. Additional assessments on the use of oral and visual aids are needed. Health education efforts should go beyond simple brochures and focus on innovative strategies to improve health education and communication efforts.

Fuzzy logic-based energy management for isolated microgrid using meta-heuristic optimization algorithms

Rural areas have increased directly with the growth of the world population. Although, isolated rural areas do not have the energy infrastructure to supply essential services such as electricity. In Ecuador, as in the rest of the world, these areas of the rural population usually present access problems due to the topography of the place. This makes the construction of power lines to connect them to the Interconnected National Energy System unfeasible. In this regard, isolated microgrids have emerged as a great solution to cover the energy demands in these locations. However, an optimal implementation of isolated microgrids depends on several factors, such as geographical location, weather conditions, sizing, load demand, operating costs, and social impacts. Therefore, this study proposes the design of a new energy management system (EMS) for isolated microgrids comprising a photovoltaic system, diesel generator, and battery energy storage system (ESS). Since fuzzy logic control (FLC) has proven to be a powerful tool for dealing with the nonlinearities of a microgrid and the application of fuzzy-based EMS for isolated microgrids is rarely reported in the literature, this study proposes the application of an FLC for the EMS's design of an isolated microgrid. The proposed fuzzy-based EMS uses generation and demand forecasts, enhances the operating time of diesel generators (DLG), and takes advantage of the available solar resource to supply the energy required by a community while preserving the ESS lifetime. An adjustment of the FLC parameters by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithms is performed to improve the behavior of the proposed EMS. Furthermore, a battery degradation model is applied to estimate the ESS State of Health (SOH). To highlight the advantages of the proposed approach, a case study in a specific community in Ecuador is presented. In this location, the proposed EMS is compared with an EMS without parameter adjustment developed in previous work, demonstrating improved performance in DLG limits, preserving the battery lifespan by controlling the battery SOC limits more efficiently, and minimizing the microgrid operating costs by maximizing the use of photovoltaic power (i.e., reducing the wasted photovoltaic energy). The results provide evidence that the EMS adjusted with the PSO algorithm presents an enhanced behavior than the one adjusted by the CS algorithm. Finally, the fuzzy-EMS is validated using Matlab® and Hardware-in-the-Loop Typhoon HIL-402 device. Results demonstrate that the proposed approach limits DLG usage, make the most of the available solar resources, and extends the battery life by controlling overcharges and deep discharges.

Bebida milenaria tradicional de la parroquia Sancán y su transcendencia para ser considerada como patrimonio cultural intangible

Introduction the inhabitants of the various indigenous communities in Ecuador have left a deep mark on many of the aspects studied in the country, such is the case of culture, language, ancestral traditions, religion as well as gastronomy. This is why corn chicha is a product cataloged as a traditional drink of the Sancan parish that, due to its characteristics of the region, has been considered a pillar in the gastronomy of Ecuador, in such a way that its importance can be the engine for it to be consider it intangible cultural heritage. Objective Describe the distinctive elements of the millenary drink, corn chicha, as well as its manufacture so that it becomes part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Sancán parish of the Jipijapa canton. Methodology The research was developed within the quantitative paradigm with a descriptive character, a dichotomous instrument of six (6) questions to a sample of eight (8) participants of the project for the study of the ancient drink corn chicha, who have extensively investigated the referred topic and the region. Results The team members responded assertively to the factors related to the development of the corn chicha drink, demonstrating that they know the artisanal manufacture, the ingredients that the product has for its elaboration, as well as the criteria for the elaboration and commercialization to be attached to the established legal norms.

Estrategias para la Gestión Sostenible del Turismo en la Ruta del Manglar, Ecuador

Sustainable tourism has become a paradigm for the development of a community at a global scale. For this reason, the objective of this work was to build strategies for the sustainable management of tourism activities in the Manglar Route located in the Costa Rica community in Ecuador. First, a diagnosis was carried out to analyze the current situation of the tourist area, which implied the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, social and environmental). Second, tourists’ expectations were analyzed to design strategies adapted to the tourists’ expectations. The strategies were defined under the principles of sustainability; for that, participatory techniques were implemented by the active participation of the community. Nine strategies were established which are mainly based on improving tourism activity; the quality of service; training the population in tourism and environmental issues through articulated work between institutions. The strategies proposed contain nineteen projects to respond to the problems and needs of the area. The implications of this study demonstrated the importance of sustainable strategies for the tourism development of the Manglar Route.

Status of the largetooth sawfish in Ecuador and Peru, and use of rostral teeth in cockfighting

Sawfish conservation is a critical concern, yet insufficient baseline data on their presence and status has hindered conservation efforts at national and regional levels. Between 2015 and 2017, interviews were conducted in fishing communities in Ecuador and Peru to assess the historical and current status of largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis. Interviews with cockfighting practitioners in Peru aimed to gauge the use and demand for cockfighting spurs made from sawfish rostral teeth. Our study confirmed the presence of largetooth sawfish in the waters of both countries. Importantly, some fishermen are aware of the value of rostral teeth, which may influence their decisions not to release sawfish alive. Of the interviewees (n = 188), a majority (88%) reported a perceived decline in sawfish abundance during their lifetimes. In this region, as in other sawfish habitats, bycatch and habitat loss pose significant threats. To address these challenges, potential actions include strategic conservation planning, reinforced national and international trade regulations, education campaigns targeting the cockfighting community, public outreach initiatives, and the live release of sawfish specimens. These efforts can enhance the conservation status of largetooth sawfish, particularly in a region isolated from other persisting populations that potentially harbours vital genetic diversity. Furthermore, safeguarding sawfish contributes to the implementation of national instruments like the National Action Plans for Sharks in both countries. Neglecting these threats could perpetuate sawfish capture and mortality in a region where local populations are already severely depleted, elevating the risk of regional extinction. Prioritizing sawfish conservation is imperative to prevent further decline and preserve their ecological importance.

Crossing gender and biogeography to rethink the habitat of a fluvial community in Ecuador

Crossing gender and biogeography to rethink the habitat of a fluvial community in Ecuador

Gender Inequality in the Cocoa Supply Chain: Evidence from Smallholder Production in Ecuador and Uganda

Most cocoa is grown by smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depend largely on the income from cocoa. Today, cocoa production must increasingly comply with social and environmental requirements as the worldwide demand for sustainably produced cocoa is growing steadily. There is, however, insufficient information available on whether the sourced cocoa is produced under gender-equitable conditions. We address this by examining two cocoa supply chains using our own sex-disaggregated survey data from producing communities in Ecuador and Uganda that supply the Swiss market, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Our results show that women in Uganda were highly involved in cocoa production on both male and female managed farms, but their decision-making power was limited to female managed farms. In Ecuador, women were moderately engaged in decision-making yet participated less in cocoa production. Our log-linear regression analyses for both cases showed substantial differences in annual cocoa revenues of farms managed by women compared to those managed by men. Several socio-economic and agronomic factors for which women face structural inequalities largely explain the revenue gap, such as poorer access to productive resources. Indeed, our findings suggest that cocoa production is characterised by high levels of gender inequality, suggesting that private and public sustainability efforts do not sufficiently address gender discrimination. These findings can help design interventions for more gender-equitable rural development that address the complexity of disadvantages in the local context. Offering gender-specific trainings within private programs and promoting women's access to credit by the public sector represent first steps towards gender equality.

Social support in rural communities in Manabi province, Ecuador.

Social support has been found in many contexts, and in urban Ecuador, to be protective of health, particularly in the context of disaster. Fewer studies have explored the presence and impact of social support in rural Ecuador. This study engages a rural community in Ecuador to examine the general levels of social support, differences in social support based on different demographic groupings and relationships among social support and health outcomes and protective health behaviors. A cross-sectional design was used to survey 416 people in a rural Ecuadorian community that had recently experienced an earthquake. Spanish-language versions of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 were applied, as well as questions about demographics and risk reduction behaviors. Body mass index, blood pressure, and cholesterol and blood sugar levels were assessed. Analysis of variance assessed differences in social support among demographic groupings, risk reduction behaviors, and health outcomes. Levels of social support were moderate. Few statistically significant (ie p<0.05) differences in amount of social support received or in sources of social support were found. Men, people 80 years or older, divorced or widowed people, and people living in peripheral areas received less social support than women, people of all other ages, married/cohabitating people, and people living within the village, respectively. Effect sizes of these differences were small. No relationship between social support and health outcomes were found, and few were found for risk reduction factors. These findings indicate that social support may function differently in rural Ecuador than in urban contexts. Those promoting social support in rural communities may wish to focus on community-level, not individual-level, interventions. Limitations of applying an assessment of social support from urban Ecuadorian contexts to rural Ecuadorian contexts are discussed.

Ancestral Rituals Heritage as Community-Based Tourism—Case of the Ecuadorian Andes

This research aims to describe aguacolla’s ancestral ritual in a local community in Ecuador, determining the use of ancestral medicine, the healing process, its sociological antecedents, diagnosis and treatments. A micro-ethnographic design was carried out in the local community with total involvement in the ritualistic process for 20 days, where, in addition to collecting data through participant observation and interviews, a video production of the ritual was generated. As a result, the involvement of religious and cultural syncretism in the ceremony, acceptance of the locals and strengthening of their identity by including symbolisms of the area, the different categories of ancestral medicine were analyzed: wachakhampiYachak for pregnant women and children, yurakhampiYachak for headaches and fever, KakuyampiYachak for bones and rikuyhampiYachak for supernatural diseases. Concluding, the healing experience produced by the “aguacolla” shows that in addition to the healing spectrum, there is also a touristic, historical and patrimonial repercussion in the ceremonies.

Using fuzzy cognitive maps to promote nature-based solutions for water quality improvement in developing-country communities

An adequate strategy for water quality improvement must consider a range of political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) concepts. Nature-based solutions have emerged as promising tools to improve water quality while considering these factors. In this context, fuzzy cognitive maps and the PESTEL approach have been merged to i) identify the principal concepts that affect water quality from different perspectives, and ii) theoretically explore the use of artificial floating islands as a measure of nature-based solution combined with different policies, to find strategies to improve water quality given local conditions. For this purpose, three Ecuadorian communities are used as scenarios. The communities are located in different geographical regions, i.e., páramo (an alpine tundra ecosystem), coastal mangrove, and tropical rainforest. From literature-based research, 40 PESTEL concepts are identified, then local experts recognize relevant concepts related to water quality deterioration regarding local conditions, and the communities develop fully democratic social cognitive maps. The cognitive map from the páramo community is constructed with 17 concepts mainly driven by environment (23%) and economy (23%). The major problem identified is natural water pollutants with the highest centrality value (ci = 12.22). The mangrove community uses 19 concepts influenced by policy (48%), and the major issue is human exposure to environmental pollutants (ci = 16.27). The rainforest community uses 15 concepts related to the economy (40%), and the major problem is the violation of environmental legislation (ci = 15.96). Our pioneer work to predict the future of water management shows that in the worst-case scenario, more than 85% of concepts are affected in all communities. However, the implementation of policy strategies in combination with artificial floating islands demonstrates a large potential for improving water quality. With this study, we provide a novel, inclusive, and locally adapted framework to guide future water management and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal SDG 6.