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Water projects linked to China advance in northern Peru after years of delays, while farmers face billions in losses, lack of irrigation, and collapse in water supply in one of the country’s most important agricultural regions.
The government of Peru has chosen China to provide technical assistance for two of Piura’s main water projects in the north of the country, in an attempt to unblock works that have been expected for decades and reduce the impacts of drought, insufficient irrigation, and failures in water supply.
Among the initiatives contemplated are the Alto Piura Special Irrigation and Hydroelectric Project and the reinforcement of the Poechos system, considered strategic to expand water supply for agriculture, human consumption, and also energy generation in one of Peru’s most important agricultural areas.
Drought in Piura exposed fragility of water system
In the community of Cieneguillo, known for its lemon and mango production near the northern Peruvian coast, farmer Yhon Silupú Córdova is still trying to cope with the effects left by the drought, after losing two hectares of crops that remain unrecovered.
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The loss was estimated at almost 33,000 soles, about US$10,000, a significant amount for a region where small producers directly depend on regular rainfall and irrigation infrastructure to maintain agricultural production.
In addition to affecting crops, the water crisis recorded in 2024 impacted urban areas and compromised entire export chains in northern Peru.
Estimates attributed to the Piura Chamber of Commerce indicate that losses reached 1.3 billion soles, while almost 60,000 jobs were at risk in activities related to the cultivation of rice, mango, lemon, and grapes.
While families came to rely on water trucks and improvised reservoirs in cities, rural producers faced disputes over access to water, a scenario that led authorities to mobilize the Army to protect supply structures in Piura.
Despite reduced rainfall exacerbating the situation, producers and experts point out that structural problems linked to water management had already been pressuring the region for several years.
Data from the Piura Region Water Plan shows that 63% of the more than 725,000 hectares with productive potential still do not have an irrigation system, a situation that increases the vulnerability of agricultural activity during prolonged periods of drought.
Poechos Reservoir lost capacity over the decades
Inequality in access to water also appears in licenses granted since 2010.
A study published in 2024 indicated that large agricultural export companies received 93% of water authorizations in Piura, even in a context of increasing scarcity.
Urban supply faces another bottleneck.
The Piura Sanitation Services Company estimates a demand of 2,400 liters per second of potable water, but effective production is around 1,500 liters per second.
Treated water comes from the Curumuy station, supplied by the Poechos reservoir and about 30 underground wells.
The difference between demand and production leaves thousands of residents without continuous supply and forces part of the population to seek precarious alternatives.
Poechos is Peru’s largest reservoir and turns 50 in 2026.
Designed to store up to 1 billion cubic meters, it has lost much of its original capacity due to sediment accumulation and management problems.
Even reduced, the system remains essential for Piura.
The Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation states that Poechos covers approximately 105,000 hectares of irrigation and sustains water supply for agricultural and population use.
The revitalization under study may include dredging, expansion, and construction of complementary reservoirs, as well as alternatives for capture and storage.
The regional government reported that the Chinese selection occurred after evaluating proposals from China, Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal.
Alto Piura Project foresees dam and 33-kilometer aqueduct
The Alto Piura project foresees a dam, a 33-kilometer aqueduct, and two hydroelectric power plants.
The official goal is to irrigate 50,000 hectares, with 19,000 being new agricultural areas and 31,000 designated for improving already cultivated land.
The project is also considered a relevant component for electricity generation, with a projected installed capacity of 300 megawatts.
Due to its scale and history of delays, the undertaking is seen as one of the most anticipated in northern Peru.
China’s selection occurs in a region that already has a strong export presence.
Piura sends mango, lemon, avocado, and grape to the United States, Europe, and Asia, while the Chinese market has gained ground among the commercial destinations for regional production.
Experts warn of political and financial obstacles
Experts, however, warn that technical assistance alone does not resolve political, administrative, and financial obstacles.
Biologist Mario Montero, from the National University of Piura, told Dialogue Earth that the impediment is usually political, not technical.
“Every year, a new budget is announced to move them forward, but this does not happen.”
Economist Miguel Zapata, from the Regional Institute for Water Resources Management Support, advocates for a rigorous contractual design to avoid future disputes.
According to him, funding failures and legal loopholes could lead to repetitions of stoppages already seen in similar works.
The Peruvian presidential campaign adds uncertainty to the timeline, with a second round scheduled for June 7, 2026, amidst questions about the tabulation of the first electoral round.
Changes in government, according to local experts, often affect the continuity of public works.
For producers like Silupú, however, the discussion still seems far from the dry land.
Without enough water and with crops not fully recovering, the immediate priority remains the same as he summarized in Cieneguillo. “Water is urgent for us.”
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