Evaluación y mejora de la implementación del sistema comunitario de alerta temprana y atención al conflicto gente-fauna (SIAT) para la resolución de conflictos entre Humanos y Fauna Silvestre en Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract: This thesis evaluates the Community Early Warning and Response System for Human Wildlife Conflict (SIAT) developed in the Sangay Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor (CCSP), a pioneering initiative in Ecuador that adapts the logic of conventional early warning systems traditionally focused on natural hazards to the management of socioecological conflicts between rural communities and wildlife. The methodology combined an evaluation protocol structured into five subsystems (information, training, evaluation, alert mechanisms, and response mechanisms) with interviews conducted with experts involved in the design and implementation of the SIAT. The analysis revealed an overall compliance level of 66.7%, with relatively strong performance in training (75%) and alert mechanisms (76.2%), but weaknesses in information (63.6%) and evaluation (57.1%). Interviewees confirmed these gaps, pointing out shortcomings in data traceability, the absence of systematic evaluations, and the need for stable funding and clearer interinstitutional coordination. As a result, an integrated table of weaknesses and prioritized improvements was developed, distinguishing between adjustments required at the protocol level and those that demand reinforcement in management and implementation. The study concludes that, although the SIAT is an innovative and community-legitimate tool, its sustainability depends on institutionalizing training, strengthening information and evaluation subsystems, and consolidating interinstitutional governance with multiyear funding.