Flores, Acaparamiento del Agua y Responsabilidad Empresarial Social: Certificación de la producción de rosas y reclamos por la justicia ambiental en el Ecuador

Commercial production of flowers, accumulation of water, and social struggles for equitable distribution and a healthier environment have an intimate relationship. Ecuador is the third world exporter of roses. Cayambe-Tabacundo is the main production region and counts with major water conflicts.
Large floriculturists accumulate water, leaving the rest for subsistence agriculture and livestock in indigenous communities. Floriculture uses private environmental and fair-trade certification, but the standards are permissive. This article analyzes the power relations that steer flower certification practices. It concludes that only after pressure from government agencies, NGOs and user associations, floriculture began to meet the standards.