Conference Agenda

Given the growing concern about the challenges of water management and conservation in mountain systems, it is necessary to adopt sustainable practices and increase the involvement of rural populations in projects and research in their territories, motivating their participation through benefits such as those offered by citizen science, which allows understanding the complexity of territories such as the Cañete River Basin in the Central Andes of Peru. For this reason, we analyze the impact that a scenario of applying the citizen science approach in the MERESE FIDA project would have on the perception of the inhabitants regarding their participation and involvement in the district of Miraflores, Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve. To this end, 122 surveys were conducted on demographic aspects, motivations and limitations of their participation, and the results were processed in spreadsheets and statistical analysis software. It was found that participation in the citizen science approach would increase significantly to at least 75% and could reach up to 93% if the benefits and commitment to the community were emphasized, with a strong correlation with the level of education achieved, the average age of the age group and the generation to which they belong. We conclude that citizen science motivates greater interest in participating in projects because it allows them to obtain knowledge that they can apply to their own livelihood activities, enhanced by the possibility of participating in spaces of analysis and decision making, which is more recurrent among more educated and younger people.

This study addresses the housing challenges in the Garífuna community of Tornabé, emphasizing issues such as overcrowding, unemployment, and the lack of dignified housing. Its objective was to establish criteria for the design of sustainable social housing that respects Garífuna vernacular construction techniques, promoting the future design of culturally sensitive prototypes through key strategies based on community participation and humanitarian engineering. A non-experimental and mixed research approach was adopted, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques to explore and describe the housing problem. Participatory strategies such as workshops, surveys, and virtual focus groups were applied, facilitating the analysis of perceptions, needs, and community challenges. Data collection was complemented by expert feedback and validation of findings by the community. The active participation of the community reaffirmed the effectiveness of the collaborative approach and its impact on the proposal of relevant housing solutions. The findings highlighted priority needs, such as the expansion of modular housing spaces and improvements in kitchen areas. Three prototypes were proposed, integrating key principles and desirable characteristics of sustainable social housing, ranging from 52 m² to 134 m², with capacities for 2 to 12 people, in a proposal of 42 housing units for 120 beneficiaries. The study underscores the importance of community participation in housing design, the need to rescue vernacular construction techniques, and the application of humanitarian engineering and Design Thinking principles. It concludes that the combination of traditional knowledge and innovative design strategies is essential to generate housing proposals aligned with the needs and values of the Garífuna community.

Developing countries face several challenges in nanostores operations management (OM). The impact of adopting new information and communication technologies (ICT) on the performance of nanostores (R) is currently unclear. Therefore, an exploratory study was conducted on 616 nanostores located in 15 departments of Honduras. This study utilized context analysis and a multiple linear regression model to determine how much the independent variables (ICT) and operational management (OM) explain performance (R). The findings indicate a low rate of technology adoption among nanostores, primarily due to issues related to cost, digital literacy, access to technology, and the country’s infrastructure. Nevertheless, at least 30% of these businesses have incorporated technology. Finally, the results show that when nanostores use technology in operations management, their performance improves by 7%. These findings underscore the relevance of the Humanitarian Engineering in Latin America (HELA) approach, which advocates for context-sensitive technological solutions to enhance equity, resilience, and sustainable development in vulnerable communities. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating contextually adapted technological solutions, fostering collaborative processes with distributor companies, and continuously improving management capabilities as essential strategies for enhancing operational performance, sustainability, and competitiveness in vulnerable contexts. As a future research direction, a second phase of data collection extending beyond Honduras to include Colombia and Peru is proposed. This will allow for cross-national comparisons and provide a deeper analysis of the region, contributing to HELA’s mission of promoting context-sensitive innovation and understanding how micro-entrepreneurs in Latin America can leverage technology and quality management for inclusive growth.

This study examines how technological adaptation and Total Quality Management (TQM) foster innovation in nanostores—an essential yet under-researched segment of smallscale retail in emerging economies. Drawing on survey data from 143 nanostore managers in Honduras, cluster analysis reveals distinct adaptation behaviors and highlights TQM’s mediating role in innovation. Findings support five hypotheses: (1) TQM enhances technological adaptation; (2) adaptation drives innovation; (3) nanostores form distinct adaptation clusters; (4) TQM mediates the adaptation–innovation link; and (5) clusters differ in innovation outcomes. Three adaptation profiles emerged—“Technology Leaders,” “Pragmatic Adopters,” and “Technology Laggers”— with higher innovation associated with more adaptive groups. From a Humanitarian Engineering perspective, nanostores function as nodes of inclusive innovation and community resilience. Integrating TQM with context-aware technologies provides a pathway for sustainable, scalable transformation. This research contributes to socio-technical systems theory in vulnerable settings and informs cross-sector strategies to support small retailers through participatory, quality-driven innovation. A strategic framework is proposed to guide future interventions. To strengthen generalizability, future research will expand to Colombia and Peru, offering cross-national insights that advance the goals of Humanitarian Engineering in Latin America.

Currently, more than half of Peru's population is experiencing food insecurity. According to the 2022 report "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World" (SOFI), it is estimated that 16.6 million Peruvians are affected by this situation, with an unprecedented increase in recent years. Additionally, data from INEI (2021) indicate that 25% of the population lives in poverty, while anemia and obesity rates are rising, largely because more than half of the country cannot afford a healthy diet.

The Second Citizen Monitoring of Pesticides in Food (2023) assessed the presence of toxic residues in fresh products sold in 18 supermarkets and markets across the cities of Arequipa, Cusco, Huaraz, and Huánuco. Of a total of 103 samples analyzed, 44.6% were deemed unsuitable for human consumption.

The global crisis, combined with food price inflation and the effects of climate change, further exacerbates the problem. In response, we propose a new design for a domestic smart mini-garden for vegetables, utilizing an intelligent irrigation and nutrient management strategy based on sensors, microcontrollers (IoT), and biodegradable capsules that disintegrate to enable
programmed plant nutrition.

This mini-garden will offer users a practical solution for growing high-quality, pesticide-free produce at home, thus contributing to a healthier diet at a low cost.