IDRCSOUTHASIANWATERFELLOWSHIPSREVIEWWORKSHOP‘WATERSECURITY’

TAJVIVANTA,HyderabadMay23,2016

SUMMARY

As a part of the SouthAsiaWater Fellowships (SAWA) project, SaciWATERs organized a reviewworkshopon‘WaterSecurity’withsupportfromIDRCandCapNet.TheworkshopwasheldonMay23,2016inHyderabad.Thepurposeoftheworkshopwastogivefeedbackontheresearchworkdonebythe2ndbatchofSAWAfellowswithanideathatthesuggestionsandfeedbackreceivedwillhelp in developing their research findings into a publishable material. Since, the focus of thefellowship is to bring in interdisciplinary lens into research on climate change and water, theworkshopapartfromprovidingfeedbackalsointendedtoself-evaluatethroughstudents’abstractsintermsof‘howfarhavewereachedintermsofinterdisciplinarity’?

Extended abstracts of each studentwere sent to the external reviewerswell in advance and thereviewers presented their observations during the workshop. In addition the reviewers alsoreflectedoneachstudentsabstractindividuallyandthecommentsweresharedwiththestudents.The reviewersare themselvesengineersbyprofessionwhoeventuallyhave learned, appreciatedand applied interdisciplinary approach to water issues. Apart from the reflections on student’sresearchthereweresessionson ‘InterdisciplinaryapproachtoWaterResourceManagement’and‘ProblemtoProposal’.Theworkshoptargeted18recipientsoftheIDRC-SAWAFellowshipsfromfour institutions in four South Asian countries: Bangladesh (Institute of Water and FloodManagement - Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), India (Centre for WaterResources -Anna University), Nepal (Nepal Engineering College) and Sri Lanka (Post GraduateInstituteofAgriculture–UniversityofPeradeniya).

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND–THESAWAFELLOWSHIPS

South Asia’s agricultural economies are vulnerable to extreme environmental events. Bettermanagementofwaterandothernaturalresourcesisfundamentaltothedevelopmentoftheregion.Climate variability and change, food insecurity, population growth and urbanization haveintensified environmental disasters in the recent past. Poor land andwater resource allocation,utilizationandpollutionhaverobbedthepoor,particularlywomen,oflivelihoodanddignity.Suchbroad,yetclosely linked issuescanonlybeeffectively tackledthroughaholistic interdisciplinaryapproach.TheIDRC-SAWAfellowshipsseektoaddresstheseissues,byprovidingtheopportunityto train a generation of water professionals to tackle water issues using multi-disciplinaryapproachesthataresensitivetowomen,thepoor,environmentandsustainability.

ThisprojectcontinuesaspartofanearlierprojectcoordinatedbySaciWATERsnamelytheCrossingBoundaries project. This project is funded by the International Development Research Centre(IDRC)andisimplementedbySaciWATERsanditsfourpartnerinstitutions,namely.

• Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM) of the Bangladesh University ofEngineeringandTechnology(BUET),Dhaka,Bangladesh

• CentreforWaterResources(CWR),AnnaUniversity,Chennai,India• CentreforPostGraduateStudies,NepalEngineeringCollege(nec),Kathmandu,Nepal.• Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA), University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri

Lanka

The objectives of the project are firstly; to create a new generation of interdisciplinary waterprofessionalsinSouthAsiatrainedtodealwithissuesofclimatechangeadaptation,waterandfoodsecurity, inorder todo this, thisprojecthas instituted the IDRC-SAWAfellowships.Secondly, theproject aims to generate action-oriented research in the aforementioned fields throughMaster’sdegrees in Integrated Water Resource Management in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.Thirdly, it has been noted that women and girls are often the primary users, providers andmanagersofwater in rural andurbanhouseholds, thusbeing themost affectedbyplanning andpolicy in water resources. It has often been seen that women’s voices are not taken intoconsiderationwhenformingpolicy.Additionally,itisseenthatwomenareunderrepresentedinthefield of water resources engineering and policy making. This project seeks to address thisimbalancebyawarding80percentofthefellowshipstowomen;therestofthefellowshipswillbeawardedtomenfromlowersocio-economicgroups.Fourthly,itaimstoshareknowledgeandideasaboutwater issues in theSouthAsiancontext, throughmeetingsandexchangesbetween fellows.This isespecially importantas it fosters thespiritof regionaland trans-boundarycooperation inthe fellows, which would hopefully lead to larger regional cooperation in future. Suchinterdisciplinary, regional and trans-boundary co-operation is essential for IWRM approaches.Fifthly,theprojectsupportsfreeaccesstothejournal“SouthAsianWaterStudies”andencouragesyoungwaterprofessionalstopublishpeerreviewedjournalarticles.

ORGANIZERS

SaciWATERs:theSouthAsiaConsortiumforInterdisciplinaryWaterResourcesStudiesisapolicyresearch institute at Hyderabad, India andworking on the issues of water resources education,capacitybuilding, researchandaction inSouthAsia. It is committed tobringingabout structuralchanges in the dominant water resources management paradigm in South Asia by focusing ontransformingwaterresourcesknowledgesystemsthroughworkingwithuniversitiesandacademicinstitutions.Thekeyideasareininterdisciplinaryapproachtoundertakingwaterresourcesissuesfrom a pro-poor, gendered and human development perspective and emphasis on exchange,interaction and collaboration at South Asia level. SaciWATERs is active in three domains-Education,ResearchandAdvocacy.(www.saciwaters.org)

SPONSORS

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a Canadian Crown Corporation thatinitiates,encouragesandsupportsresearchindevelopingcountriesinordertohelpfindpracticalandsustainablesolutionstosocial,economicandenvironmentalproblemsthatarebeingfacedinthesecountries.Additionally,IDRConthemeansforapplyingandadaptingscientific,technicalandotherknowledgetotheeconomicandsocialadvancementofthoseregions.(http://www.idrc.ca)

Cap-Net UNDP is an international network for capacity development in sustainable watermanagement. It ismade up of a partnership of autonomous international, regional and nationalinstitutionsandnetworkscommittedtocapacitydevelopment inthewatersector.Cap-NetUNDPwas initiatedat theUNDP SymposiumonWater CapacityDevelopment in 1996 and launched in2002by theUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme (UNDP) and theUNESCO-IHE Institute forWaterEducationwith funding fromtheDutchGovernment.Sincethen,Cap-NetUNDPhasgrownintoaglobalhubforcapacitydevelopmentandnetworkinginsustainablewatermanagementwithadditional funding from theSwedishandNorwegianGovernments, and theEuropeanUnion.TheCap-Net UNDP programme is a part of theWater and Ocean Governance Programme of UNDP,withintheSustainableDevelopmentBureauforPolicyandProgrammeSupport.TheprogrammeisexecutedbyUnitedNation’sOfficeofProjectServices(UNOPS),WaterandEnergyCluster.

WORKSHOPOBJECTIVES,PARTICIPANTSPROFILEANDEXPECTEDOUTCOMES

OBJECTIVES

Themainobjectiveof thisworkshopwas toprovide feedbackonwhether andhow the studentshaveincorporatedinterdisciplinarylensintheirresearchandalsotohelpinfillingtheexistinggapsintheirresearchtofurtherdevelopitintoapublishablematerial.

PARTICIPANTSPROFILE

Theparticipantsforthisreviewworkshopwerethosewhowereselectedasfellowsaspartofthesecond batch of South Asia Water Studies (SAWAS) fellowships, from each of the four partnerinstitutes.AllparticipantswerepursuingpostgraduatelevelcoursesinIntegratedWaterResourcesManagement (IWRM).Fellowswere in the lastphaseofcompletionof theirMasters’dissertationwork.

OUTCOMESEXPECTED

It is expected that the students will make use of the constructive feedback received from thereviewersandwillfurtherimprovetheirstudytobeabletopublishthesame.

PROGRAMMEDETAILS

EXTERNALREVIEWERS

• Prof.Dr.PeterMollinga-ProfessorofDevelopmentStudies,SchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudies(SOAS),UniversityofLondon

• Prof.NimalGunawardena-Professor,DepartmentofAgriculturalEngineering,UniversityofPeradeniya,SriLanka

RESOURCEPERSONS

• Dr.AnjuGaur-WaterResourcesSpecialist,WorldBank• Mr.SumitVij-PhDResearcheratPublicAdministrationandPolicygroup,Wageningen

University

FACILITATORS

• Dr.AnamikaBarua-ExecutiveDirector,SouthAsiaConsortiumforInterdisciplinaryWaterResourcesStudies(SaciWATERs).Hyderabad,India

• MsMonicaPriya-ResearchAssociate,SaciWATERs,Hyderabad,India.

PROGRAMMEOVERVIEW

RecapoftheexperiencesfromCBproject

Prof.PeterMollingawasakeypersonbehindconceptualizingtheCrossingBoundaries(CB)project.AtalaterstageProf.NimalbecametheprojectdirectorduringhisengagementwithSaciWATERs.Followingarethehighlightsthatemergedfromthissession:-

• WatereducationinsouthAsiaisengineeringandhydrologyfocusedandthereisanabsenceofsocialcomponent.Thiswasthethinkingthatwentintoconceptualizingtheproject.

• ”Gender”hasalwaysbeenthemostsensitive issueandthehardestchallenges faced intheproject.

• TheprojecthasbeensuccessfulincreatingresourcebaseofbooksandeducationalmaterialsonIWRM.

• Recommendation to establish an alumni group consisting of fellows from the CB and theSAWAproject.

ExperienceSharingbyCoordinators:

ThecoordinatorsfromthePartnerInstitutions(PI)gaveanoverviewofhowtheseprogramshavebeen firmly establishedover the years andhow the fellowshiphas brought a change in thewaywaterresourcemanagementislookedat.AlsotheysharedtheresearchfocusineachofthePI.

Prof.B.V.Mudgal:

• The focus at CWR is examining the issues of watersecurity, food security and livelihood adaptations in thecontext of climate change and climate variability in theVellarRiverBasin.

• To address issues of climate change, a paradigm shift isneeded from exploitative technologies to regenerativetechnologies. The only way to do this is through anintegratedapproach.

Prof.KhemRajSharma

• Student’s research has been able to capture a wide number of issues relating to waterquality,livelihoodintegration,ecosystemservices,institutionalandpolicyprocesses,watersecurityandmanagement.

• Oneof themajorachievementsatnechasbeenstarting the IWRMprogramme,which isauniqueprogrammeinthecountryandismuchappreciated.

• The institution has been able to disseminate the ideologies of IWRM to other academicinstitutionsthroughworkshops.OnedistinctachievementinthisregardhasbeenthattheseinstitutionshavestartedcoursesrelatingtoIWRM.

Ihavegainedalotofexposurefrom these projects. I am aconverted person although ahard-core civil engineer byprofession with hydraulicsbackground-ProfB.V.Mudgal

Prof.ShahjahanMondal:

• The SAWA fellowship project has beeninstrumental in shaping the academic programatBUET.

• Thefellowshipprogramhashelpedinrecruitinggood students in terms of commitment,seriousnessandqualityofwork.

Dr.DhammikaDayawansa:

• Theresearchfocusis inDeduru Oya area in Sri lanka as there is a issue of water scarcity here during the dry season.

• The student’s research also looks into the areas of water quality, soil erosion and health and sanitation aspects.

ReflectiononSAWAfellows’research;Prof.Nimal:

Extendedabstractofthestudentswassenttotheexternalreviewers.Basedontheseabstractsthereviewersmadeobservationsandcomments.Prof.Nimal structured thepresentation thatgaveabriefoverviewofeachoftheresearchprojectandtheconcludingremarks.Hecategorizedthe18projectsintothreecategoriesbasedontheirareaoffocus.

1. Impactsofclimatevariability(3projects)2. Assessmentandtheimpactofclimatevariabilityusingcasestudies(9projects)3. Projectstryingtocomeupwithcertaininterventionstocopewithimpendingclimatechange

(6projects)

Heobservedthatall theseprojectshavetwobasiccomponents.Onecomponent isrelatingtothetechnicalaspects,whichisunderstoodasusingdifferentmodelsinordertopredictclimatechange.Theothercomponentistogotothefield,meetthecommunity,usevariousPRAtoolsandthentrytoincorporatetheneedsofthesocietyandtryingtomatchtheclimatechangescenario.Followingarehisremarks:

Remarks:

• Alltheprojectshaveaddressedrelevantandcurrentissues.• Alltheprojectshaveusedfieldresearchmethodologylikequestionnairesurvey,FGDs,KPIs,

transectwalketc.Althoughthisisappreciatedthereisagapofinterdisciplinaryfocus.• Genderaspectshavebeenincludedinfewoftheprojects.• Useoftechnologicalaspectintheprojectshasbeenverywelllookedafter.• Themost interesting aspect seen is combining technology and social science. Someof the

techniques, indices and frameworks that have been used by the students to integrate

BUET is a technical university andwhenwegoforinterdisciplinarycoursecurricula it isnoteasy toget itpassedthrough the academic council. Butthere is a great sense that people areaccepting this and it seems thatinterdisciplinary aspect is gettingmainstreamedintheuniversity.

technological aspects into social aspects are new.Staff and the students need to beappreciatedonthis

This was followed by a short discussion with the students on ‘Do you find it easy to link thetechnological informationwith the field findingsandyourexperiencesandchallenges in thefield’?

Followingweretheresponsesfromstudents

• Lack of rapport building due to lack of time. This therefore restricts the interaction toquestionandanswermode.

• Lackofconfidencebuildingwiththecommunitythatishinderingthedatacollection.• Themajor challenge inNepal hasbeen thedevastation causedby the earthquakes,which

hinderedinthefieldwork.Anotherissuehasbeenfindingtherightpersontointerview,aspeopleweredislocated.

Asafinalobservationitwassuggestedthatthestudentsincludealltheproblemsandconstraintsencounteredintotheirthesissothatthefinaloutcomeisjustifiable.

ReflectiononSAWASfellows’research;Prof.Mollinga:

ProfessorMollingatalkedaboutthecollectionasawhole.Helookedatitfromaquestionon‘Howfarhaveyoureachedintermsofinterdisciplinarity?’Followingaresomeobservations:

• Theideaofparticipatorymethodsindatacollectionhas really gone in, in the form of focused groupdiscussionsand interviewseventhough it isapartof a technical study.This is a very positivedevelopment.

• Thereisatendencyinthepaperssomewherethatweareinterdisciplinarybecauseweareusingparticipatorymethods.

• Doingthiskindoffieldworkbringsoutalotofissuesofrapportbuildingwithyourresearchpopulation, yourpositionality,the local politics, the complexity, and contested nature oflocalissuesandimpacts.Thesekindofissueshavetobewritteninthemethodologysectionbecausetherewillbealotoflearningfromthisinthefuture.

• ThenatureoftechnicalsciencesandnaturalSciencesononesideandtheSocialSciencesontheotherisdifferent.Itisaforceddichotomy.Thereisatypeofresearchthatisverystronginthepapersisfieldworkisaboutdatacollection.

• Anthropology, Sociology and certain kinds ofEconomicsare not about data as such.It is about

The scope of Data Collection hasdefinitely improvedas compared toconventionalengineeringprograms

Interdisciplinarity≠usingparticipatorymethods

Interdisciplinarityisabouthowdoyou combine the data collectionpart of your researchwith thisslightly different way of thinkingonthesocialrelationsside

investigatinganddocumentingrelations,causalities,processesetc.• OntheSocialSciencessidethereisverylittletheoreticalgroundingthat'llhelpyouthinkand

aninterdisciplinarywaywhilethereissufficientliteraturereviewdoneonthetechnicalaspect.

Whatisinterdisciplinary?

Interdisciplinaryisaboutwickedproblems.Therearetwoelementsofwickedness.

• Theyareanalyticallywickedthatistheyarecomplex.o Theyaremulticausalandmultidimensionalandtheyarenotsimpleorlinearo To defend interdisciplinarityas a front lineof academic pursuituse the word

complexity.Complexityinthissensemeansmultiplecausesworkingtogetheratthesametimeandinfluenceeachother.

• The second element of the wickedness iskind of political wickedness,that there isnotonebestsolution.

One way to operationalizethese two forms of wickednessisby the notion ofproblem shed.Aproblemshedislikeaconceptualconstructinwhichyoumodelwhatexactlyyourresearchquestionis.

The concluding observation made was what is the capacity of that kind ofinterdisciplinaryconceptualmodellingofResearchquestion?Doyoufeelsufficientlypreparedforthat?Basedontheabovementionedconceptsthepaperswereclassifiedasinterdisciplinary,poordisciplinaryandsomethinginbetweenthesetwo.Thiswasfollowedbyagroupdiscussionwhereineachcountrygroupwasaskedtodiscusstwoquestionsandthencomeupwithfewkeypoints.

1. Whatcouldhavebeendoneorwhatshouldhavebeendonetoprepareyouforthistypeofinterdisciplinaryintegratedresearch?

2. Whatdemandsorsuggestionsdoyouhaveforyourteachersandtheinstituteswhileyoustudy,tobeabletodoitmoresuccessfully/efficiently?

Discussionhighlights:

• AResearchtimeframetobedesignedandfollowed• Developing rapport and establishing contacts in the fieldmuch before the start of actual

fieldwork.• Reviewers of our work in the university from both sociology and natural sciences

background• Thereisaneedtostrengthentheconceptuallearning• Moresupportingliteratureoninterdisciplinaryresearch• Moretimeisneededindecidingtheresearchproblem

Theideaofcomplexsystemistheacademicversionofsayinginterdisciplinarity.

• Readingmaterialsavailablearemoretechnicalinliterature.Insufficientreadingmaterialoninterdisciplinaryresearchtomakeasoundbasis.

• Bringinmoreinterdisciplinaryfaculty• Groupresearchinthe1stsemester

InterdisciplinaryapproachtoWaterResourcesManagement:Dr.AnjuGaur

Dr. Gaur laid emphasis on the need of interdisciplinary water professionals in todays’ world inorganizations likeWorldBankand invariousothergovernmentdepartments.Professionalswithsuchskillsareimportanttomakeprojectsfunctional.InthisregardshequotedanexampleofMinorIrrigation project funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Government. Dr. Gaurmentioned how the presence of only engineers and absence of social scientists in such projectsrelating to technology, social welfare and environment can hamper the implementation and thefunctioningoftheproject.

ProblemtoProposal:Mr.SumitVij

The sessiongaveabrief introduction to themain componentsof aproposal. Followingwere thehighlightsofthesession.

• Writingproposal isbothaboutscienceandart. It istheartofwritingandscienceofwhatyouaredoing

• Interdisciplinary thinking and writing should start from the moment you start thinkingabouttheproposal

• Thetwoimportantcomponentsofaproposalareitsscientificandsocietalrelevance.

PROGRAMMEAGENDA

TIME PROGRAM RESOURCEPERSONS

9:30–10:00 Registration

10:00–10:15WelcomeAddress

Dr.AnamikaBaruaSettingthecontextoftheWorkshop

10:15–10:30 IntroductionoftheReviewersandtheResourcePersons Ms.MonicaPriya

10:30–11:00Recapoftheexperiencesfrom

theCBprojectsinceitsinception

Prof.PeterMollinga

11:00–11:20TeaBreak

11:20-11:45 Experiencesharingbycoordinators

Dr.DaywanasaProf.B.V.Mudgal

Prof.KhemRajSharmaProf.ShahjahanMondal

11:45–13:00 ReflectionsonSAWASfellowsresearch Prof.Nimal

13:00–13:45Lunch

13:45–14:45 ReflectionsonSAWASfellowsresearch Prof.PeterMollinga

14:45–15:15 InterdisciplinaryapproachtoWRM Dr.AnjuGaur

15:15–15:45TeaBreak

15:45–16:45 ProblemtoProposal Mr.SumitVij

16:45–17:00 VoteofThanks Ms.MonicaPriya

LISTOFRESEARCHTOPICS

S.NO NAME TOPIC COUNTRY1 Aniqua Valuation Of Ecosystem Services Of Tidal River

Management In Pakhimara Beel: An Ecosystem Based Approach To Ensure Water Security

Bangladesh

2 Archana Chaudhary Impact of Climate Variability on Ground Water Security of Lower Bagmati Basin of Nepal

Nepal

3 Arivoli Elangovan Role Of Rehabilitated Tanks In Improving Water Security In Gomuhi Sub Basin Of Vellar Basin

India

4 Bandana Shrestha Water Security Situation in Upper Bagmati Basin in Present and Future Climatic Scenarios

Nepal

5 Durgadevi Gnanaguru A Study Of Agriculture And Domesticwater Footprint And Its Impact On Water Security Of Veppanthatai Block Of Vellar Basin

India

6 Hemalatha Murugesan Role Of Water Users’ Associations In Improving Water Security- A Case Study Of Upper-Vellar Sub-Basin

India

7 Hemanthi Dhammika Small scale water interventions for improving livelihood of rural smallholder farmer in a selected small tank cascade system in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

8 Jyoti Dahal Effect of Urbanization and Urban water extraction on water security of Jhaukhel

Nepal

9 K. Kirinde Water regimes cum enhanced ecosystem as an adaptation for climate variability in paddy cultivation

Sri Lanka

10 Manina Baidya Potential of Wastewater Reuse for Water Security in Agriculture: A Case of Harisiddhi Wastewater Treatment System

Nepal

11 Nishanka Jayasiri Impact of deduru oya dam construction on downstream environment --assessment of environmental flow

Sri Lanka

12 Pradeep Kumara Identification and Assessment of Technical and Socio-economic Aspects in Cultivation Other Field Crops (OFC) in Bayawa Minor Irrigation System

Sri Lanka

13 Priyadarshini Impact Of Crop Diversification On Water Use And Water Security At Village Level

India

14 Ramani Saumyarathna Effect of Climate Variability on Water Access, Allocation, Productivity and Conflicts in Hakwatuna Oya Watershed in Deduru Oya basin

Sri Lanka

15 Samiul Kader Khan A Comparative Study on Assessing Gender Perspectives for Adopting Different Farming Practice in Coastal Upazila of Tala in Satkhira

Bangladesh

16 Sivaranjani Umapathi Rainfall Variability Under Changing Climate: An Impact Study On Drinking Water Security At Village Level

India

17 Shyam P Pant Management And Conservation Of Water Resources In Bagmati Basin

Nepal

18 Sumayyah Tehsin Assessing Agricultural Water Security In Different Agro-Ecosystems Of Southwest Bangladesh Using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Bangladesh