Water Management in Africa and the United States

Worcester Polytechnic Institute16 June 2004

Stakeholders and stakeholder involvement in water

management in Namibia

Political framework for management of water, rivers and basins in Namibia

Article 95 [i]:The State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the

people by adopting policies aimed at… the maintenance of eco-systems, essential ecological processes and biological diversity of Namibia.

Forestry Act, 2001protection of riparian vegetation“an offence to harm, Injure or remove any living tree, bush or shrub

within 100 m of any river, stream or watercourse”limits soil erosion

Draft Environmental Management Act“equitable access to sufficient water of ecological systems shall be

fulfilled to insure the sustainability of such systems”adequate environmental flows available

DRAFT DRAFT WATER BILLParagraph 40

“The Minster may ... reserve part or all of the flow of a watercourse, including the water stored in a public reservoir, and any groundwater resources to –

[b]reasonably protect aquatic and wetland eco-systems, including their biological diversity and to maintain eco-system functions.

Determinations[of this reserve] … are binding and shall be taken into account in the licensing of water abstractions … use of a reserved water resource may be allowed … if such use is compatible with the purpose of the reserve.”Chapter 4: Basin Management Committees

21. Establishment of Basin Management Committees(1) For the purpose of better managing the water resources of the basins

within Namibia, the Minister, upon his or her own initiative, or upon application of stakeholders within a basin, by notice in the Gazette-(a) establish a management committee, give it a name and identify and determine its water management area;provided that the members ofthe committee shall be appointed by stakeholders within the basin …”

What is needed to make stakeholder participation effective?

-Structure through which to work-Representation mechanisms*-Decision making processAlso:-Reason/ objective for participating -Identified benefits, results, outcomes-Clear plan: goal, milestones, M&E process*

Facilitation and Communication

Who we work with

• Scientists• Donors• Communities• Farmers• Municipalities• Government ministries, departments, directorates• NGOs• Students• Technicians• Extension officers• …and many more!!

Communal farmsTopnaar

Community

Walvis Bay

Approx. 50,000 inhabitants

Large fishing industry

Levels of participationLevels of responsibility

-Being participated -Extractive participation (indigenous knowledge)-Consultative (help define challenges)-Collaborative (help define challenges and solutions)-Collegiate (work together to strengthen informal systems)-Advisory

Facilitation and Communication

Concepts we work with

Integrated Water Resource Management

Water Demand Management

Basin Management

Stakeholder involvement

Environmental Learning and Action in the Kuiseb:

Implemented by: Desert Research Foundation of Namibia

Funded by: European Union

Working towards basin management in Namibia

Based within the Kuiseb Ephemeral River Basin, one of the westward flowing ephemeral rivers in Namibia.

Objectives and activities focus on Stakeholder involvement and participation.

Implementing decision making by those living and involved in the basin.

Promoting information generation and sharing within the basin by all stakeholders.

Developing and testing a Basin management approach

Process towards formation of a Basin Management Committee.

Overview of ELAK

Figure 1: Model of interactive process and planning for the project

Dissemination of results

Continuous monitoring, evaluation, adjustment

DRFN facilitator

Consultative workshops

Develop options for testing

Adaptation of tested options

Future desirable condition of catchment

(common vision)

•DRFN•Gobabeb Training and Research Centre•DWA

•Hydrology•Geohydrology•Planning

•DRWS•NWRMR•Commercial farmers•Commercial Farmer Associations•Communal farmers•Topnaar community•Walvis Bay Municipality•Donor community•CETN

Stakeholders and Partners•Regional Councils of Khomas and Erongo Regions•DEES, MAWRD•NCCI•Rössing Mine•NamWater•DEA, MET•NBP,DEA•MME•National,Regional and International Scientists•SwakopmundMunicipality•MET Parks•… and many others.

Participatory approach: Stakeholder forum

Training and Capacity Building

Training Activities and Exposure Trips

Training June 2002

Lauberville + Joel Kooitjie(Ag. Ext)

Topnaar Community

Training given in livestock management for the Topnaar community

Exposure trip June 2002

Spitzkoppe Joel Kooitjie

Topnaar Community members

Part of the livestock training activity Exposure to another community practising livestock management

Exposure trip July 8th

2002To Gibeonin the South

Rudolf Dausab,Chief Kooitjie

Topnaar community members

Study tour undertaken by the Topnaar Community Development Committee.

Training August 2002

Salomon Boois(Community Mobiliser)

Basic management training for Water Point Committees as well as Community Development committees for the TopnaarsExposure trip Septemb

er29th 2002

To North and North -west

FIRM and community based tourism activity training

Exposure trips

FIRM approachFIRM in brief

A way to ‘pool projects and programmes that have a common philosophy and approach to focus on developmental issues’ and in all developments ‘put communities in the driver’s seat’.

1. Formation of BMC in line with FIRM approach to out basin community members in the driver’s seat of their own development and water management

2. Being introduced to Topnaar community through ELAK project

Part of larger networkELAK in line with:Draft Water Bill and Water Policy

International environmental conventions:

CCD- Helping to combat desertification through water basin management

CBD- Helping to preserve biological diversity through management of resources within the basin

Vision 2030

Global Water Partnership

Participation in World Environment Day

Participation in World Desertification Day

Basin Management: 2 bodies

Forum

•These meetings for the stakeholders forum will continue even when the basin management committee has been formed.

•Forum can be used by the committee to gain information, discuss issues and be given feedback on work done and decisions made by the committee.

Core Committee

•14 members representing sectors of the basin

•Decision making on basin management within the basin

•Can get input from the Forum

•Report to higher officials on the basin

Future Plans of ELAK

ELAK project

Interactive sharing of information, lessons learnt and model with:

•Other basins

•Rest of Namibia

•SADC

Map of the Okavango basin, showing all contributing drainage systems

GoalGoalPromote the sustainable management of natural resources in the Okavango River

Basin for the benefit of basin residents and states, through promoting and facilitating the

effective participation of basin stakeholdersin natural resource decision-making and

management, particularly related to water resources.

The OBJECTIVES of the project are two-fold:

1. To increase the capacity of communities and other local stakeholders to participate effectively in decision making about the natural resources of the Okavango River Basin, particularly those related to water resources, at local, national and regional (basin-wide) levels.

2. To develop mechanisms to promote and facilitate the participation of communities and other local stakeholders in natural resource management and decision making, particularly those related to water resources, at local, national and basin-wide levels.

Problem:Declining River Health

Causes:Silting, erosion and dirty water

(turbidity)Pollution – Urban, Local and

ChemicalDecline in water volumeChannels becoming blocked and

in some cases drying up

Suggested Solutions:Protect riverbanks and riparian forestsAvoid cultivation too close to the riverbanksAvoid cultivation on dunes facing the riverProtect flood plains and reed banks lining the riverDredge the river and sell the sand to buildersRe-open channels blocked by vegetation by protecting hippo populations

Causes:Conflict between different land usesPoor relations between inland and river residentsAngolan refugees exerting pressure on land, natural resources and social

infrastructureResources over-utilised without permission (outsiders)Settlement encroachment Community not committed to help itself Alcohol problems in the community – apathy, disinterestSales hampered by unfair prices, lack of markets & transport Lack of education, knowledge & expertise Lack of information on traditional laws Legal restrictions on access to resources

Suggested Solutions:Community based approach to manage and control access to resources Develop guidelines for harvesting of natural resources Develop incentives and opportunities for marketingPromote co-operation between inland & river residentsEmpower traditional authoritiesSafari operators and support agencies to train communities and /or employ local

peopleCommunity involvement in formation of laws and local strategies on natural

resources and management practicesFacilitate sustainable use and conservation

Problem:Social Concerns

Botswana Schools Competition

In Botswana a competition was held at schools whereby learners were invited to submit materials such as pictures, poems and essays focusing on their natural resources.

The winning materials were then compiled into a book which is to be distributed amongst schools in order to raise awareness about the Okavango river system.

Information leafletsSeveral informative

leaflets are being produced – such as a brochure outlining who, what and where is OKACOM.

Other pamphlets planned include:

1) Information on the river and its basin

2) Information on resources such as reeds, fish, trees…

Printed in:

1. English

2. Portuguese

3. RuKavango

4. Setswana

A Profile of the Kavango Region in

Namibia

“Sand and Water”

- Released in August 2003

Water and Environmental Resources in Regional Development

WERRD• Focused on the Okavango Basin• Awareness, information exchange, training

and appropriate management• EU funded project with multiple partners• DRFN in WP4 &5 Socio-economics, WP7

which consists of preparing information materials for distribution in the Okavango Basin

WaterNet• Affiliated to GWP, WaterNet focuses on training and capacity building in IWRM

• Participate in training courses design, give training where required

• WaterNet partners in Namibia will host the WaterNetWarfsa Symposium in October 2004

• Namibian partners make use of WaterNet for their professional development

Stockholm University Geography Excursion (SUGE)

• Undertaking small scale geography studies in the Kuiseb basin

• Exploring bio-physical and socio-economic factors of water and resources use, livelihoods, urban management

• DRFN in Partnership with Polytechnic of Namibia facilitate research and involvement by students from WPI • This year (2004) students studied WDM practices in Windhoek• Their study forms part of a larger WDM study in Windhoek

Objectives of WPI component •To understand water use by people in two different settings in Windhoek• To communicate results of the investigation to a variety of interested stakeholders

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WPI

Summer Desertification Project SDP

SDPs dealing with water and ephemeral rivers:

– SDP 2: Water use patterns in Kuiseb basin– SDP 8: Determination of environmental reserve for the

Kuiseb basin– SDP 9: Water Balance Model for Kuiseb basin– SDP 12: Water Balance, sustainable use and management

in Omaruru basin

Floodwater Recharge of Alluvial Aquifers in Dryland Environments

WADE

• Project Purpose

To use newly developed methodologies,technologies, and approaches in: • evaluating long term transmission

losses,• recharge into alluvial aquifers, and • water resourcesin selected semi-arid to hyperarid ephemeralStreams from Israel and Spain and similarriver catchments of selected AfricanCountries (Namibia and South Africa).

What are the draw-backs of participation?

-People very busy, no time to get on with their lives and assigned work-Conflicting requests, responsibilities, requirements-Differing levels of accountability from partners-Exacerbates the gap between rich and poor-Benefits of participation draw others to group (from town; men when women gain cash benefits)

Take Home Message

• Yes, stakeholder participation is important

• No, stakeholder participation in itself is not the answer

• Clarification of the status of ‘participants’, ’stakeholders’ and ‘service providers’ is one important key to successful participation by all concerned

People Centered Approach

Thank You

Water Activities at DRFN

Land management

Watermanagement

Energy management

Ephemeral rivers: ELAKWADE

Perennial rivers: WERRDERP

Training: SDPWPISUGEWaterNet

Network: GWPAwareness raising and information dissemination

Projects in the Pipeline!!

• Sustainable Management in Arid/Semi Arid Southern Africa

• Flood recharge into Arid Alluvial Aquifers along Western Namibia rivers

• Basin Management in the Swakop and Omaruru River basins

Environmental Flows Requirements for Ephemeral Rivers in Namibia (EFER)

Why EFER?This research programme aims to develop a methodology to assess the ecological water requirements of Namibia’s ephemeral rivers

The Kuiseb river will be used to test the methodology due to its data availabilityThe project will have links with existing projects in the Kuiseb basin

Water Desk at DRFN

Goal: To achieve sustainable use and management of natural resources in Namibia and the rest of the SADC region.

Purpose: Enhance co-ordination and information sharing of activities addressing water and water related issues in Namibia.

Products / OutputsArticles for magazines

Brochures

Kuiseb Basin Profile

Literature compilation

Materials

Papers

Plans

Posters

Presentations