Overview on projects coordinated by the IWMI Southern Africa Office
Ongoing IWMI-SA projects
Integrated Water Resource Management for Improved Rural Livelihoods: Managing Risk, Mitigating Drought and Improving Water Productivity in the Water Scarce Limpopo Basin (Led by Waternet):
2004-09
The project aims to contribute to improved rural livelihoods of poor smallholder farmers through the development of an IWRM framework for increased productive use of green and blue water flows and risk management for drought and dry-spell mitigation at all scales in the Limpopo basin
Limpopo Basin focal project (led by ARC-FANRPAN):
2008-09
IWMI leads work package #3 on Water Productivity
Groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa – Implications for food security and livelihoods:
2009-11
Write-up to follow
Models for ImplementingMultiple Use water Systemsfor Enhanced Land and Water Productivity, Rural Livelihoodsand Gender Equity (MUS):
2004-09
Multiple-Use Systems (MUS) is a partnership of professionals from the productive and domestic water sectors and from the research and implementation communities, focusing on multiple-use water services delivery as the most effective way to use water for poverty alleviation and gender equity. The project aims to enhance land and water productivity, improve rural livelihoods and promote gender equity through generation of new knowledge and capacity building.
Smallholder System Innovations in Integrated Watershed Management (SSI):
2004-09
The Smallholder System Innovations (SSI) programme is a multidisciplinary applied research programme with direct relevance to rural development. It addresses the environmental, social and institutional conditions required to enable a sustainable upgrading of rainfed agriculture among smallholder farmers in water scarce tropical and sub-tropical environments. It thereby contributes to livelihood security and poverty alleviation in rural communities of sub-Saharan Africa
Wetlands-based livelihoods in the Limpopo basin- balancing social welfare and environmental security:
2004-09
This project aims to contribute to enhancing food security and improving the livelihoods of wetland-dependent communities by increasing productivity of water and optimizing and maintaining wetland ecosystem services. The project has four specific objectives: (1) Develop and apply a trade-offs based framework for making decisions about allocations of wetland resources to specific uses, including agriculture; (2) Determine the trade-offs among different agricultural uses of wetland water and the trade-offs between each of the agricultural water uses and environmental use; develop guidelines on acceptable levels of wetland water use for agriculture; and encourage this as best practice; (3) Identify as part of the trade-off analysis who benefits among the users, e.g., poor women and men farmers, herders, fisher folk; local business people; etc and (4) Enhance capacity of wetland users, researchers, extension officers, natural resource managers, and policy makers.
Sustainable Management of Inland wetlands in Southern Africa: A Livelihoods and Ecosystems Approach:
2005-09
This project aims to increase capacity for management of wetlands in both government and non-governmental agencies in southern Africa through generation of new knowledge on wetland functioning, and development of sustainable land management options for wetlands
Crop water technology and markets: Increased food security and income in the Limpopo Basin through integrated crop, water and soil fertility options and public-private partnerships (led by ICRISAT):
2005-09
The project goal is to improve food security, incomes and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Limpopo Basin. To achieve this goal, the project will build on past and current collaborative research by national programs and the CGIAR on crop-water productivity in drought-prone areas, innovative approaches to participatory technology development and extension, and new institutional arrangements that link the public and private sector with the smallholder farmer in appropriate market chains
Enhancing the role of wetlands in IWRM for twinned river basins in EU, Africa & South America (WETwiin):
2008-11
The project aims to enhance the role of wetlands in basin-scale integrated water resources management (IWRM), with the aim of improving the community service functions while conserving good ecological status. Specifically it will:
- Identify community based technical & institutional solutions for management of wetlands and river basins with the aim of utilizing the drinking water supply and sanitation potentials of wetlands for the benefit of people living in the basin. This concerns solutions for improving the relevant capacities of wetlands.
- Account for ecosystem functions and values of wetlands. The proposed management solutions should also take care of preserving (and also for improving as much as possible) the ecological values of wetlands.
- Identify strategies for adapting the management of wetlands to the changing environmental conditions.
- Identify solutions and strategies for integrating wetlands into river basin management and planning, by taking relevant national and international policies/guidelines into consideration, and also by accounting for the envisaged community service functions of wetlands.
- Ensure that stakeholders and decision makers will benefit from the project, also after the end of the project.
- Increase the exchange of expertise on wetland management and on IWRM; increase the transferability of results and achieve better international networking; enhancing North-South, South-North and South-South (Inter-African, African – South American) cooperation.
- Increase the capacity of relevant organisations to manage wetlands and river basins in an integrated way.
Water rights in informal economies
2007-09
The project examines the contradiction between the recently adopted water laws and the governments’ goals to improve access to water by small-scale water users in riparian countries of the Limpopo and Volta basins In each country three questions are addressed: a) analysis of the formal water law and its implementation; b) quantification of number and volume of water used by formal and informal water uses; and c) case studies of hydraulic property rights creation in diverse informal settings. On this basis recommendations will be identified for legal and other public support to boost investments in infrastructure by informal water users.
SADC Monitoring IWRM Demonstration Projects:
2006-09
The project aims to compile guidelines for community-based water resource management, based on five pilot projects in which this approach was tested. Country reports and a cross-country ‘lessons learnt’ document corroborate the guidelines.
Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System, Southern Africa (SAKSS-SA):
2006-09
The ReSAKSS-SA aims to identify and assess strategic options for agricultural growth, particularly poverty alleviation in southern Africa by supporting review and learning processes that aim to ensure successful implementation of agricultural and rural development strategies, informing the policy dialogue on the design and implementation of development strategies at regional and country levels and promoting evidence- and outcome-based policy and decision making for the agricultural sector in southern Africa. ReSAKSS-SA supports review and learning processes in the region to contribute to the successful implementation of agriculture and rural development strategies with particular emphasis on CAADP and SADC RISDP. ReSAKSS-SA is based in southern Africa, ReSAKSS-SA is jointly implemented by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), regional and national partners.
Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System
Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support in the Agriculture Sector in Mozambique (Moz-SAKSS)
2008-2011
ReSAKSS country programme for Mozambique: The Mozambique SAKSS programme aims to enhance Mozambican capacity for evidence-based policy making in the areas of agriculture and rural development and poverty reduction. It supports research and capacity strengthening for the implementation of Mozambique’s national agricultural development strategies, at both national and sub-national level.
Competing for water: understanding conflict and cooperation in local water governance:
2007-10
The research programme aims to contribute to sustainable local water governance in support of the rural poor and otherwise disadvantaged groups in developing countries by improving the knowledge among researchers and practitioners of the nature, extent and intensity of local water conflict and cooperation and their social, economic and political impacts, and how this may change with increased competition for water.
International IWRM Training Program 2009
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| Research Priority |
Status |
| Systemwide Initiative on Malaria and Agriculture (SIMA) (2000-2006) |
On-going |
| The SIMA purpose is to promote research and capacity building that will increase the understanding of the links between malaria and agriculture, and to validate innovative interventions that could strengthen and complement existing malaria strategies in clearly-defined settings. |
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| IWMI-IPTRID Collaborative Research in Irrigation and Drainage (2001-2006) |
On-going |
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Under the framework of The Netherlands Trust Fund for IPTRID-IWMI Collaborative Research in Irrigation and Drainage, research and technology transfer activities under the themes, Program Development, Provision of Content, Research and Analytical tools and Networking, are addressed.
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| African Models of Transboundary Water Governance (2004-2007) Project website |
On-going |
| The project goal is to improve the livelihoods of rural poor women and men through more productive and equitable water use by facilitating hydro-economic cooperation between nations sharing transboundary water resources in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. |
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| Models for Implementing Multiple Use water Systems for Enhanced Land and Water Productivity, Rural Livelihoods and Gender Equity (MUS) (Project website) (2004-2007) |
On-going
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| Multiple-Use Systems (MUS) is a partnership of professionals from the productive and domestic water sectors and from the research and implementation communities, focusing on multiple-use water services delivery as the most effective way to use water for poverty alleviation and gender equity. |
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| Smallholder System Innovations in Integrated Watershed Management (SSI) Project website (2004-2007) |
On-going
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| The program operates in two river basins (the Thukela river basin in South Africa and the Pangani river basin in Tanzania) representing typical semi-arid to dry sub-humid climates. at field, watershed and basin scale together with rural communities studying the potential and consequences of introducing water system innovations to upgrade rainfed agriculture. The program will generate knowledge on the extent to which rainfed farming can sustainably be upgraded and what capacities are required among local farmers, community institutions and formal watershed and basin authorities to make a process of sustainable agricultural water use possible. |
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| Waternet: The Challenge of Integrated Water Resource Management for Improved Rural Livelihoods: Managing Risk, Mitigating Drought and Improving Water Productivity in the Water Scarce Limpopo Basin (2004-2008) |
On-going
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Balancing needs of water for food with other freshwater dependant ecosystem and social services poses a tremendous challenge in the water scarce and poverty stricken Limpopo Basin. The project addressing water productivity in the farmers' fields, options for improved water management, human capacity building, institutional and policy development.
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| Wetlands-based livelihoods in the Limpopo basin: balancing social welfare and environmental security (2004-2008) |
On-going
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The project addresses crop water productivity in wetlands, agriculture in upper and lower catchments, aquatic ecosystems, and integrated basin water management.
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On-going
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To analyze informal water and land arrangements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and to identify policy, legislation, and institutional and infrastructure interventions by governments and NGOs that catalyze sustainable and inclusive institutions for improved water harvesting for livelihoods is the goal of this project.
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| Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System, Southern Africa (SAKSS-SA) (2005-2007) |
On-going |
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This southern Africa based program is one of three regionally focused programs for the implementation of SAKSS in Africa in response to the rural development change facing many sub-Saharan countries, which are characterized by large rural sectors with rapidly expanding populations and stagnating agricultural productivity, both for crops and livestock.
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| Crop water technology and markets: Increased food security and income in the Limpopo Basin through integrated crop, water and soil fertility options and public-private partnerships (2005-2008) |
On-going
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Recognizing that subsistence agriculture alone will neither meet future food needs nor address the growing poverty problem in these drought-stricken environments. There is need to strengthen linkages through a systems approach that integrates improved water and soil management with varietal improvement, markets and other institutional arrangements which facilitate farmer investment in improved production practices.
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On-going
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Southern Africa is endowed with many inland wetlands that, in addition to supporting a variety of flora and fauna and providing various ecosystem goods and services, also support livelihoods through supporting crop and livestock production, supporting aquaculture, and provision of domestic and livestock water. Wetlands also provide materials for handicraft purposes (vegetal materials); for building purposes (clay for brick making); and for fuel (peat and wood). In addition, they have other water supply functions that are extremely important to humans and ecosystems.
There is ample evidence to suggest that there is potential for using water resources in small inland wetlands for small-scale agricultural production. Seasonal water accumulation and shallow groundwater in these wetlands present an opportunity for small-scale farmers to cultivate both in the rainfall and dry seasons. Agricultural practices with water management interventions are followed in the rainfall season, while in the dry season use of residual moisture and shallow groundwater facilitates crop production, resulting in increased land and water productivity and food security.
Despite being attractive ecosystems for agriculture, wetlands are also sensitive environments. On the one hand, they may be exposed to the risks of over-abstraction of water by crops leading to declining water tables locally. On the other hand, downstream areas are vulnerable to the risks of flooding or reduced flows as a result of upstream groundwater depletion. Seasonal or permanent drying up of wetlands caused by land degradation induced by agriculture and other interventions have possible negative impacts on the plant and animal life dependent on the ecosystem, and on the wetland’s ability to perform its natural functions.
While wetland ecosystems have the potential to substantially support livelihoods, continued unplanned development and conversion of wetland ecosystems to agricultural land use could severely compromise not only the multitude of plant and animal species in these wetlands but also the hydrological regime of the river catchments in which the wetlands lie and the livelihoods of people depending on the ecosystems.
Very little is known, let alone quantified, about the fragility of wetland ecosystems and threshold water abstraction and use levels that are needed for sustainable agricultural production while maintaining outflow for downstream users and sustaining the ecosystem. Moreover, the limited knowledge from various disciplines and stakeholder groups remains scattered and is not integrated into an all encompassing framework.
This project aims to address this startling lack of knowledge in order to provide policy and intervention options for ecologically sound wetland-based livelihood strategies. It is based on the premise that wetlands can be managed in a sustainable manner, and that a balance between protection and production can be achieved, ensuring optimal use of wetlands. Such planned use is infinitely preferable to the over-exploitation and inevitable destruction of wetlands and their ecosystems that will ensue from unplanned, unregulated use resulting from human population pressure.
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| SADC Monitoring IWRM Demonstration Projects (May 2006 - December 2007) |
On-going |
| The SADC/DANIDA Regional Water Sector Program has initiated IWRM demonstration projects in five SADC countries. IWMI contributes to this by co-designing and implementing a participatory monitoring methodology and by documenting the processes and impacts of improved water management on poor women’s and men’s livelihoods. |
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