Water Resource Management

During the last 20 years, in-depth reforms and new policies in the water sector have been taking place in many emerging and developing countries, in Africa and worldwide, based on principles of resource allocation and institutional development. Such reforms involve the decentralization of water management, integrated management at river basin level, setting-up new agents and institutions at local levels, and the development of alternative environmental, social, economic and policy frameworks and tools. Such changes often take place within the context of increasing resource scarcity, increasing competition between diverse users, rapid urbanization processes, marginalization of rural and peri-urban areas, and pervasive poverty, food insecurity and inequality. New governance over water resources and its allocation is currently being shaped. New organisations are being established, and new institutions are arising, determining the rules of the game.

The core idea of the workshop is to create an opportunity for exchange, discussion, and knowledge and experience sharing between research teams, and policy and development agents. The emphasis is on water management for local sustainable development, through proper and sound governance, institutions and policies. The focus is rural development, although interactions between urban, peri-urban and rural water uses will also be addressed.