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Valuing Water as the SADC Region Struggles with Climate Change Impacts

GEF-The World Bank-SADC GMI Project

By IW:LEARN

March 22^nd, 2021

GEF IW:LEARN World Water Day 2021 Special Bulletin

As we celebrate the World water Day, let’s celebrate this finite, irreplaceable resource while creating awareness of water challenges affecting the globe.

Water is arguably the most precious resource on earth, and yet we often value and manage it extremely poorly. Our existence as human beings are intertwin with water resource management and the availability there of. Almost everything we do from food production, manufacturing and power generation is dependent on water availability.

It is important that we recognize and consider all the benefits provided by water – including economic, social and ecological dimensions. In realizing these benefits, there is significant potential to trigger systemic change, with water valuation driving decision-making that protects freshwater resources and ensuring water allocation reaches its most productive, equitable and environmentally sustainable use and consumption. By not fully valuing water, we jeopardize public health, ecological integrity, and economic development. For decades the under-valuation of water has led to shortages, pollution and inequitable access.

Valuing water is becoming more important and significant as we are struggling with challenges imposed by climate change which compels water professionals and public at large to shift paradigm as they think about water, come up with more innovative strategies that will add value to the sustainable development of the resource.

We all know that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is uniquely susceptible to the impacts of climate change. In coming decades, the SADC region is expected to experience higher land and ocean surface temperatures than in the past, which will affect rainfalls, winds and the timing and intensity of weather events. Therefore it is critical that we begin to think differently and innovatively as we forge way forward, our strategies need consider groundwater resources as part of the solution to the challenge.

SADC-GMI has a mandate to provide innovative solutions to groundwater challenges in the region to support the Regional Strategic Action Plan V (RSAP V). In line with the RSAP V and theme of this year’s World Water Day “Valuing Water”, SADC-GMI has implemented an array of activities that promote water accessibility to vulnerable communities. Such activities were implemented in 10 SADC Member States and ranged from Installing Groundwater Monitoring Systems, Exploring Deep Aquifers as a source of water supply to the communities, Groundwater Mapping and Wellfield Development and Integration of Groundwater Resource Data Management Systems. Through these activities SADC-GMI has been able to bring safe water, improved sanitation and proper hygiene to rural communities. Thousands of people in SADC Member States have benefited from these initiatives. The primary objective of these projects is to help Member States meet water demands that keeps escalating every year.

In fulfilling its mandate, SADC-GMI constantly strive to demonstrate the invaluable role played by groundwater to build resilience through its sustainable use in the community’s livelihood and WASH activities. SADC-GMI’s work goes beyond creating enabling frameworks for sustainable groundwater management initiatives to piloting innovative infrastructure projects necessary for communities to access the resource. SADC-GMI believes that sustainable groundwater management is one of the answers to resolve water-based challenges in the SADC region and the continent at large.

All activities completed were part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States Project funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) through the World Bank Group.

Beneficiaries in Dite Zimbabwe are watering their gardens which were rehabilitated by SADC-GMI through the World Bank Project. The community is now able to have fresh vegetables, contributing to improved livelihoods. Photo credit: GEF-WB/SADC GMI Project

Dependence on Groundwater in SADC Region. Image credit: GEF-World Bank/SADC GMI Project.

For more information on the GEF-World Bank/SADC GMI Project kindly contact the Project Manager, James Sauramba (jamess@sadc-gmi.org). Additional resources are available on the project website and the dedicated project page on iwlearn.net.