Groundwater in the political domain

Coordinator: Dr. F. van Steenbergen
Consortium partners: van Steenbergen (MetaMeta, NL); Mostert (TUD, NL); Woldearegay (Mekelle University, Ethiopia); Babaqi (Water and Environment Centre, Sana’a University, Yemen); Alemayehu (Oromia Water Works Design and Supervision Enterprise, Ethiopia); Bateh (Palestinian Water Authority, Palestine Territories)

Project goal:

Putting access and management of groundwater on the political agenda in Ethiopia, the Palestinian Territories and Yemen.

Introduction:

With most surface water already committed or utilized, groundwater presents the last major water ‘frontier’. The boundaries and long term potential of this precious resource are not always known, and in most cases different groups draw upon the same aquifer. The use and management of groundwater is of particular concern in Ethiopia, the Palestinian Territories and Yemen, where this project’s research activities will take place. Access to groundwater in the different areas is subject to power play, to severe overuse or it is managed by stealth. The aim is to examine the interaction between political engagement and effective management under different natural, organisational and political conditions.

Project description:

The project aims to get ‘into the political black box’. The project’s consortium members will focus on three main activities. Firstly there will an analysis on how conflicts and cooperation and ‘do nothing’ situations are handled in the political and institutional domain. Case studies will be developed from each area that is meant to trigger discussion. Secondly, we will develop action plans to get larger political involvement in discussing how groundwater is governed and how to increase the fair and optimal use of this resource. And thirdly, the aim is capacity building and communication so that more professionals and practitioners can play a role in activating the political and institutional domain.

Having started on 1st November 2010, the project will continue until 30 October 2013. The approach is to be proactive, inclusive and engaging, using a mixture of scientific analysis and rapid interaction with stakeholders – including the use of modern communication means.

Progress Report 2011-2012

The consortium carrying out the CoCooN funded project ‘Groundwater in the Political Domain’ has since the start of the project (1st of November 2010) carried out a variety of fieldwork, reporting, (scientific) writing and video documenting activities, all as part of the three main activities that were identified in the proposal and that are mentioned in the Introduction above. These activities have also been set out in a logframe which relates project objectives with activities and outputs and has been worked out during the proposal phase of the project.

Within the CoCoon group the way day-to-day activities are structured are that each country team has an interface person in the Dutch Team. The interface persons have travelled regularly to Palestine Territories (3 times), Ethiopia (3 times), Yemen (1 time) – sometimes using funds from other assignments.

Following this, in 2011 a variety of activities have been initiated and whereby the outputs for the CoCooN project have been guiding, but interplay with other running programs has also been sought. As such overall (or umbrella) activities of the project include: writing of a chapter for the theoretical framework; the writing of a book chapter for the upcoming IUCN Spring publication on groundwater and social mobilisation; contributions to the policy letter on water and development cooperation for the Dutch Parliament; contributions to the formulation of the plans for Dutch niche diplomacy on water; advise to specific country and regional policy officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the presenting of Managing the water buffer: for climate change adaptation and food security at the Bonn 2011 expert conference The Water Energy and Food Security Nexus - Solutions for the Green Economy.

Underneath first an overview is given of the project activities which have been carried out per country, followed by an overview of the (shared) preliminary scientific findings.

Ethiopia
In Ethiopia an MSc research has been completed in the Raya Kobo Basins that focused on the role of the local and regional/federal government in the development of groundwater. Video material has been shot to support this thesis which will be used to make a documentary. A variety of desktop/field researches have been initiated to support the case study in Ethiopia, including the detailed technical (hydro-geological) description of the study area, role of politics in groundwater and the development of irrigated agriculture. Furthermore, Ethiopian history on droughts, food insecurity and human tragedy will be looked at to see the relation between resources scarcity and politics. The preparation of video material on the victims of food insecure areas in Ethiopia is currently underway. Support has also been given to the Embassy in defining its water programme, including advice on small-scale irrigation.

Palestinian Territories
Baseline studies on water and land use in the selected area have been finalised in draft. A start has been made with translating the preliminary results in action plans. A groundwater model is currently being built. Cohesion and integration has been reached with other programmes in Palestine. Special attention is given to the integration of the proposed water programme of the Dutch Embassy with the existing agricultural programme. Advices have been provided to the Embassy and PWA on specific requests. Outreach has started amongst others by supporting a study tour of TUD MSc students and their professors. 
Support has been given to video production on the difficulties of proper water management in the Palestinian Territories according to the ideas as explained under the activities in Yemen. Support has also been given to the preparation of the Multi Annual Strategy Plan of the EKN in Palestine, which is proposed to focus on IWRM, water governance and transboundary water management. In addition, inputs for the WWF6 in Marseille are under preparation. 

Yemen
Besides the papers that have been written and are accepted for publication, activities of and relating to the CoCooN project include: an additional case study area, shooting of videos and support to the Dutch Embassy programme in Sana’a. A parallel paper on what happens if groundwater really is exhausted in a comparable environment (Pakistan, Kuchlagh) – in terms of conflict and cooperation (or lack of it) has been drafted too. Videos have been produced on (local) water management in Yemen. These videos show examples of water scarce areas in which, through agreements and cooperation at community level, management has been enabled and the link with the national Water Law. These videos on communal groundwater management relate to our ‘Groundwater in the political domain’ project as well as serve to enhance knowledge of these systems, create awareness and link with other organisations, including the Association of Water Users Associations and NGOs (Progressio). The DVD has been duplicated and shared among stakeholders in Yemen.
As mentioned, support has also been given to the preparation of the Multi Annual Strategy Plan (MASP) of the EKN in Yemen, this included reviewing donor policy and suggestions as to priority areas.

Preliminary scientific findings