PROGRAMME BRIEF

The programme "Improved Capacity in Rainwater Management for Sustainable Development" has been designed as Phase Two of the programme "A Network for Green water harvesting in Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia" jointly implemented by RELMA-in-ICRAF headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in India between 1 July 2002 and 31 June 2006. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs financed Phase One of the programme. In addition to RELMA-in-ICRAF (read Global Water Partnership Associated Programme - GWP-AP) and CSE, partnership in Phase Two is expanded to include Rainwater Harvesting Implementation Network (RAIN), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and Southern and Eastern Africa Rainwater Network (SearNet).

Whereas the Phase I mainly concentrated on awareness creation; strengthening national and regional networks; conducting policy research and evaluation; and capacity building, the Phase II will essentially focus on developing the capacity of governments, non-governmental organisations, academia, community based organisations and individuals, to implement rainwater harvesting practices on the ground. This will be achieved through encouraging governments in the region to develop favourable policies, projects and programmes as well as make budgetary allocations for implementing rainwater harvesting. Programme Sites shall be set up to facilitate capacity building of key stakeholders to implement best practices of rainwater harvesting for increased agricultural production, improved domestic water supply and sanitation amongst the rural poor. These interventions will establish a basis for improving the institutional and policy framework for implementing rainwater harvesting in the targeted countries. These countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia.

Phase II of this project will address the issue of economic water scarcity. This is in the context of poor access to and availability of water and sanitation in the region and the pitiable management of rainwater. Most targeted countries lack policy on decentralised water harvesting systems and emphasis is on budgetary allocation to centralised water supply systems. There is also inadequate technical expertise to implement rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems. Ecological sanitation systems that enable the recovery of nutrients from human faeces and urine to the benefit of agriculture, thus helping to preserve soil fertility, assure food security for future generations, minimize water pollution and recover bio energy, are inadequate. Although RWH has proved effective in both rural and urban settings, governments have paid little or no attention to including this in their national economic development strategies and action plans. Thus, improving water management and sanitation are catalytic entry points for efforts to help developing countries fight poverty and hunger, safeguard human health, reduce child mortality, promote gender equity, and manage and protect natural resources.

Rationale to Promote Rainwater Harvesting Systems:

Rainwater harvesting is a simple and low cost water supply technique that involves the capturing and storing of rainwater from roof and ground catchments for domestic, agricultural, industrial and environmental purposes. When surface run-off is collected in reservoirs, it can be used for the management of floods and droughts. Surface run-off can also be used for recharging groundwater, which will positively impact on springs and shallow wells. Rainwater harvesting yields numerous social and economic benefits, and contributes to poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

Why RWH?

Key reasons include the fact that: The world is currently undergoing water crises and RWH can AUGUMENT water supply in all sectors; Rainwater harvesting increases food production - For instance, according to studies carried out, maize yield can be tripled with RWH through Conservation agriculture; RWH minimizes the risk of crop failure during droughts and floods; RWH eliminates women's burden of collecting water for domestic use. The time saved can be used for other productive activities; RWH gives opportunity for the girl child to attend school; It provides a relatively safe and clean source of drinking water thus minimizing incidences of water borne diseases; When applied at watershed level, it improves the environment and minimizes the effects of drought and floods; RWH is a decentralized water supply system encouraging community participation and self reliance. Local communities who have an enormous capacity to invest labour and time can do it; the systems are varied and can therefore be built according to the ecological characteristics of the particular region or locality.