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First Catchment Stewardship Inter-Country Learning Event

Written by Support on 16. December 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

The Natural Resources Stewardship Programme applies a stewardship approach to different thematic areas, among which the improvement of resilience in catchments. This means reducing risks to natural resources like pollution, soil erosion or biodiversity loss in catchment areas. The aim is to safeguard catchments as intact ecosystems and as basis for economic development and a source of livelihoods for surrounding communities. Catchments act as sources of vital natural resources (like water, forests and soils) that are required for support to livelihoods, businesses and biodiversity. For this sake, the programme enables multi-stakeholder partnerships consisting of private, public sector and civil society to develop joint solutions for challenges impacting natural resources in catchments. This paves the way for economic growth that is socially and environmentally sustainable while simultaneously strengthening participatory governance within the target catchments.

catchment pressures — Various pressures, from rural or urban activities, affect the health of catchments. Copyright: GIZ

The Catchment Stewardship Approach

The programme has developed a catchment stewardship approach based on knowledge exchange and lessons learnt from partnerships implemented in various countries under NatuReS and its predecessor programme, the International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP), which was running from 2013 to 2019. With catchments across NatuReS countries facing similar challenges, continuous exchange is key in sharing lessons, challenges, and opportunities for upscaling the approach within and outside the NatuReS countries. Partner countries are using catchments as planning units for the management of natural resources, particularly water.

The NatuReS’ catchment stewardship approach is a collaborative approach that establishes partnerships between up- and downstream catchment users from the public and private sector as well as the civil society to jointly identify, understand and address natural resources risks, to generate social, environmental, and economic benefits.

Building upon and closing the implementation gap of traditional Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), the catchment stewardship approach focuses on sustainability and ownership, with NatuReS acting as a neutral and trusted facilitator in co-initiating partnerships. The approach is based on the Natural Resources Risk and Action Framework (NRAF), developed by the program, which provides tested processes and tools to address natural resources risks. Furthermore, partner commitments are secured through deliberate engagement of private, public sector and civil society.

People working on farm — Farmers within the Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership (PLH) implementing a low-cost, local knowledge approach to soil erosion control on their farmland around Lake Hawassa, Ethiopia. Copyright: GIZ

Catchment Stewardship in Practice

people planting trees in Northern Tanzania — Community members of the Kilanya village in Northern Tanzania planting trees together along banks of Weruweru river. Copyright: GIZ/Adelaide Mkwawa

In the Weruweru sub-catchment, located in the North of Tanzania, partners under the Sustainable Water Management Partnership (SUWAMA) are sharing responsibilities to restore degraded riparian hotspots. Pangani Basin Water Board (PBWB) together with the Weruweru Water User Association conducted a study to identify the hotspots. African Plantations Kilimanjaro allocated the nursery site and water to raise 21,500 seedlings, enabling the civil society organization Kijani Pamoja to nurture the seedlings appropriately. The Flower company Dekker Chrysanten transported the seedlings to the identified planting sites, where local communities, in collaboration with PBWB, local government authorities and Kijani Pamoja, planted them. A #pay2grow system was established, supporting local communities in monitoring the trees in exchange for additional income. This way, ecosystems could be restored, biodiversity maintained and livelihoods protected.

Knowledge is never perfect – but improves when shared

Some of the participants of the learning event from the various NatuReS countries. Copyright: GIZ

The objective of the inter-country learning event was to critically reflect on the catchment stewardship approach, evaluating what has worked well and identifying room for improvement, while drawing on lessons and experiences from one another. Finally, strategic future topics in catchments were discussed. Participants included NatuReS staff from Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Africa and GIZ colleagues from other programmes. In March 2022, an external event involving partners from the five African countries will follow.

While setting up stewardship partnerships and ensuring continuous long-term commitment from all partners remains a challenging task, experience shows that partners have developed a common ground of trust in each other on which the development of long-term solutions can take place. NatuReS’ role as neutral facilitator, combined with partners’ local expertise and the guiding process based on the Natural Resources Risk and Action Framework (NRAF), has proven to be a powerful approach in reducing natural resources risks and preventing conflict among the users of these shared resources.

Catchments: Future Topics of Relevance

With both the effects of climate change accelerating and biodiversity loss posing an ever-growing challenge, catchment areas are facing increasing risks across the globe. Various concepts have the potential to contribute to tackling these risks. Natural capital accounting for example, offers tools to measure the changes in the stock of natural capital and to integrate the value of ecosystem services into accounting and reporting systems. Being able to quantify the services ecosystems provide to society and economy can convince stakeholders of their protection amidst the climate crisis.

Transboundary Water Management is also of increasing importance, with rivers, lakes and catchment areas not being limited by geographical borders. Applying the catchment stewardship approach to transboundary projects could offer added value in involving private sector, civil society as well as community actors in management of transboundary water resources. NatuReS has implemented a stewardship partnership in a transboundary context and can offer tools, approaches, and best practices around stewardship in transboundary water management.

Outlook

Following the successful two internal learning events, the working group is preparing an exchange with partners from the different catchment stewardship partnerships in March 2022 during the Uganda Water and Environment Week. Further information will follow in due course.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) within South Africa’s uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership

Written by Support on 10. December 2021. Posted in South Africa, Uncategorized.

“The story for us started in 2015 when there was a national drought that crippled everything”, says Nomzamo Kheswa. She is the head of the Siyazisiza Trust, an organization established in 1987 to support small-scale farmers in improving their livelihoods, food security and the environment. South Africa is already severely impacted by droughts. In the coming years, they are projected to become even more frequent due to climate change. Small-scale farmers like Phumzile Ntuli are suffering from prolonged droughts as their crops and fruits are not growing. Butternuts, which she and other members of the Qalekhaya Cooperative are usually harvesting around October and selling at markets until January, simply did not survive the excessive heat this year.

A short story on the introduction of LocalG.A.P. by Siyazisiza Trust to small-scale farmers in the uMhlathuze river catchment as an approach to promote better water management.
Copyright: Syazisiza Trust

Under the uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership, Local Good Agricultural Practices (LocalG.A.P.) trainings were conducted to eight members of the Syazisiza Trust, certifying them as GlobalG.A.P. Farm Assurers. With the knowledge gained, they were able to train 50 local small-scale farmers from the uMhlathuze Catchment in LocalG.A.P. best practices.

The trainings enable farmers to improve their water management and to achieve better harvests, while also strengthening their economic position, as the certification opens up markets for them.

Zambia's Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Hon. Mike Mposha MP

Strengthening Collaboration: LuWSI CEO Breakfast and partnership signing event in Lusaka

Written by s.mutafya on 3. December 2021. Posted in Countries, Zambia.

Water crises are one of the major global risks for the coming decade, ranked third to have the strongest impact on economies and societies alike (Global Risks Report, 2020). But what does this mean for businesses in Zambia?

Across much of the country, factories, mines, farms, and industries are noticing how water stress is hitting their bottom lines and jeopardizing their business models. Lusaka is particularly under threat as groundwater becomes more polluted and depleted, and plans are drawn up for the use of water from the Kafue River.

Responding to this, the Lusaka Water Security Initiative (LuWSI) hosted a CEO breakfast on Wednesday, November 24th. This event, supported by NatuReS Zambia and WWF Zambia, brought together industry representatives, the Mayor of Lusaka, Her Worship Ms Chilando Chitangala, and the Guest of Honour, Zambia’s Minister of Water, Development and Sanitation, Hon. Mike Mposha MP. They discussed how Lusaka’s water challenges can be addressed to the benefit of the city’s economy and its citizens. The Minister emphasized the importance of water security and the need to ensure the protection of the country’s natural resources.

In the spirit of partnerships as promoted by LuWSI, WWF Zambia and GIZ Zambia’s Water and Energy Cluster signed a relationship agreement as part of the event. The agreement aims to strengthen the cooperation between WWF and GIZ on the protection of Zambia’s natural resources and the implementation of green principles, such as supporting LuWSI to protect and enhance water security in Zambia’s capital. It also offers new prospects for a distinctive relationship between the two parties on the following;

● Water security: Develop a long term strategy for Lusaka’s water security.

● Private sector engagement: Identify and concretise areas of joint action through a clearly defined strategic plan.

● Project portfolio development: Facilitate the development of bankable projects, nature-based solutions, and city resilience initiatives.

Signing of the relationship agreement between WWF and GIZ
Copyright: LuWSI

The signing of the relationship agreement comes at a time when there is an urgency for increased action towards natural resources management and stewardship, as Zambia’s natural assets are threatened by degradation and extinction. This brings a heightened need for collaborations such as these for collective and impactful action.

Author: Sonile Mutafya, NatuReS Advisor Zambia

Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy visits Protecting Lake Hawassa (PLH) project site

Written by Support on 29. November 2021. Posted in Ethiopia, Uncategorized.

Ecohydrology as an innovative, low-cost approach to soil erosion control has been embarked on in the Lake Hawassa sub-catchment by the Protecting Lake Hawassa partnership (PLH). This approach, due to its multiple benefits, became a preferred option among farmers over conventional soil erosion control methods.

Integrating physical structures with vegetation for a dual regulation of water flow.
©NatuReS

The Ethiopian Minister for Water and Energy, His Excellency Dr. Eng. Habtamu Itefa, visited one of the PLH project sites in Shalla Woreda on 15 November 2021. He was joined in the official visit by State Minister Dr. Abrham Adugna and the former Minister for Water, Irrigation, and Energy, Mr. Motuma Mekassa, as well as other higher officials. The visit was initiated by a mutual interest of the Ministry and Rift Valley Lakes Basin Office (RVLBO), aiming at showcasing successful projects in the basin. During the visit, the Minister pointed out that the project is very eco-friendly and successful in managing the increasing challenges of landscape degradation.

Government higher officials visiting one of the gullies rehabilitated with ecohydrology in Shalla woreda.
©NatuReS-PLH

A way forward

H.E. Dr. Eng. Habtamu mentioned that the technology has the potential to be scaled at national level after additional piloting in other parts of the rift valley basin. The government officials also acknowledged the suitability of the technology for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in providing multiple ecosystem services and sediment reduction. The technical manual “Ecohydrology-Based Landscape Restoration” developed with a collaborative effort of Hawassa University and PLH was highly appreciated by visitors. The Minister stated that this manual shall be nationally harmonized and officially adopted by the Ministry of Water and Energy, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, for wider circulation and implementation.