Tag: stewardship

Promoting Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

Written by a.linke on 10. February 2025. Posted in Countries, Ethiopia.

The Natural Resources Stewardship Programme II is a regional project which facilitates Stewardship Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships (SMSPs) as an instrument for consensus-building processes in areas facing significant resource use pressure (e.g. economic zones).

Women’s Role in Resource-Intensive Sectors in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, women make up much of the workforce in resource-intensive sectors like textiles, waste management, and agriculture. However, they have historically been excluded from decision-making processes. The NatuReS program prioritizes women as a key focus group, aiming to strengthen partnership members’ understanding of their roles, rights, and needs—along with those of other marginalized groups—within Just Transition processes towards a more socially just and environmentally sustainable economy.

The Protecting Lake Hawassa (PLH) Partnership

Through the Protecting Lake Hawassa (PLH) Partnership, NatuReS endeavors to address the pressing challenges posed by factors such as land degradation and insufficient waste management, while promoting sustainable practices that safeguard environmental integrity and social well-being. Central to this endeavor is the recognition of gender equality and social inclusion as foundational principles for achieving meaningful and lasting impacts.

Challenges Faced by Women and Marginalized Groups

In the Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership, as in many similar initiatives across the country, women and marginalized groups continue to face systemic obstacles in fully participating in decision-making processes and benefiting from development interventions. These challenges undermine the effectiveness and sustainability of efforts for a transition to a climate-friendly economy. Existing legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms aimed at promoting gender equality in Ethiopia provide a foundation for addressing these disparities. However, gaps remain in translating these policies into tangible outcomes on the ground.

Female community members discussion on horticulture production and environmental management. ©Ephrem Tesema, Dugda District (Ziway Watershed)

Bridging the Gap: Training for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

Therefore, NatuReS partnered with the local NGO Tamra for Social Development to develop and implement a targeted training program that equips stakeholders and partners of the PLH partnership with the necessary knowledge and skills to integrate gender equality and social inclusion principles effectively into their institutions and activities within the partnership.

The training content was developed based on an initial capacity gaps assessment among stakeholders of the Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership, regarding the roles, rights, and needs of women and marginalized groups in decision-making processes.

Group exercise during gender equality and social inclusion training. ©Tamra for Social Development

Training Objectives and Key Focus Areas

In December 2024, the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) training sessions were conducted in Hawassa, organized in two rounds. 34 participants from PLH partnership member organizations from public, private, and civil society institutions participated in the trainings. Each round had 17 participants, with a balanced representation of men and women (7 female and 10 male; 8 female and 9 male).

The primary goal of the GESI training was to foster gender equality and social inclusion within the participants’ organizations. The trainings aimed to:

Provide a deep understanding of gender concepts relevant to sustainable natural resources management.
Analyze the roles, rights, and needs of women and marginalized groups in Just Transition processes.
Equip participants with skills to devise action plans and strategies for mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion.
Teach stakeholder mapping and SWOT analysis for internal and external assessments.
Develop individual action plans for GESI-related activities.

Training Methodology and Engagement

The sessions covered essential topics on:

Basic Gender Concepts and Gender Analysis
Rights-Based Development Approach (RBDA)
Stakeholder Analysis and Diversity Inclusion Processes
Setting GESI indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation
Community Resources Mapping and Action Plan Preparation

Training techniques included role play, group exercises, debates, and visual aids. The training environment was designed to foster collaboration and practical application of the concepts learned. Participants engaged in group discussions, provided feedback, and shared their experiences, which enriched the learning process.

Group picture of training participants. ©Tamra for Social Development

Evaluating the Impact of GESI Training

The training sessions were evaluated through pre- and post-training tests, as well as participant feedback. The evaluations indicated a significant improvement in participants’ understanding of GESI concepts. Participants appreciated the interactive nature of the training and its practical relevance to their work. They expressed that the training empowered them and provided clear guidance on applying the skills learned.

“The training approach is unique and full of interactive exercises, energizer and role plays etc. The content is very important. We had a lot of information within three days which is useful for us to know more about GESI and the challenges facing the Hawassa Lake in general” (training participant).

Expanding GESI Training to Dembel-Shalla Sub-Basin

As a next step, in the second half of March 2025, an additional 40 people from stakeholder institutions of the Dembel-Shalla Sub-Basin Multi-Stakeholder Platform will receive this training. NatuReS is supporting the facilitation of this platform, and building on the experiences gained in Hawassa, will continue to foster awareness and co-develop actionable work plans to address the roles, rights, and needs of women and marginalized groups in collective action for environmental stewardship in Ethiopia.

Water security for all in the uMhlathuze catchment

Written by a.linke on 10. December 2024. Posted in Countries, South Africa.

The uMhlathuze catchment in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region faces critical water security challenges, encompassing both quantity and quality issues. These challenges are closely tied to land use activities such as mining, agriculture, and industry, which put significant pressure on water resources. Unregulated overuse further exacerbates the situation, compounded by the impacts of climate change.

The severity of these issues became even more evident during the 2016 drought, which severely reduced water availability in the catchment. The drought had a profound impact on the Goedertrouw Dam, a vital water source for the uMhlathuze region, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable water management practices.

The Goedertrouw Dam in the uMhlathuzte Catchment. © Jasper Anhede

UWASP: A Collaborative Effort to Strengthen Water Security in the uMhlathuze Region

This led to the creation of the uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership (UWASP), established to tackle water security challenges in the uMhlathuze region. The partnership focuses on improving water management and availability through collaborative resource management while enhancing livelihoods through strategic climate adaptation initiatives.

UWASP was formed by key stakeholders, including GIZ’s International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP)—now the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS)—alongside the National Business Initiative (NBI), Strategic Water Partners Network (SWPN), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Prominent local businesses such as Tongaat Hulett, Mondi South Africa, Grindrod, Transnet, and Richards Bay Minerals, as well as government entities like the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the Pongola-uMzimkhulu Proto-Catchment Management Agency, also played an integral role in its formation.

By unlocking the value of water, the partnership delivers social, economic, and environmental benefits. The partnership´s vision is an “effectively managed uMhlathuze catchment that supports water security for all”. To realize this vision, UWASP adopts a collaborative and inclusive approach, fostering consensus among stakeholders to develop shared solutions and actionable strategies to address critical water resource challenges.

Building Climate Resilience in the uMhlathuze Catchment

The UWASP is advancing a five-year strategy (2024 –2029) to strengthen climate resilience in the catchment by enhancing water governance, improving service delivery, and fostering green economy skills. Key focus areas of the strategy include :

Enhancing the management of the freshwater coastal lakes and surface water dams that provide for the needs of uMhlathuze’s population.
Supporting water use efficiency and reducing water loss amongst downstream users.
Facilitating agricultural water stewardship and irrigation efficiency.
Securing ecological infrastructure through invasive species clearing and wetland rehabilitation.
Developing community water-related champions, entrepreneurs and micro enterprises.

To support these efforts, NatuReS, WWF, and NBI partnered with GroundTruth to conduct a scoping study to assess the feasibility of grey-green infrastructure project interventions to address water security challenges in the uMhlathuze catchment. The project aimed to contribute to the overall strategic vision and the five-year focus areas of UWASP by increasing the climate resilience of the uMhlathuze catchment to water-related climate change impacts, whilst addressing environmental and socio-economic development challenges in the catchment. Therefore, the scoping study evaluated the financial, social, economic and ecological feasibility of grey-green infrastructure interventions in the uMhlathuze catchment areas.

Proposed Grey-Green Interventions: Key Outcomes of the Study

Melmoth Dams: Melmoth Dams are a key water supply for the eMthonjaneni area for domestic and industrial use. The following interventions were proposed to improve the water quality and quantity of downstream users in the catchment; (i) the removal of the problematic bush encroachment, Invasive Alien Plants removal, (ii) improved buffer zone management and (iii) re-vegetation of indigenous trees/vegetation.

Nkandla Landfill Site and Cemetery: The ‘Inkandla Landfill Site’ is located in the Nkandla local Municipality and includes the landfill and the wastewater treatment ponds. The following interventions were proposed as measures to preserve the health of the Goedertrouw dam; (i) enhancement of the existing wastewater treatment facility and (ii) enhancement of ecosystem services within the receiving freshwater ecosystem

Empangeni Catchment Management: This site focuses on the Mpangeni, Niwe and Ndabayakhe Lake, which flow directly into the uMhlathuze River. These lakes provide key ecosystem services for the Empangeni catchment including flood attenuation, sediment trapping and water for domestic use. The proposed interventions include (i) sustainable management of agricultural activities around the lake,(ii) management of inflow streams into the lakes through litter booms and sediment fences in upstream channels, and (iii) freshwater management which can include clearing of invasive alien plants and improving stormwater management.

Integrating Green Infrastructure for a Just and Inclusive Future

In addition to enhancing ecological outcomes, these interventions also tackle socio-economic challenges, contributing to a broader socio-ecological transformation. This transformation embodies a shift toward harmonizing economic development with social and environmental goals, exemplified by the expansion of the green economy and the growing emphasis on integrating green infrastructure with traditional grey infrastructure.

Harnessing the benefits of green infrastructure also plays a key role in supporting a Just Transition, i.e. greening the economy in a way that is equitable, inclusive and just for all actors of society. For the identified sites this could, for instance:

Socio-economic opportunities for surrounding local communities: The surrounding communities are characterised by high poverty levels and high levels of unemployment. Creating opportunities in the restoration economy (e.g. alien invasive clearing, management of bush encroachment, and rehabilitation of wetlands) will create new socio-economic benefits including for example job creation and capacity development, especially for the most vulnerable groups of society.
Social security – Strengthening the resilience of communities, particularly vulnerable groups in low income and informal settlement, through the creation of income generation opportunities and capacity building.
Climate adaption and resilience – Restoration of the wetland ecosystems will improve water security for downstream water users, and enhance water supply for everyone, especially for vulnerable groups. It will also enhance the flood attenuation capacity upstream, which will help to buffer the settlements from floods.
Sustainable urban development – Enhancing the functioning of ecosystems in the catchment will introduce a level of holistic development by harnessing green and grey infrastructure, which could become an opportunity for the municipalities to replicate and up-scale

What´s next?

As a next step, these results will now be further unpacked by UWASP to design interventions for these sites and find potential funders for them to support a water secure and socially inclusive future for the uMhlathuze catchment.

Development Beyond Growth: Global and Local Perspectives on Just Transitions

Written by a.linke on 25. November 2024. Posted in Countries, Uncategorized.

The Natural Resources Stewardship Programme contributed to the dynamic discussions at the “Development Beyond Growth” conference, held from November 6th to 7th, 2024, in Bonn, Germany. Organized by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in partnership with the Next Economy Lab, the event provided a platform to explore transformative approaches to sustainable development within ecological boundaries.

Focusing on the theme of Development Beyond Growth, the conference brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and practitioners from both the Global North and Global South. Discussions centered on how to reconcile development with ecological limits in a socially just manner that leaves no one behind. With increasing global urgency, participants examined alternative economic models prioritizing sustainability and social well-being over purely growth-driven metrics. Topics included the concept of post-growth economies and practical examples of how such approaches are being implemented at local and national levels.

Stewardship Approaches for a Just Transition

As part of the conference’s second day, a workshop on Just Transitions featured Sarah Beerhalter, Head of NatuReS, who presented the programme’s innovative multi-stakeholder stewardship approach. NatuReS operates in Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zambia, supporting partnerships between public institutions, private sector entities, and civil society organizations to collaboratively tackle challenges in natural resource management. The stewardship approach emphasizes inclusivity, engaging all relevant stakeholders to co-create and implement joint solutions that promote sustainable natural resource management while driving socio-ecological transformation. The presentation highlighted practical examples of how partnerships facilitated by NatuReS have advanced these objectives in partner countries.

Advancing Just Transitions

The “Development Beyond Growth” conference underscored the importance of collaborative, systemic approaches to ensure that the shift toward sustainable practices benefits all sectors of society. By sharing its stewardship experiences and successes, NatuReS provided compelling insights into how inclusive partnerships can pave the way for a Just Transition.

Inter-country learning on Stewardship, Partnerships and Sustainable Development: The Zambian perspective

Written by a.linke on 19. November 2024. Posted in Countries, Zambia.

Lusaka, the bustling capital of Zambia, is a city where the demands of urban expansion, industrial growth, and the needs of surrounding catchment areas converge. As economic activities flourish, the challenge of managing natural resources in a sustainable way becomes increasingly complex. A number of key stakeholders have embraced the stewardship approach, utilizing multi-stakeholder partnerships such as LuWSI (Lusaka Water Security Initiative) to foster resilience and sustainable resource use. This collaboration space also provides opportunity for learning and cross-country exchanges, experiences, success factors and collaborative strategies among countries facing similar challenges.

The Zambia Water Forum and Exhibition (ZAWAFE): A launchpad for learning

In June 2024, Zambia hosted the Zambia Water Forum and Exhibition Conference in Lusaka, with the theme “Closing the Gap: Working towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target”. A focus session titled “Forging Resilience through Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships”, supported by NatuReS, emphasized the role of stewardship collaborations in enhancing the resilience of cities and catchments. Experiences and lessons were shared from similar stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships from South Africa – UWASP (Umhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership), Tanzania – Dar es Salaam City Water Resilience Partnership as well as Zambia’s own multi-stakeholder partnership – LuWSI (Lusaka Water Security Initiative).

Group picture at ZAWAFE session with NatuReS team and partners from LuWSI, UWASP and Dar es Salaam City Water Resilience Partnership. © GIZ

The session provided a platform for these partnership stakeholders to share their experiences in building collaborative frameworks to sustainably manage water resources. Participants explored strategies that have proven successful in their contexts and discussed how partnerships can align the interests of governments, businesses and communities. For Lusaka, this exchange illuminated how integrated natural resources stewardship could help the city balance its urban, industrial, environmental and social needs.

Sustainable Industries Conference in Pretoria, South Africa: Developing industrial spaces towards resilience and circular economy

Building on the momentum of the ZAWAFE, stakeholders from Zambia attended the Sustainable Industries Conference with a focus on the concept of Eco-Industrial Parks; particularly the transition towards sustainable and circular economy practices. Zambian representatives gained insights into how eco-industrial parks can minimize waste, optimize resource use, and reduce environmental impact, thus creating industrial areas that are more competitive and attractive for investment through sustainable practices. Understanding the importance of integrating social considerations, such as community engagement and worker welfare, into industrial park development.

A site visit to a local eco-industrial park provided hands-on learning about the strategies employed to achieve resource efficiency and sustainability. For Lusaka, the lessons learned are critical for shaping policies aimed at transforming its industrial areas into eco-friendly zones that balance economic development with environmental stewardship.

Stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships regional exchange – partnering towards a circular economy

The final regional exchange and learning event of the year took Zambian stakeholders to Ethiopia for a NatuReS-wide regional learning and exchange event. This event concentrated on stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships and their role in promoting circular economy. The Ethiopian experience demonstrated how supportive policies can drive circular economy practices and attract investment, the importance of empowering vulnerable groups, especially women, to participate in resource stewardship and leveraging the capabilities of businesses to drive sustainable practices that benefit both the economy and local communities.

For Zambia, this exchange provided valuable insights into how multi-stakeholder partnerships can be utilized to address key city challenges. By learning from Ethiopia’s successes and setbacks, Zambian stakeholders were able to identify strategies that could be adapted to the Zambian context.

Learn more about the regional exchange in Ethiopia.

Group Picture during a site visit at a waste transfer station in Addis Ababa with the NatuReS Zambia team and LuWSI partners from National water Supply and Sanitation Council, Coca-Cola Beverages Zambia and Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor. © GIZ

The way forward for Zambia´s learning journey on Natural Resources Stewardship

The cross-country learning exchanges have underscored the importance of partnerships in achieving sustainable natural resources stewardship. For Zambia, the lessons learned from neighbouring countries and beyond have equipped stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to address the complex interplay between urban development, industrial growth, environmental protection and the well-being of all members of society.