IOWater - International News

9 Africa Information: Tel.: +33 5 55 11 47 70 - E-mail: communication@oieau.fr The European pro- ject AfriAlliance (2016-2020) has reached the half- way point and finished its third year with very positive results on its activities. The aim of the project is to boost Africa’s capacities to respond to the challenges of climate change by working together and sharing innovative solutions between existing networks in Africa and Europe. IOWater and INBO are both partners in the consortium, which includes 14 other net- works on both continents. New workshops in Mali and Kenya took place to exchange on needs and social innovation related to water and the impacts of climate change. They wrapped up the first round of meetings between basin organisations, researchers, civil society organisations and water services. The results of these workshops fed into reflections on the state of research and the availability of results, and led to proposals for new strategic directions in terms of research funding. The first step was to draw up a list of social innovation requirements. The partners then collected data on existing solutions in res­ ponse to the needs identified. The needs and research results are then entered into a database managed by IOWater, which is also responsible for producing a report presenting the general state of play. In terms of communication, a new series of themed fact sheets on social innovation is to be published soon. A first series, available in English and French, is available on the project’s website and covers the general theme of surveillance. This second series focuses on water resource management in the face of climate change. The project is starting a new phase of events, this time centred on the transferability of solu- tions. Players from the field and suppliers are invited to meet at transfer workshops and travelling workshops demonstrating innova- tive solutions across Africa. All of this information is available on the website: www.afrialliance.org 4 AfriAlliance Innovative solutions for water and climate in Africa The News N° 29 ECCAS Creation of a Transboundary Organisation in Central Africa The group comprising BRL Ingénierie and IOWater was selected by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) to carry out a study on the crea­ tion of a Transboundary Basin Organisa- tion. With the aim of making Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) more effective over its entire territory, ECCAS decided to set up a body grouping four of its member states (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea). The IWRM project involves the shared waters of the Ogooué, Ntem, Nyanga and Komo basins. On these basins, issues like common hydrological monitoring and hydroelec- tricity development require good coordi- nation between all states concerned. IOWater’s contribution to the study is to provide technical guidance for IWRM. The project kicked off in the last quarter of 2018 with a launch workshop gathe­ ring representatives from all countries involved. 4 DGENVIRONNEMENT DGEnvironment Launch workshop – December 2018 afri alliance social innovation Monitoring «drinkingwater» quality for improved health inAfrica The overall objective of the AfriAlliance Social Inno- vation Factsheets (SIF) is to highlight innovation oppor- tunities that scientists, NGOs, managers and SMEs can act upon, in order to foster short-term improvements in the preparedness of African stakeholders for water and climate change challenges. Over the duration of AfriAlliance (2016-2021), four setsofSIFswillbedelivered. Each setwill coveronemain theme and explore it across five Social Innovation Fact- sheets.Monitoring is themain themeof thisfirst seriesof SIFs, covering the followingfive sub-themes: Monitoring«drinkingwater»quality for improved health inAfrica (thisSIF). Monitoring ofwater availability in terms of quality and quantity for food security. Monitoring climate for early warning systems to prepare for extremeweather events. Monitoringgroundwaterquantity toensuresustai- nableuse and avoidwater conflicts. Monitoringwaterpollutionby industriesandurban areas to protect human health and ecosystems. As detailed below, social innovation combines four dimensions: technological,governance, capacitydevelop- ment and business roadmap. Each is described in a spe- cific section of this thematicSocial Innovation Factsheet. DESCRIPTION Access to safe and cleandrinking-water is abasichuman right, asdeclared during the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2010.Moreover, an in- dicator and target on safe drinking-waterwas included in the UN Sustainable DevelopmentGoals, in 2015. Climate change is recognised to have “both direct and indirect impact on human health” (ClimDev-Africa, 2013; UNECA, 2011). This social in- novation factsheet focuses on the link between climate (change) impact and water availability that endangerspopu- lation health as “many of Africa’s cur- renthealthproblemsarea resultof fre- quentcontactwithcontaminatedwater and open sewerage” (ClimDev-Africa, 2013;UNECA,2011).Outbreaksofdiseases transmittedbywaterhave amajor impact on human health through diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A andmany types of diarrhoea.Water qualitymonitoring is as amajor concern forsociety. In termsofwaterqualityand its related impactsonhealth, twomain sources of pollution can be distinguished: chemical and (micro)biological. As thechemicalsource isgenerallychronicandof long term impact (except forac- cidental pollution),monitoring themicrobiological quality ofwater is of higher priority. The quality ofwater depending on the living area - urban or rural - varies a lot according to its source (rainwater, surfacewater or groundwater) as the water supplies’ treat-ment cost. Generally, groundwater sources are of better quality andmay only require source protection and disinfection,whereas sur- facewater isoften contaminated and requires treatment beforeuse. 1 2 3 4 5 SOCIETALCHALLENGES INAFRICADUE TOCLIMATECHANGE •Given themanifesta- tionsofClimateChange and theconstraintsof ecosystemsaswellas socio-economicsystems, thesocietalchallenges in Africaare to: –ensure foodsecurity, watersecurityandenergy securityand thebalance among them (short term), – transform intoa low carbon, resilientand sustainablesociety (long term). SOCIAL INNOVATION • InAfriAlliance, social innovationmeans tackling societal,water-related challenges arising from ClimateChange by combining the technological& non-technological dimensions of innovation. •Social innovation refers to those processes and outcomes focussed on addressing societalgoals, unsatisfied collective needs or societal – as op- posed tomere economic – returns. It is particularly salient in the context of the complex and cross-cut- ting challenges that need tobe addressed in the field ofwater andClimateChange – andwhichwill not bemetby relying onmarket signals alone. •Social innovation consists of new combinations (or hybrids of existing and new) products, pro- cesses and services. In order to succeed, social innovation needs to pay attention to technological aswell as non-technological dimensions : 1) tech- nology, 2) capacity development, 3) governance structures and 4) business roadmap. As such, these four dimensions of the social innovation process cut across organisational, sectoral and disciplinary boundaries and imply new patterns of stakeholder involvement and learning. • The successof social innovation is reliant on the accountability of diverse stakeholders and across all government levels. Social Innovation Factsheet #1 • MONITORING 1 AfriAllianc AfriAlliance is a five year project funded by the EuropeanUnion’sHo- rizon 2020 research and innovation programme. AfriAlliance facilitates the collaboration of African and European stakeholders in the areas of water and climate innovation, research,policy and capacitydevelopmentby sup- porting knowledge sharing and technology transfer. Rather than creating new networks, the 16 European and African partners in this project consolidate existing ones. The ultimate objective is to strengthen African preparedness for future climate change challenges. AfriAlliance is led by the IHE Delft Institute forWater Education (Project Director:Dr.UtaWehn ) and runs from2016 to 2021. AfriAlliance activities Africa-EU cooperation is taken to a practical level by identifying (non-) technological innovation and solutions for local needs and challenges. AfriAlliance also identifies constraints and develops strategic advice for improving collaborationwithinAfrica and betweenAfrica and the EU. To help improve water and climate Monitoring & Forecasting in Africa, AfriAlliance is developing a triple sensor approach, whereby water and climate data from three independent sources are geo-spatially collocated: space-based (satellites), in-situ hydro-meteorological station observation networks and data collected by citizens. Sharing of knowledge is facilitated through a series of events and through an innovative online platform. Demand-driven AfriAlliance ‘Ac- tion Groups’ bring together African and European peers with relevant knowledge and expertise towork jointly towards solutions. Realisation Authors: Natacha Amorsi, Sonia Siauve (Office International de l’Eau), UtaWehn (IHEDelft). Contributor: Jean-MarieKileshyeOnema (Waternet). GraphicDesign: GillesPapon (Office International de l’Eau). References DESCRIPTION • AfricanClimatePolicyCenter (2013),Policybriefn°12,Climate change andhealth inAfrica: Issues and options,ClimDev-AfricaProgramme. • United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African Climate Po- licy Centre (2011), Climate change and health across Africa: issues and options,working paper 20. TECHNICALSOLUTIONS • Akvodatabaseonprojects about all stagesofwater, sanitation andhy- gieneprojects ( availableonline freelyhere ). • UnitedNationsGeneral Assembly, Sixty-fourth session - Agenda item 48,Resolution adoptedby theGeneralAssemblyon28 July2010,64/292. Thehuman right towater and sanitation. • WorldHealthOrganization (2017),Guidelines forDrinking-Water qua- lity : Fourth edition incorporating thefirst addendum, 24thApril. • World Health Organization (no date), Factsheets on environmental sani- tation, prepared by the Robens Institute, University of Surrey, UK ( available onlinehere ). CAPACITYDEVELOPMENT • Vallejo,B. andWehn,U. (2016)CapacityDevelopment Evaluation: The Challenge of the Results Agenda andMeasuring Return on Investment in Capacity Development in the Global South,World Development, Vol. 79, pp.1-13, doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.10.044. • Wehn, U. (2015) The Global Context: National Capacity Development Strategies, TailorMade Training for contact points of Uganda’s National Water and Environment Capacity Development Strategy, in collaboration with theMinistry forWater and Environment (Uganda),Kampala,Uganda, 10-11November. • North, D. (1990) Institutions, institutional change and economic per- formance.CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge. GOVERNANCESTRUCTURES • Lautze J.,deSilvaS.,GiordanoM.,SanfordL., (2011),Putting the cart before thehorse:Watergovernance and IWRM,NaturalResources Forum, 35, 1-8. • Wehn,U. (2017)Digital transformations and thegovernanceofhuman societies, presentation at EC JointResearchCentre, ISPRA, Italy, 7April. LISTOFACRONYMS • CD :Capacitydevelopment. • SIF :Social Innovation Factsheet. • WHO :WorldHealthOrganization. MORE INFORMATION Further reading Presentationof AFRIALLIANCEHASRECEIVED FUNDING FROM THEEUROPEANUNION’SHORIZON2020 RESEARCHAND INNOVATIONPROGRAMMEUNDERGRANTAGREEMENTNO 689162 AfriAlliance 1.1 - v9B.indd 1-2 18/06/2018 10:10 Participants in the Afri-Alliance project FRom one conTinenT To anoTHeR AfriAlliance AfriAlliance is a five year project funded by the European Union’s Ho- rizon 2020 research and innovation programme. AfriAlliance facilitates the collaboration of African and European stakeholders in the areas of water and climate innovation, research, policy and capacity development by sup- porting knowledge sharing and technology transfer. Rather than creating new networks, the 16 European and African partners in this project consolidate existing ones. The ultimate objective is to strengthen African preparedness for future climate change challenges. AfriAlliance is led by the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (Project Director: Dr. Uta Wehn) and runs from 2016 to 2021. AfriAlliance activities Africa-EU cooperation is taken to a practical level by identifying (non-) technological innovation and solutions for local needs and challenges. AfriAlliance also identifies constraints and develops strategic advice for improving collaboration within Africa and between Africa and the EU. To help improve water and climate Monitoring & Forecasting in Africa, AfriAlliance is developing a triple sensor approach, whereby water and climate data from three independent sources are geo-spatially collocated: space-based (satellites), in-situ hydro-meteorological station observation networks and data colle t d by citizens. Sharing of knowledge is facilitated through a series of events and through an innovative online platform. Demand-driven AfriAlliance ‘Ac- tion Groups’ bring together African and European peers with relevant knowledge and expertise to work jointly towards solutions. Realisation Authors: Natacha Amorsi, Sonia Siauve (Office Inter ational de l’Eau), Uta Wehn (IHE Delft). Contributor: Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema (Waternet). Graphic Design: Gilles Papon (Office I ternational de l’E u). References DESCRIPTION • African Climate Policy Center (2013), Policy brief n°12, Climate change and health in Africa: Issues and options, ClimDev-Africa Programme. • United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African Climate Po- licy Centre (2011), Climate change and health across Africa: issues and options, working paper 20. TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS • Akvo database on projects about all stages of water, sanitation and hy- giene projects ( available online freely here ). • United Nations General Assembly, Sixty-fourth session - Agenda item 48, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 28 July 2010, 64/292. The human right to water and sanitation. • World Health Organization (2017), Guidelines for Drinking-Water qua- lity : Fourth edition incorporating the first addendum, 24th April. • World Health Organization (no date), Factsheets on environmental sani- tation, prepared by the Robens Institute, University of Surrey, UK ( available online here ). CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT • Vallejo, B. and Wehn, U. (2016) Capacity Development Evaluation: The Challenge of the Results Agenda and Measuring Return on Investment in Capacity Development in the Global South, World Development, Vol. 79, pp.1-13, doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.10.044. • Wehn, U. (2015) The Global Context: National Capacity Development Strategies, Tailor Made Training for contact points of Uganda’s National Water and Enviro ment Capacity D velopment Strategy, in collaboration with the Ministry for Water and Environment (Uganda), Kampala, Uganda, 10-11 November. • North, D. (1990) Institutions, institutional change and economic per- formance. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES • Lautze J., de Silva S., Giordano M., Sanford L., (2011), Putting the cart before the horse: Water governance and IWRM, Natural Resources Forum, 35, 1-8. • Wehn, U. (2017) Digital transformations and the governance of human societies, presentation at EC Joint Research Centre, ISPRA, Italy, 7 April. LIST OF ACRONYMS • CD : Capacity development. • SIF : Social Innovation Factsheet. • WHO : World Health Organization. MORE INFORMATION Further reading Presentation of AFRIALLIANCE HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION’S HORIZON 2020 RESEARCH AND INNOVATION PROGRAMME UNDER GRANT AGREEMENT NO 689162 AfriAlliance 1.1 - v9B.indd 1-2