Research and training in the Olifants and Limpopo basins of southern Africa

L'article décrit la participation des chercheurs français, détachés à l'Institut international de la gestion des ressources en eau (IWMI) par le ministère français de l'Agriculture, aux travaux concernant les bassins hydrographiques de référence Olifants et Limpopo, entrepris dans le cadre du Programme pour relever les défis « Eau et alimentation ». Les scientifiques français mis à la disposition de l'IWMI ne sont pas seulement investis dans les dimensions économiques, géographiques et agronomiques de ces programmes de recherche et de formation, ils contribuent également à la coordination des différents programmes dans les bassins hydrographiques et à l'amélioration de leur coordination. / This paper describes the contribution of the French researchers seconded to International Water Management Institute (IWMI) by the French Ministry of Agriculture in the Olifants and Limpopo benchmark basins of the Challenge Program on Water and Food. The French researchers made available to IWMI are not only involved in the economic, geographic and agronomic aspects of these projects, but also participate in coordinating and developing synergy between different projects in the basins.GESTION DE L'EAU;RECHERCHE;FORMATION PROFESSIONNELLE;AFRIQUE DU SUD;RESEARCH;TRAINING;WATER MANAGEMENT;SOUTHERN AFRICA

Research and training in the Olifants and Limpopo basins of southern Africa

This paper describes the contribution of the French researchers seconded to International Water Management Institute (IWMI) by the French Ministry of Agriculture in the Olifants and Limpopo benchmark basins of the Challenge Program on Water and Food. The French researchers made available to IWMI are not only involved in the economic, geographic and agronomic aspects of these projects, but also participate in coordinating and developing synergy between different projects in the basins.L'article décrit la participation des chercheurs français, détachés à l'Institut international de la gestion des ressources en eau (IWMI) par le ministère français de l'Agriculture, aux travaux concernant les bassins hydrographiques de référence Olifants et Limpopo, entrepris dans le cadre du Programme pour relever les défis « Eau et alimentation ». Les scientifiques français mis à la disposition de l'IWMI ne sont pas seulement investis dans les dimensions économiques, géographiques et agronomiques de ces programmes de recherche et de formation, ils contribuent également à la coordination des différents programmes dans les bassins hydrographiques et à l'amélioration de leur coordination. / This paper describes the contribution of the French researchers seconded to International Water Management Institute (IWMI) by the French Ministry of Agriculture in the Olifants and Limpopo benchmark basins of the Challenge Program on Water and Food. The French researchers made available to IWMI are not only involved in the economic, geographic and agronomic aspects of these projects, but also participate in coordinating and developing synergy between different projects in the basins

Balancing groundwater conservation and rural livelihoods under water and climate uncertainties: An integrated hydro-economic modeling framework

In arid countries worldwide, social conflicts between irrigation-based human development and the conservation of aquatic ecosystems are widespread and attract many public debates. This research focuses on the analysis of water and agricultural policies aimed at conserving groundwater resources and maintaining rurallivelihoods in a basin in Spain's central arid region. Intensive groundwater mining for irrigation has caused overexploitation of the basin's large aquifer, the degradation of reputed wetlands and has given rise to notable social conflicts over the years. With the aim of tackling the multifaceted socio-ecological interactions of complex water systems, the methodology used in this study consists in a novel integration into a common platform of an economic optimization model and a hydrology model WEAP (Water Evaluation And Planning system). This robust tool is used to analyze the spatial and temporal effects of different water and agricultural policies under different climate scenarios. It permits the prediction of different climate and policy outcomes across farm types (water stress impacts and adaptation), at basin's level (aquifer recovery), and along the policies’ implementation horizon (short and long run). Results show that the region's current quota-based water policies may contribute to reduce water consumption in the farms but will not be able to recover the aquifer and will inflict income losses to the rural communities. This situation would worsen in case of drought. Economies of scale and technology are evidenced as larger farms with cropping diversification and those equipped with modern irrigation will better adapt to water stress conditions. However, the long-term sustainability of the aquifer and the maintenance of rurallivelihoods will be attained only if additional policy measures are put in place such as the control of illegal abstractions and the establishing of a water bank. Within the policy domain, the research contributes to the new sustainable development strategy of the EU by concluding that, in water-scarce regions, effective integration of water and agricultural policies is essential for achieving the water protection objectives of the EU policies. Therefore, the design and enforcement of well-balanced region-specific polices is a major task faced by policy makers for achieving successful water management that will ensure nature protection and human development at tolerable social costs. From a methodological perspective, this research initiative contributes to better address hydrological questions as well as economic and social issues in complex water and human systems. Its integrated vision provides a valuable illustration to inform water policy and management decisions within contexts of water-related conflicts worldwide

Possible Impacts of the Transformation of Water Infrastructure on Productive Water Uses The Case of the Seokodibeng Village in South Africa

The study assesses the current water supply system and water uses in the Seokodibeng village in the former Lebowa homeland, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. This village is part of a group of 96 villages that are to receive water from a pipeline built by neighboring mines in order to secure their development. The mines and the villages are members of the Lebalelo Water User Association. In 2003, this association was the only Water User Association in South Africa not based on farming activities. The initial question of this study concerns the future of productive uses of water at village and household levels once Seokodibeng`s connection to the pipeline is achieved. The review of past investments shows that the village was successful in attracting funds from many organizations to develop its water pumping and distribution infrastructure. However, investments for irrigation activities or domestic water uses have been made separately, without considering the possible multiple uses of an infrastructure. Because of internal problems and the lack of satisfying communication with other external organizations, a part of the village faces serious water shortages, while irrigation has been stopped in the different communal gardens. At the same time, homestead gardens irrigated from communal taps are flourishing in the part of the village unaffected by shortages. The connection to the pipeline will bring about a change in tariffs, from a monthly fee per household to one based on volume consumption, but communal taps will probably still be used. The analysis of the economic productivity of the different small-scale activities (homestead garden, communal garden, brick fabrication, and livestock) shows that all these users should be able to bear the change in the tariff system, provided that the products can be sold. The current problems faced by the village are not a lack of water resources or equipment, but rather a lack of internal organization within the village and the absence of an organization in charge of maintenance that is accountable to the village. Therefore, the important investment about to be made of connecting the village to the pipeline may be less urgent than an improvement of the institutional organization of water supply. The productivity of water used at household level and the link between the size of the gardens and the distance from the taps call for a more thorough investigation of the costs and benefits of installing household taps