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CASE STUDIES OF WATER RESOURCE PLANNING IN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES:
LESSONS LEARNED
Mr AW Hall and Dr N Walmsley
1. Background
At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992, a strategy for improving natural resource development and management was developed. Known as Agenda 21, Chapter 18 presented a pioneering plan of action needed for moving toward development that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. It highlighted the importance of an integrated approach to water resource management based on the perception of water as an integral part of the eco-system, a natural resource, and a social and economic good, whose quantity and quality determine the nature of its utilisation.
One of the principle objectives to be pursued was that of promoting a dynamic, interactive, iterative and multi-sectoral approach to water resource development and management that integrates technological, socio-economic, environmental and human health considerations within an integrated institutional framework. Whilst the benefits of an integrated approach are internationally accepted, the implementation of such an approach presents many challenges.
It is important to draw lessons from current planning practices and experiences to serve as a guide to others as to potential ways forward. A number of case studies were therefore undertaken to review current planning practices, to highlight their strengths and weaknesses, and to identify potential keys to success. A broad spectrum of country contexts were investigated. Four developing countries/regions were selected for study: Zimbabwe; China
(Henan Province); Ethiopia; and, India (Tamil Nadu). Each is largely characterised by a semiarid climate but their aspirations in terms of economic and social development, the relaionship between water availability and demand, and present levels of water development vary considerably. A fifth case study was
COUNTRIES:
LESSONS LEARNED
Mr AW Hall and Dr N Walmsley
1. Background
At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992, a strategy for improving natural resource development and management was developed. Known as Agenda 21, Chapter 18 presented a pioneering plan of action needed for moving toward development that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. It highlighted the importance of an integrated approach to water resource management based on the perception of water as an integral part of the eco-system, a natural resource, and a social and economic good, whose quantity and quality determine the nature of its utilisation.
One of the principle objectives to be pursued was that of promoting a dynamic, interactive, iterative and multi-sectoral approach to water resource development and management that integrates technological, socio-economic, environmental and human health considerations within an integrated institutional framework. Whilst the benefits of an integrated approach are internationally accepted, the implementation of such an approach presents many challenges.
It is important to draw lessons from current planning practices and experiences to serve as a guide to others as to potential ways forward. A number of case studies were therefore undertaken to review current planning practices, to highlight their strengths and weaknesses, and to identify potential keys to success. A broad spectrum of country contexts were investigated. Four developing countries/regions were selected for study: Zimbabwe; China
(Henan Province); Ethiopia; and, India (Tamil Nadu). Each is largely characterised by a semiarid climate but their aspirations in terms of economic and social development, the relaionship between water availability and demand, and present levels of water development vary considerably. A fifth case study was