Effective Uses of Water for Livelihood Improvement

1. Effective Uses of Waterfor Livelihood Improvement Issues – action taken and outcome of the action plan Plan -East and Southern Africa

2. Background • In 8 Countries in RESA food shortage is national issues and the countries can not produce enough food for themselves • More than 50 % of the population lives below the poverty line • Child mortality is very high because of malnutrition and water born and water related diseases • In those countries environmental degradation ( soil erosion, deforestation, poor management of eco-system and lack of alternative renewable energy sources are big issues) • Except Egypt Sudan, Albania, in all other RESA Countries more than 90-95% of farming are based on rain fed agriculture

3. Background • More than 80 % the population live in the rural area engaged in agriculture ( where in developing countries 3-5% the population are farmers) • For most of the countries agriculture is the backbone of the economy it contribute about 50-80 GDP and to more than 50 % foreign exchange earning • The Region has enormous ground and surface water sources ( big water bodies , lake Victoria, Nile, Zambezi, etc) • The Average Annual Rainfall pattern is uniform but some times the timing and intensity is erratic

4. The Water development program was associated with health benefit only (domains) Most of the water development program were not design to address sustainable livelihood issues There was no intention to uses water for house hold income generating activities Some high yielding boreholes are not effectively used some times < 10% of the yield Inadequate communication with Sector Association and professional groups (Rain water other networks) Issues and Concerns that affects economic uses of water in Plan Program Countries

5. Some examples in lack of effectiveness • The borehole funded by Plan to Bugurunib Primary School in DAR –Tz is not properly used –no school garden…. • The water is pumped once a week for 25 minutes • There is no clear plan to use the high yielding, about 5lit/sec to the community

6. Some examples in lack of effectiveness • A hand pump is installed in a high yielding (3.5) borehole in Geita Tz • Children & communities have to queue to collect water

7. Higher Yielding boreholes were not used during the drought Malawi –

8. Many families have requested for private connection to use for dairy and poultry farm. The community wanted to increase water kiosks to increase income Gitangu Project Plan Kenya –Water Kiosk with long queue- while there is enormous sources from rivers- the eclectic pump only work 3 hours to fill the 200m3 reservoir

9. 200 cum masonry reservoir constructed by Plan

10. Electric pumps from the national grid –one pump is bought by the community as the spare

11. Measure Taken to address the issue • Capacity Building Training on Multiple uses of water was organized for WATSAN and Food Security Advisors of the 10 countries- Nairobi-Oct-2004 • Field training during the workshop

12. Action Plan of the Workshop • The Advisors for each country developed an action plan • to takestock of the available water sources and to develop at least 2 multiple uses of water projects- • To use IWRM as planning Framework • To start a Tree/Child Project and expand school garden • To join Rainwater and other professional Associations

13. Encouraging outcome of the Training • 6 Countries agreed to use IWRM in their country program outline • 4 Countries have been doing stock taking • The working relations and communication between the WATSAN and FS advisors has improved • Plan Malawi has started 4 Trees/Child program 2 at home and 2 at school so far 18,000 fruit trees are planted by school children • All country advisors joined Rainwater Association and other networks • The understanding of Advisors on Concept of Integration and Scaling-up has increased