The Potential of Catchment Forums in Improving WRM and Governance

The Potential of Catchment Forums in improving WRM and Governance

WISA Biennial Conference delegates are invited to join the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Department of Water Affairs’ workshop on 25th May 2014, 10 am to 3 pm in Nelspruit, Mbombela Stadium. The workshop titled “The Potential of Catchment Forums in improving WRM and Governance” will provide an ideal opportunity to disseminate and grow the knowledge among participants about catchment management forums with regards to their workings, potential and needs.

Decentralisation has been a development mantra for some time now and with it seems an almost automatic perception that all decentralisation is good and desirable. The implementation of IWRM in the last 2 decades in many countries of the world, have sobered the mood around decentralisation. Much of the experiences have been disappointing where the lack of capacities, financial transfers and real transfer of power to lower levels has compromised the desired expression of this transformation. The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is currently developing a vision for CMF for South Africa; this is informed by DWA’s impetus to the water resources governance reform process. To address this, the Department seeks to enhance the role of CMFs in actualising integrated water resources management; hence if these forums by which stakeholders seek to engage are not well understood, necessary strategic plans and decentralisation visions cannot be well formulated. The experience of the workshop will be documented to establish how both new and existing water fora can achieve practical outcomes for the more direct benefit of their members.

The workshop exchange and recommendations/inputs thereafter is going to be used by DWA (with the participation of water sector stakeholders) to co-create a new vision for the revitalisation, expansion and support of CMFs.

The target audience is meant to be all the water practitioners; Stakeholder participation and community development practitioners; Universities; State-Owned Entities, e.g. Water Boards, SALGA, etc.; Water sector stakeholders (Water Services Authorities, Water Management Institutions, Civil Society Organisations, Traditional Authorities, Industries); Civil Society, Other Government Departments, e.g. Department of Mineral Resources, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, Department of Environmental Affairs, etc.

Outline the workshop programme, including the names of any proposed speakers and facilitators.

THE POTENTIAL OF CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT FORUMS IN WRM AND GOVERNANCE

DATE: 25TH MAY 2014

TIME: 10:00-15:00

CHAIR: MatomeMahasha