Sustainable Transboundary Aquifer Management for Peace in the SADC Region
The sharing of water resources has the potential to either promote peaceful collaboration or incite conflict. Challenges such as scarcity, pollution, and unequal access can exacerbate tensions. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we unite our efforts to protect and conserve this invaluable resource. Collaborative efforts focused on water can serve as a platform for addressing shared transboundary challenges.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region alone has approximately 32 transboundary aquifers (TBAs). However, managing these aquifers presents complex challenges that can only be overcome through the joint efforts of its riparian Member States.
Utilization of TBAs can be contentious due to competing demands for water resources and the potential for conflicts over their management and allocation among different riparian states. Therefore, understanding and effectively managing transboundary aquifers in the SADC region is vital for promoting sustainable development, preventing water conflicts, facilitating regional integration, and ensuring long-term environmental and socio-economic stability.
TBAs in the SADC region play a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to water and addressing water scarcity. They are not just resources, but catalysts for sustainable development. They support and inspire sustainable development, helping to meet the growing water demands of agriculture, industry, and urban development. They also reduce pressure on river basins and ecosystems, facilitate cooperation, and prevent conflicts among riparian states.
The SADC Revised Protocol on Shared Watercourses of 2000 is a powerful testament to the region's commitment to sustainable development and conflict prevention. It underscores the importance of effectively managing shared water resources in the region.
Agriculture is the backbone of the livelihoods of many communities in SADC countries. TBAs support this crucial sector by offering a consistent and reliable source of irrigation water that helps maintain and potentially increase agricultural productivity. 'With a relatively low utilization of the renewable groundwater resources of less than 5%, there is still a huge potential to maximize the SADC region’s groundwater to improve water, energy, and food security in SADC,' says Eng. James Sauramba, the Executive Director of SADC-GMI.
Similarly, access to the region’s transboundary aquifers makes providing drinking water and sanitation services in growing urban areas possible, stimulating urban development and contributing to public health outcomes. As the world's freshwater resources come under increasing pressure, there is a growing need for closer international cooperation in managing shared rivers, aquifers, and lakes.
In this regard, the SADC-GMI is proactively taking measures to promote effective transboundary aquifer management. Since assuming its operations in 2016, SADC-GMI has spearheaded collaborative efforts to assist countries in finding solutions for equitable sharing of water resources while mitigating potential conflicts arising from unequal resource management. As part of the Sustainable Groundwater Management in the SADC Member States project supported by the World Bank since 2016, the SADC-GMI conducted extensive research in the Shire River Aquifer System, shared between Malawi and Mozambique, the Tuli Karoo Transboundary Aquifer (TBA), shared by Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the Eastern Kalahari-Karoo Basin Transboundary Aquifer (EKK-TBA), which is shared between Botswana and Zimbabwe, as well as the Khakhea-Bray TBA shared by Botswana and South Africa.
This research aimed to better understand the hydrogeological properties and challenges associated with these transboundary aquifers to support sustainable management and the utilization of groundwater resources in the region.
"These initiatives aimed to analyze the behavior and characteristics of transboundary aquifers comprehensively and help their respective riparian Member States to establish mechanisms for the collaborative management of these aquifers," - Eng. James Sauramba, SADC-GMI Executive Director.
These efforts facilitated the elaboration of Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis Reports and Joint Strategic Action Plans. The Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis Reports reported on a thorough comprehension of the condition of the transboundary aquifer systems, encompassing an assessment of their surface water and groundwater resources, their utilization, spatial and temporal variations, interrelations, impacts, as well as the human benefits obtained from diverse ecosystem services and existing infrastructure. Sauramba said these reports served as the foundation for developing a Joint Strategic Action Plan (SAP), which prioritized actions that countries needed to focus on for equitable management of the shared water resources.
Additionally, the sustainable management of aquifers faces challenges due to a limited understanding of aquifers and insufficient groundwater monitoring data within the Member States. It is imperative to establish groundwater monitoring systems in these areas to enhance the comprehension of aquifers and promote their effective management and utilization. As part of this initiative, the SADC-GMI is developing groundwater monitoring systems for strategic aquifers in Southern Africa.
The project aims to identify aquifers from three typologies that can serve as "pilot" projects for developing groundwater monitoring systems in Southern African countries. These monitoring systems will facilitate an assessment of both successes and challenges encountered, allowing for the derivation of valuable lessons to enhance groundwater monitoring data collection and improve the understanding and management of aquifers in southern African countries.
Of the 32 TBAs in the SADC region, only approximately six TBAs have been the subject of extensive research initiatives. These 6 TBAs (Ramotswa, Strampriet, Khakhea Bray, Eastern Kalahari Karoo, Tuli Karoo, and Shire Aquifer Systems) have been the focus of detailed research studies, resulting in the formulation of transboundary diagnostic research reports and strategic action plans. This indicates that some progress has been made in addressing the challenges associated with these particular aquifers. However, it is important to underscore the need for further comprehensive efforts to manage and sustainably utilize these shared water resources effectively. This is crucial to ensure their development sustainably and equitably.
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