|
IWRM PRINCIPLES AND THE ZAMBEZI RIVER BASIN
The realisation of the need to manage water
resources in an integrated manner led to the formulation
and adoption of the IWRM principles,
also known as Rio/Dublin principles, in 1992.
The relevance of the four IWRM principles is
illustrated in the Zambezi River Basin, as follows:
- Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential
to sustain life, development and environment.
- Water development and environment should be based
on participatory approach, involving users, planners
and policy makers at all levels.
- Women play a central part in the provision, management
and safeguarding of water.
- Water has an economic value in all its competing uses
and should be recognised as an economic good.
|
-
The water resources of the Zambezi River
depend on climatic conditions and as stated
above, drought and floods exacerbate the vulnerability
of the region. Under such conditions,
water as a limited resource is difficult to
quantify and to manage.
- Basin states depend on these water resources
for survival. Thus a participatory approach is
needed at both regional and country levels.
- Women make up 65 percent of the population
of the Zambezi Basin. Most live in rural areas
where they play a central role in the collection
of water for domestic uses and in agriculture.
They play almost no role, however, in decision-
making over the allocation of resources.
- Water can play a key role in unlocking economic
development in the Zambezi Basin and should
be recognised as an economic good. Where possible,
cost recovery is desirable to guarantee the
sustainability of investments used for developing
water infrastructure. Cross subsidisation should
be considered because water is a social commodity
essential to human dignity.
| |
2000 |
2025 |
|
Urban |
Rural |
Urban |
Rural |
| Angola |
13 302 |
25 940 |
31 |
69 |
15 |
34 |
8 |
| Botswana |
1 651 |
2 270 |
64 |
100 |
91 |
91 |
41 |
| Malawi |
10 160 |
18 695 |
14 |
80 |
32 |
52 |
24 |
| Mozambique |
17 245 |
26 730 |
35 |
17 |
40 |
53 |
15 |
| Namibia |
1 817 |
2 460 |
37 |
87 |
42 |
77 |
32 |
| Tanzania |
33 422 |
56 090 |
25 |
67 |
45 |
74 |
62 |
| Zambia |
10 755 |
18 285 |
43 |
64 |
27 |
75 |
32 |
| Zimbabwe |
13 485 |
17 395 |
43 |
90 |
69 |
90 |
42 |
|
|
IWRM is a process which promotes co-ordinated development
and management of water, land and related resources,
in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare
in an equitable manner ithout compromising the sustainability
of vital systems.
|
|
