Page 61 - CIWA-AR24

Southern Africa

Sustainable Groundwater

Management in SADC

Member States—Phase II

Context
outhern Africa experienced the and advocacy; and building resilient However, progress on including more
S
most severe drought in over 100 livelihoods and inclusive groundwater women in groundwater management
years from January to March 2024, management. (e.g., the NFGs) has been slow, in large
prompting the SADC to launch a part because of low numbers of
US$5.5 billion humanitarian appeal to Progress women working in relevant fields. Thus,
support over 61 million people affected Component 1: Capacity building the SADC-GMI is aiming to involve
by the El Niño-induced climatic more young people, especially women,
phenomenon that unleashed drought, and strengthening for sustainable in equitable and sustainable
cyclones, and floods. The widespread groundwater management groundwater management and
35
drought resulted in a 71 percent The objective of this component is to continuing to implement a Young
decrease in harvested cereal compared strengthen institutions at local, Professionals program to drive
to the previous year, causing national, and transboundary levels to progress and innovation. In FY24, 39
widespread food insecurity. better manage groundwater. In the Young Professionals (15 women) were
last FY, the initiative established five placed in internship programs either
Highly dependent on rainfed agriculture national focus groups (NFGs) in the at the SADC-GMI or national entities.
and climate-sensitive livelihoods, the DRC, Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania,
SADC region is home to about 345 and Zambia (bringing the total to 10 The SADC-GMI has signed MoUs with
million people, over 70 percent of whom NFGs created by the project) to drive several RBOs. Through these MOUs, the
rely on groundwater as their primary the groundwater agenda, oversee SADC-GMI is implementing several
water source. SADC member states have groundwater activities at the national institutional-strengthening and
an estimated 2,491m³/per capita/year in level, and provide a linkage between capacity-building initiatives for the
renewable groundwater but currently SADC-GMI and national stakeholders. RBOs, including the Limpopo
only use 1.2 percent of the resource. Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM),
Groundwater is often used without Training sessions were held in the Cuvelai Watercourse Commission
proper knowledge of the aquifer potential October 2023 and January 2024 to (CUVECOM), and the Incomati and
or monitoring of its status and use, support the NFGs in developing Maputo Watercourse Commission
potentially leading to overexploitation or Terms of Reference (ToR) for the (INMACOM). These RBOs have created
contamination and jeopardizing specific contexts of their countries, groundwater committees and are now
long-term sustainable groundwater use. mobilizing financial resources, and developing groundwater strategies for
Monitoring groundwater resources is planning around groundwater. their basins. The SADC-GMI continues
crucial in a heating and drying climate. Botswana, Comoros, Madagascar, and to serve as the Secretariat to the
There is, however, still a lack of the Seychelles are the remaining SADC established Groundwater Committees
groundwater information availability and countries that need to develop an and facilitates integration of
resistance among countries to sharing NFG. The project is leading study tours groundwater into the conjunctive
groundwater data. Lack of information, for these four countries to governance of water resources.
along with the transboundary nature of demonstrate the benefits of forming
many of the aquifers, complicates their own NFGs. Component 2: Knowledge
sustainable water management at the development, dissemination,
national and international levels. To enhance equitability, the ToR for the and advocacy
NFGs require gender balance and This component is at the core of
The project has three components: cross-sectoral representation. For all the improving understanding of
Capacity building and strengthening for training and professional opportunities, groundwater and its role in building
sustainable groundwater management; SADC-GMI asks member states to resilience and coping with the impacts
knowledge development, dissemination, nominate male and female candidates. of climate change amid all the

35 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/2024-06-11_USG_Southern_Africa_Regional_Drought_Fact_Sheet_1.pdf 56