Water resource: There is need for trans-boundary cooperation

Ms Egunyu is the communications officer, SNV Uganda. COURTESY PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Prof Kasimbazi noted that human beings are naturally distrustful and that one first needs to understand people’s cultural beliefs.
  • Why do they act the way they do? Why do people, for instance, still practice open defecation in this modern era?
  • Once we have understood the why, then we need to identify and understand the critical information gaps in relation to the practices we would like to stop.

The Ministry of Water and Environment recently organised the first ever Uganda Water and Environment Week in commemoration of the Sanitation Week and the World Water Day celebrations.
The theme: ‘Water and Environment, a catalyst for achieving middle income status by 2020’, was clearly well thought out and complemented with well-informed panellists, who were able to speak authoritatively regarding successes and remaining challenges within Uganda and the broader East Africa region.

In his key note address, Prof Emmanuel Kasimbazi, spoke about the need for trans-boundary water cooperation and gave reference to the Nile Basin Initiative. Key highlights of this presentation included the following:
Water is a source of economic, social and economic development. Its effective use, however, depends on how much we are willing to cooperate with our neighbours to ensure long-term sustainable access to water, which is safe for human consumption.

Nine million Ugandans (22 per cent of the population) do not have access to safe drinking water, according to the Uganda National Household Survey of 2016/17. And with 2.8 million residents still defecating in the open, the continued risk of open water source contamination remains.

This year’s World Water Day theme: ‘Nature for water’, explores nature-based solutions for this challenge in addition to related concerns, including wetland reclamation, deforestation, agro chemical runoff, climate change etc. So where do we find our solutions? Prof Kasimbazi noted that human beings are naturally distrustful and that one first needs to understand people’s cultural beliefs.

Why do they act the way they do? Why do people, for instance, still practice open defecation in this modern era?
Understanding the ‘Why’ is key to bridging the gaps because only then will we be able to find approaches that are relatable and resonate with whatever solution we are trying to propose.
Once we have understood the why, then we need to identify and understand the critical information gaps in relation to the practices we would like to stop.

Do the people practising open defecation understand the far-reaching implications of their actions on society as a whole? What is the ‘carrot’ (benefit) that they stand to gain by abandoning this vice?
A benefits assessment Prof Kasimbazi argued can help people appreciate the need to cooperate because it is relatable and speaks to their need.

I believe that the solutions proposed by Prof Kasimbazi do hold a lot of water in my view. It is my hope that we can continue with the discussion as we seek for long lasting nature based solutions to our water challenges.

Ms Egunyu is the communications officer, SNV Uganda.