From policy to action

Description

The Bank has moved from the review of the IWRM policy to action, in order to align its operations with current modalities, interpretations, and applications of the IWRM paradigm. In order to do so the Bank has formulated its objective clearly to ensure that it will be able to continue its operations in the future on the basis of a revised IWRM policy which is based on consultations with its stakeholders and can be effectively embedded within its organisational structures and systems.

This research engaged with two objectives:

• It studies the concept of IWRM and its principles/practices within the AfDB and surrounding arena. It asks: how did it develop, what effects did it produce on the ground so far, what are limiting and enabling factors for its success;
• It explores insights, new applications and solutions through various research methods, by asking the questions how the Bank can better operationalize the policy and make it more relevant to its actions.

The proposed framework should guide the critical study of various interpretations and challenges of IWRM policy and practice at multiple political and geographical scales, from macro political settings to localize river basins and communities at micro level.

A multi-sited ethnographic and comparative methodology has been proposed to map IWRM policy challenges and opportunities for the AfDB across the (inter)national and local levels.

Two key arguments form the fundaments to select this approach:

• The AfDB IWRM policy aims to operate on various (international, national, local) levels.
• IWRM in essence implies integration of the natural, technical and social arenas at different levels.

In this assignment a framework to study IWRM and its translation into practices in several African countries has been adopted.

Services

Data Desk Review: Research and Literature Review

• Date Desk Review: Research and Literature Review
• Field Data Collection: Focus Group Discussion, Internal Consultations, Dialogue and External Consultations;
• Data Reporting and Analysis:
  • A brief analysis of how the 2000 IWRM policy was implemented in practice to identify key effectors ;
  • “Overlaying” of these effectors on the current state of IWRM in Africa and the context of the Bank’s policies;
  • Placing this in the context of IWRM policies of other multilateral development banks and bilateral donors;
  • Drafting of a revised IWRM policy bearing these elements in mind;
  • Drafting a log frame for monitoring of implementation of the policy would be prepared.