Panel Discussion on Aquifers

1. Groundwater
at IW Science Conference, Bangkok, 2012
Panellist Input
Eberhard Braune
UNESCO Chair in Groundwater, University of the Western Cape

2. Groundwater Transformation
in South Africa
 Non - water resource factors are often the critical ones that bring major
groundwater change;
 The 1994 political transformation in South Africa also brought a
‘revolution’ in the water sector and in groundwater use;
 Minister Kader Asmal soon called surface water the masculine
resource – of dams, pipelines, concrete and engineers, whereas
groundwater for him was the feminine resource, laboured for by the
most vulnerable of society, the women and children of Africa (those
highlighted in the Dublin IWRM principles).
 From this vision, groundwater changed from a source, largely for small
towns and for mining and commercial agriculture in the arid parts
of the country, to a strategic resource covering 60-90%
of community water supply across the whole country.

3. Reflection
on this Groundwater Transformation
 Groundwater governance is human rights-based and must
involve interaction between the formal institutions of government
and those of civil society
(establishing the National Water Policy was the most participative process
ever experienced in S.A. and groundwater benefited greatly);
 Groundwater not only as just another water source, but has a
unique role towards meeting national development
objectives, eg pro-poor economic growth, Millennium
Development Goals, rural development, and climate change
adaptation.
 The need for a very high degree of participative management
flows directly out of above, but is still very poorly
institutionalized;
 We are also still lacking the appropriate policy, proper macro-
planning and facilitation processes at national level to deal
with achieving sustainability in the case of very widely distributed
resource use and conservation.

4. Coming Challenge
for Groundwater
 To take groundwater from a provider of just basic
domestic water needs to a source for addressing
community livelihoods, ie. increasing food security, rural
employment and the productivity of small farmers and other rural
workers.
 The required water volumes are available, even in
the basement rock aquifers of Africa, but the
imperative of national facilitation of effective local
development and management will require
completely new ways of water sector collaboration
(water, agriculture, economic development, local government
etc).

5. Fresh Hope at Continental Level
 There has been groundwater policy and action at
highest continental level (2007 - African Ministers Council on
Water - AMCOW);
 Umbrella policy with regard to financing and
institutionalizing groundwater resources
management;
 Establishment of the Africa Groundwater
Commission (not yet functional);
 Recent interest in transboundary aquifer
management, as part of river basin management,
- a first logical outflow of this policy

6. Improving Science/Policy Interface
 The increased AMCOW groundwater understanding
and policy- action was only possible through regional
scientific cooperation (11 African cities groundwater project)
and ongoing advocacy, made possible by joint
UNEP/UNESCO support and networking;
 New opportunity to institutionalize such processes
through the establishment of the NEPAD Southern
Africa Water Centre of Excellence (such centres to be
established in all Africa sub-regions);
 The NEPAD vision is for integrated science to lead
integrated development.

7. Improving Science/Policy Interface
 The increased AMCOW groundwater understanding
and policy- action was only possible through regional
scientific cooperation (11 African cities groundwater project)
and ongoing advocacy, made possible by joint
UNEP/UNESCO support and networking;
 New opportunity to institutionalize such processes
through the establishment of the NEPAD Southern
Africa Water Centre of Excellence (such centres to be
established in all Africa sub-regions);
 The NEPAD vision is for integrated science to lead
integrated development.