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This document is an editorial from the International Journal of Water Resources Development, discussing the importance of water resource management in agriculture for achieving food and water security in Asia. It highlights the role of agriculture in water usage and the challenges posed by climate change and increased demand. The editorial presents research papers on topics such as the impact of climate change on food security, the effects of weather variables on crop yields, the benefits of irrigation mechanization, and groundwater governance. It concludes by emphasizing the need for integrated measures, technological development, provision of irrigation facilities, and improved water governance for sustainable water management in agriculture. Additionally, the document includes a list of contact information for individuals affiliated with institutions such as the Asian Development Bank Institute and the University of Glasgow's School of Social & Environmental Sustainability. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the global water crisis and the unsustainable management of water resources. It highlights the increasing frequency and duration of extreme hydrometeorological events due to climate change. The lack of long-term political priority given to water management by policymakers is identified as a major problem. The article also emphasizes the importance of sustainable groundwater management and the need for policies to reduce the decline of groundwater levels and contamination. The negative consequences of unregulated groundwater extraction in countries like the United States and India are discussed. The article concludes by mentioning other papers in the journal that cover various water-related topics. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines new forms of political participation on the part of rural water committees in Nicaragua in the mid-2000s. In particular, it explores the role of multisectoral alliances in facilitating water committees' (1) physical mobility and political visibility, (2) political and legal capacity-building, and (3) access to state channels of representation. Contributing to theories of social capital, this case reveals a transformation of participation in water governance from locally grounded collective action for water management to engagement in public policy processes. In practical terms, the paper casts lessons for improved water governance via more inclusive policy processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of devolved irrigation water management systems and complementary irrigation technologies on collective empowerment in Ethiopia. We find that households' monetary, in-kind and labour contributions for irrigation water provision and appropriation are more common in farmer-managed gravity irrigation schemes compared with farmer-managed pump systems and jointly managed schemes. The most frequent conflict occurrence was observed in jointly managed gravity irrigation systems, followed by farmer-managed gravity systems. Our results indicate that irrigation users' degree of participation, decision-making capacity and strength of local governance are also affected by several household, plot, village, scheme and climatic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of integrated water resources management (IWRM) is broadly recognized, but practical implementation methods are little known. This paper proposes a Practical IWRM approach that has the potential to accelerate consensus-building and problem-solving relating to water resources based on the formation of an aligned perception of natural and human-made water resource systems among stakeholders, and the establishment of a properly functioning multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP). This approach was applied in four countries – Sudan, Bolivia, Indonesia and Iran – where it has worked well in different contexts, and can be an effective methodology usable elsewhere in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the adverse effects of growing water scarcity on the lives and livelihoods of poor people have become a major policy concern in India. This paper reviews the effectiveness of macro-level policies for rainwater conservation and critically examines micro-level local community institutions for the sustainable management of traditional water bodies. Using Ostrom's design principles and qualitative data from three different multipurpose tanks, the study finds that management decisions at the local level have benefited few influential members of local communities and deprived a large number of poor households from resource uses, making the local institutions ineffective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While conflict and cooperation in Central Asia are mainly focused on the larger basins (Amu and Syr Darya) and the implementation of the agreement reached directly after independence (1991), here an analysis of the history of water-sharing agreements in the Isfara Basin is presented. The paper reveals that there have been fierce negotiations and renegotiations even during the Soviet Union period between the Central Asian riparian republics; agreement was reached mainly though engineering solutions that brought more water to the basin. The paper highlights that although water-sharing agreements were reached early on, the technical capability of implementing these agreements was lacking. Similarly, even after independence, agreements had been reached but lack of water control hindered their implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the Nepali state's role in water management over time and space. Using the hydraulic mission model, it draws on historical material, policy documents and interviews. From the 1800s, state water management concentrated on the Kathmandu Valley. The 1960s witnessed the hydraulic mission launch in the Terai lowlands through the construction of public irrigation canals. Since the 1990s, a consolidating hydraulic mission climbed into the hills and mountains through hydropower development. It is argued that, over time, topography played a determining role in the application of state power and water control through infrastructure development, and that attention to geography helps refine the hydraulic mission model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community management has been widely criticized, yet it continues to play a significant role in rural drinking water supply. In India, as with other ‘emerging’ economies, the management model must now adapt to meet the policy demand for ever-increasing technical sophistication. Given this context, the paper reviews the history and concepts of community management to propose three typologies that better account for the changing role of the community and external support entities found in successful cases. It argues that external support entities must be prepared to take greater responsibility for providing ongoing support to communities for ensuring continuous service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including water and energy resources, river basin vulnerability index, and water management in Central Asia region.

In United Nations water conference: Summary and main documents A. K. Biswas (Ed.), During the 1970s, the United Nations (UN) held a series of world conferences at high political levels on specific topics, to enhance global awareness of the magnitudes and extents of the problems and to formulate strategies to solve them. The UN Secretary General when the Water Conference was approved was Kurt Waldheim. Normally, all the world conferences that the UN held, between 1972 and 1981, had special Secretary Generals from outside the UN system, at a high political level. [Extracted from the article]

We are facing a global crisis and the status quo must change if we want to preserve our planet for future generations. The University of Glasgow was the first in Scotland to declare a climate emergency and as a progressive Scottish institution, it is our responsibility to lead the way in promoting sustainable practice. This paper looks at some key examples that provide a model for other nations to adapt their own practices for water and wastewater management. It discusses why Scotland has chosen to view water as a major financial resource for the country and how public-sector bodies collaborate effectively with communities to ensure the people of Scotland reap the benefits of green water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines hotel water management in Madeira, Portugal and Tenerife, Spain, which differ in water stress and tourism pressure, both much higher in Tenerife. Determinants of hotel water use and water-saving measures are evaluated using correlations and cluster analyses. In Tenerife, more decisive implementation of water-saving measures results in much lower consumption. Conversely, in Madeira, hotel size and category appear to overshadow the effect of water-saving measures. The novelty of this study lies in applying the same methodology to two different destinations, highlighting the role of external factors in shaping hotel water management, while exploring water-saving measures in depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valuing water is receiving increasing attention within the global water policy agenda as a new water management paradigm. However, it is not yet clear how it can be operationalized in local water management contexts. We apply the Value Landscapes Approach as a conceptual framework to show how water-related preferences are informed by underlying assigned/water values and governance-related values and how these values may explain three different visions for water management among professional respondents in a Northern Kenyan case study. Through making shared and conflicting values explicit, these insights may serve as a foundation for addressing water conflicts in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three versions of the National Water Policy (NWP) have failed to make any perceptible difference in improving water management in India. The excuse that water is a state subject and thus central government cannot do much is not valid. States have always been a party to the formulation of the NWP. They have the freedom to modify the NWP to suit their individual requirements. Many states have adopted a state water policy. Even such state-level policies have failed to make any significant impact in improving their water management practices. Neither the NWP nor the state water policies have made any impact on practice. Reasons for the NWP basically being a paper exercise are many, including lofty drafting and policy prescriptions that are divorced from reality; lack of courage at the Water Ministry to take a firm stand on any of the provisions at either the drafting or the implementation stages; the practice of keeping specialists away from policies; and the dominance of generalists who have neither a demonstrable understanding of the complexities of the water sector nor a long-term commitment to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based initiatives (CBIs) are emerging in many domains such as care, sustainable energy and water management. This paper examined three initiatives in Dutch water management, focusing on their relationship with water boards. CBIs present issues that water boards find difficult to respond to because of two reasons. First, CBIs are demarcated very differently from the formal tasks that water boards pursue. This calls for internal alignment within water boards to respond adequately. Second, CBIs necessitate external alignment with other water-managing governments. Water boards must therefore implement double helix alignment to relate productively to initiatives emerging in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Segura basin in south-eastern Spain is one of the most water-scarce regions in Europe. Its water economy has characteristics that constitute very favourable conditions for water market activity, and there are significant trading opportunities. However, the traded volumes have been rather small even though most of the water market activity in continental Spain is concentrated there. This paper describes the few formal water market experiences in the Segura basin since water trading was legislated on and regulated in 1999. As a result of this analysis, some hypotheses are made regarding the causes of the limited operation of this economic instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antifragility is a system property that results in systems becoming increasingly resistant to external shocks by being exposed to them. These systems have the counter-intuitive property of benefiting from uncertain conditions. This paper presents one of the first known applications of antifragility to water infrastructure systems and outlines the development of antifragility at the city scale through the use of local governance, data collection and a bimodal strategy for infrastructure development. The systems architecture presented results in a management paradigm that can deliver reliable water systems in the face of highly uncertain future conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on Australian water reform in a climate change context over the period between mid-2006 and end 2011, with a particular focus on the Murray Darling Basin (MDB). In Australia, during this period, the potential impacts from climate change became more central to the policy debate, and the implementation of what can be said to be a large-scale climate change adaptation programme commenced. The paper outlines the policy framework adopted by the government of the day and then draws out some of the key issues for water management against this background, and the attendant increased uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Water, energy, and security form a complicated nexus in Central Asia, where domestic, regional, and international interests intertwine in numerous ways. A relatively large amount of literature exists on these three issues, either separately or in different combinations, yet it is difficult to see how the three intertwine and what their macro-level impacts might be on sustainable development, security, and the five Central Asian countries. This paper aims to understand what constitutes the water–energy–security nexus in Central Asia on the basis of definitions, indicators, and data. The nexus is also examined in the context of the broader global political economy, and gaps in current knowledge and suggestions for future research are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses technical performance in the water industry in the Southern European region of Andalusia, while accounting for sustainability in the management of water. This allows the opportunity cost of producing sustainability to be evaluated. Given the low cost of raw water in Spain in relation to the estimated opportunity cost of saving this natural resource, wasting water becomes a profitable strategy for utility managers from a private perspective. However, this managerial strategy has a huge social cost in an area of Europe where the sustainable management of water is a pressing need. The conclusion is that environmental policy aimed at discouraging this wasteful behaviour is urgently needed. For this reason, a suitable mix of environmental taxes on water abstraction and institutional reforms is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social and political transformation that occurred in South Africa has resulted in a new dispensation which requires a paradigm shift in the allocation, management and operation of water resources. The mandate is to allocate, manage and operate water resources in order to obtain the optimal balance of equitable, efficient and sustainable water use in catchments. In this paper the concept of Fractional Water Allocation and Capacity Sharing (FWACS) is explored as a method of allocating and managing water entitlements. The concept is introduced for its potential to encourage water market mechanisms while ensuring that social (equity) and sustainability requirements are achieved. The FWACS system is presented as framework in which water use efficiency can be obtained in the context of water scarcity in South Africa as well as many other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the Just–Pope approach to investigate the effects of seasonal weather variables and extremes on the mean yield and yield variability of rice, bajra, chickpea, groundnut and sugarcane in India during the period 1990–2015. Results reveal that changes in rainfall and evapotranspiration across seasons largely affect mean yields for most crops, including bajra, chickpea and groundnut. However, high summer rainfall and low monsoon evapotranspiration extremes reduce groundnut and chickpea yield variability. Considering the importance of water availability to crop yields, this study suggests improving irrigation and water reallocation and management to reduce the severity of seasonal climate effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-arid farming systems in India are facing an increasing frequency of climate change-induced extreme weather events. With the aim of improving their climate resilience, we retrospectively assess climate resilience in two case studies in Maharashtra, India. We considered a 15-year period and multiple interventions in both. The systems showed improved climate resilience when agricultural productivity-enhancing interventions were combined with those related to water management, soil health, livelihood diversification, and food and nutrition security. Further, we recommend embedding a monitoring, evaluation and learning component within the design of all interventions to help with adaptive decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the correlations between Chinese banana farmers' perceptions of integrated water management technology (IWMT) and their adoption behaviours and examines the impact of IWMT adoption on farm performance. The results revealed that farmers' IWMT adoption correlates significantly with their perceptions of whether IWMT adoption can help reduce farm workload, fertilizer and water, the extent to which the technology is easier to operate, and the extent to which the technology can generate higher economic benefits than furrow irrigation technology. IWMT adoption significantly increases banana yields, gross revenue, net returns and irrigation frequency, but does not significantly affect irrigation expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the influence of human activities and climate variability on 86 dams and hydropower across Iran. The term 'mirage water' is introduced to estimate the impact of these factors on inflow. Data analysis shows that out of 1729 m3s−1 of mirage water, 705 m3s−1 are contributed by anthropogenic activities and 1024 m3s−1 by precipitation deficits. This indicates that some parts of Iran's strategic investments in water resources management over the past 60 years have failed. The study underscores the necessity for enhanced management practices and infrastructure investments to ensure sustainable water resources in arid and semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recurring floods and droughts in the Czech Republic show that climate change requires far-reaching changes in water management. We analyse the responses already reflected in Czech water policy and legislation at three levels: strategic, statutory and constitutional. We first describe the substantial changes that have been satisfactorily introduced into the Czech government's policies. We then trace the far less successful developments in the law, which have so far essentially been limited to drought plans and restrictions on water extraction during droughts. At the core, we concentrate on the political attempts to constitutionalize water protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the enabling conditions for a water governance model responsive to future Philippine water requirements. Using the stage-based approach to institutional reforms, it assesses the outcomes of previous water governance reforms, such as conflicts in customary and formal rules; urban and rural; upstream and downstream; and the contestations in water supply privatization in Metro Manila. The analysis suggests that past water governance reforms were symbolic and procedural, and structural changes to support the legal frameworks were not achieved. Based on the case findings, the authors support the current reform agenda of implementing a decentralized framework of water governance at a watershed scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logframes are fundamental to contemporary development. However, there are ongoing debates about their efficacy. This paper pinpoints the limitations of the logframe approach in a water project in Central Asia. Issues surrounding logframes are identified. These include addressing internal risks; the use of baseline studies for the accuracy of assumptions; the ability to adapt under an inflexible budget; and linking the logframe and contract. Findings show that rigid planning may constrain effective project implementation. Greater flexibility through embedded learning and adaptation, adjustable budgets and meaningful mainstreaming of risks may equip projects to cope with uncertainties to achieve sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Helmand River Basin is a closed river basin in (semi)arid southern Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Irrigation is by far the largest surface water use. Two of the three main rivers have large dams that regulate river flow for irrigation and hydropower. Water management in the basin faces a number of challenges, among which are insecurity, collapse of the river flow monitoring network in the Afghan part of the basin in 1980, inefficient operation and maintenance of existing water infrastructure, many drought years since 1999, reduced upstream water storage due to siltation of reservoirs, and a possible future reduction in snow storage as a result of a predicted temperature rise. The paper presents: (1) an overview of water resources and water management in the Helmand River Basin, where data are scarce and difficult to access; (2) a description of innovative methods used to generate simulated flow data for the basin, including the use of globally gridded data sets; (3) a discussion of how the reservoirs could be operated in light of irrigation and hydropower demand; and (4) a discussion on strengthening the transboundary cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new index to test water resource sustainability in regions where groundwater is the main source of water supply. The Spatial Water Use efficiency Index (SWUI) is a geographical information system (GIS) environment index which expresses the ratio of potential available water volume (groundwater recharge minus water needs) to the respective water needs. Its low and/or negative values indicate water stress. SWUI is applied in the island of Crete, Greece, where water needs are mainly covered by groundwater abstractions. The annual water mass balance is estimated using the RIBASIM (River Basin Simulation) model. The total freshwater needs in the Cretan region reach 535 hm3annually according to the model's simulation. SWUI with values ranging from − 0.8 to 214.3 has proved to be an important visual tool towards depicting the low efficiency of the east part of the island to cover water demand and a useful decision-making tool in the sustainability evaluation of groundwater aquifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary problems in water quality and availability in Jordan stem from poor long-term planning. This paper looks at past and current policies related to water management, considers their weaknesses, and suggests means of improving the management and planning aspects and the need for desalination infrastructure. The major water issues in Jordan can be attributed to both policy implementation failure and a lack of on-the-ground application of regulations. This study indicates that desalination of Red Sea water can be a long-term viable option to meet the growing domestic water needs within Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thailand has embarked on river basin–focused policies to improve technical infrastructure for and participation in water management. The Bang Phluang Irrigation Scheme in Thailand's eastern region was started in 1971 to provide irrigation water, to control floods and to prevent salt-water intrusion. Farmers have increased the number of rice harvests and introduced fish and shrimp cultures. Agricultural intensification, however, has led to competition for water and to conflicts among farmers. The paper analyzes, within the context of policy and institutional change, the effects of agricultural intensification on water use, water management, conflicts, and conflict resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the actions toward the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere that Greece has implemented to comply with international conventions and the Kyoto Protocol. It also concerns the analysis and processing of climate variables and the assessment of the impact of climate change on water resources in Northern Greece and on some critical water management issues, such as reservoir storage and water supply for agriculture and domestic use. Initially, a monthly conceptual water balance model was applied to estimate runoff values in the entrance of the Polyfyto reservoir under the UKHI equilibrium scenario referring to the year 2100. It was found that the mean annual runoff, mean winter runoff and summer runoff values will be reduced. Increases of the risks associated with the annual quantities of water supply have been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

India has developed a national biofuel policy to increase energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulate rural development. In this policy, the government has set blending targets for mixing ethanol and biodiesel with gasoline and diesel, respectively. In India, ethanol is produced from irrigated sugar-cane while biodiesel is produced from jatropha, which is said to require no irrigation. This paper analyzes the possible impacts of an increase in sugar-cane and jatropha production on water management and use. It finds that India's biofuel policy is likely to place additional pressure on scarce water resources. Although the development of biofuels may be necessary, care must be taken to anticipate its likely impacts on water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to changes in the Dutch flood management paradigm, governance practices have been shifting from technocratic and state-oriented towards more collaborative governance approaches in which many governmental actors, together with private and societal actors, search out integral solutions. This shift has had an impact on how water management is legitimized. This paper evaluates two water governance processes that reflect the new management paradigm in different ways, and analyzes how these changing paradigms influence the democratic legitimacy of water governance. It is concluded that the extent to which the new paradigm is implemented influences the way in which democratic legitimacy is organized. It is also shown that new forms of democratic legitimacy do not replace existing ones but rather contribute to hybrid and contextualized forms of legitimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The river basin management approach in the Syr Darya basin fragmented after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. However, this approach had already created dependencies between riparian states, such as transboundary water control infrastructure. At the national level, these states hardly cooperate, but at the province and district level, especially in the Ferghana Valley, which is shared by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, cooperation continues. This paper analyzes transboundary cooperation in the Ferghana Valley. On the periphery, conflict and cooperation still take place on both water management infrastructure and water sharing. The greatest hindrance to cooperation—border control—is outside the realm of water management, but is key given the property rights to water management infrastructure in the neighbouring riparian states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores changing roles in Canadian water management, by focusing on a case study of agriculture and water in Western Canada. Challenges in water management include unequal adaptive capacity, gaps in water and climate data, locally relevant options, short- and long-term planning, among others. This empirical study offers insight for improved water management decision-making for all regions. There is a need for improving and integrating water management with climate scenarios, collecting more and better water/climate data, improving water governance and long-term planning, and developing strong communication channels between governance organizations and local communities. Positive trends towards effective and adaptive water management include the incorporation of watershed groups, basin planning, and the use of multidisciplinary approaches to guide decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water has become a topic of general concern to governments and society worldwide. Mexico and the United States are no exception, especially considering that the border between the two countries is located in an area not only characterized by drought and low rainfall, but also by the growth of the population living on both sides and the impacts of industrial development projects and increased pressure on water demand. The two countries share major surface water basins under an international treaty that was signed in 1944, but this treaty does not include the groundwater. Competition for water within each country has been growing, and also between the two countries, creating potential for possible conflicts, but has also resulted in close co-operation. This paper analyzes how the two countries work to reduce conflict and enhance co-operation in terms of managing water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand faces unusual water challenges. The country relies heavily upon agricultural exports. This has resulted in the adoption of a permissive, devolved system of water management. However, the intensification of land use has resulted in significant water degradation, and stretched the capacity of local government to address competing water needs. Water resource management has largely been devolved to local government with limited national policy guidance creating further tensions. This paper summarizes recent water policy and reform in New Zealand, and discusses how central government is attempting to reinvigorate national guidance for future water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition of the need for an integrated and humane management of water resources has been gradually developed as a result of several major international conferences and forums. These, together with the World Water Vision, have reinforced the need for a comprehensive assessment of global freshwater resources as a basis for implementing a more integrated management of water. The recommendations suggested in the meetings and international forums have undoubtedly helped the development of water resources management in Mexico. In general, however, to implement them effectively and efficiently, it is necessary to develop financial mechanisms available to the payment capacity of each country and establish reasonable deadlines for meeting the goals. This paper analyses the impact of the recommendations arising from international meetings on water management in Mexico as well as their compliance in terms of water and wastewater management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information regarding several papers discussed at a seminar sponsored by the University of Surrey's School of Law on the international law for transboundary aquifers in Guildford, England on August 31, 2010 is presented. Topics include water security, the international water law instituted for the aquifers, and the management of Guarani Aquifer System (GAS). The seminar featured various individuals with backgrounds on areas including international relations, geography, and international law.

As economies develop and societies change, emerging sets of challenges are placed on water resources and its governance. Population growth and economic development tend to drive the demand for more water, and push river basins into situations of scarcity. Agriculture, globally the largest user of water, is a major driver of water scarcity, and also the sector that has to bear the consequences of scarcity. Yet governance arrangements the world over have difficulty coming to grips with the management of agricultural water within the larger water resource context. The four major agricultural water governance challenges are: to manage transitions from abundance to scarcity; to deal with the large informal sectors of the agricultural water economy; to adapt to the changing objectives of society; and within each of these challenges, to craft context-specific solutions. This paper presents examples of these challenges and uses them to derive a conceptual framework to help us understand present agricultural water-use contexts, and to develop context specific solutions. The framework is based on two important and shifting contextual dimensions: the degree of scarcity within a basin, and the degree of formality in water use. Looking at agricultural water governance within this framework shows that some standard prescriptions for water problems may not always be appropriate and that 'second best' solutions can in fact be the best way forward. The challenge for governance is to facilitate the development of these solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the identification and analysis of key issues that impact the governance of rural water services in sub-Saharan Africa. Tanzania was selected as a representative case study. The analysis was based on a combination of relevant literature review, extensive fieldwork and action research case studies, which were carried out between 2005 and 2009. A number of weaknesses that continue undermining strategies for poverty eradication were identified at different administrative levels (from local to national): low quality of water services; lack of sustainability of constructed infrastructure; difficulties for targeting the poor; and inadequate internal information systems. Some initiatives to overcome these challenges were piloted and implemented at the district level. Policy recommendations presented entail new paradigms for the provision of rural water supply: adoption of water supply as a service that is monitored and supported by the government; needs-based allocation of projects at community level; and improving guidance for local government decision making are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the issues discussed at a special international workshop on water governance. While it is generally accepted that good governance for the water sector is essential, it is also clear that its implementation requires qualitative and quantitative factors, which may vary from one country to another. In order to objectively assess the opportunities and constraints of implementing good water governance practices, a group of selected international experts were invited to address this complex issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the discussions held during a brainstorming session on water governance organized as part of the First Global Water Policy Dialogue of the Institute of Water Policy of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore, and the Third World Centre for Water Management, Mexico. The objective was to formulate a priority research agenda on water governance which would focus on vital issues ahead such as linkages and drivers of change in the water sector and the type of institutions and instruments that are and will be needed in order to face the increasing challenges in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the main results of a detailed study carried out on Official Development Assistance (ODA) and international private investment in the water sector from 1995 to 2004. Publicly available datasets from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the World Bank, and the Human Development Reports were collected and stored in a database. ODA programmes were analysed individually to separate the water and sanitation subsectors. The study includes a comparative analysis of public and private international investment, focusing specifically on sanitation. It assesses the success of private participation in the sector and evaluates cross-cutting issues in ODA water programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water markets are increasingly being relied upon as an instrument to reallocate water between competing users under conditions of water scarcity, and within an environment of fully committed water resources. Without such a reallocation new irrigation developments cannot take place and economic developments will be forgone to the detriment of rural communities. There is therefore a need for continued development of a water market mechanism to ensure that this reallocation process can take place as efficiently as possible, and to alleviate the socio-economic impact of water scarcity. Since markets are still emerging around the world it is important to learn from operating markets. This paper discusses the operational mechanism of a water exchange in Victoria, Australia, and analyses the outcome of the first five years of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allocation of water in river basins not only requires the setting of targets of water supply to different users, but also the establishment of appropriate strategies to achieve those targets. As an example of this, 'red routes'—an idea taken from a plan used in the city of London to ensure free-flowing traffic on key arterial routes—is proposed for the Ruaha basin in Tanzania. The paper argues that allocation of water is best achieved by managing key rivers (red routes), rather than all rivers, and by concentrating on part of rather than the whole annual calendar. In this way, the principle of 'zoning' is employed to utilize comparative advantages found in some rivers and not in others. This strategic approach selects from the main theories of water management: command and control, technical, economic and community-based activities. It also uses, in part, a rural-livelihoods justification for re-allocation. This strategic approach fits the hydrological situation of both use and supply of water and has clear objectives in mind, proposing management activities necessary to deliver the objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]