The workshop is targeting aproximately 40 strategic partners from the Limpopo Basin (Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe), such as Networks of research institutions, universities, researchers, government institutions, representations from regional economic communities (RECs), and the private sector, with the aim of regionalizing LBDC research outputs and outcomes from the CPWF Programme on water and Food.
A key element of the workshop is to share research results and understand the research project component’s contribution to the basin challenge on:
- Targeting and scaling out (identification and characterization of past and current Agriculture Water Management (AWM) interventions has informed the development of Decision Support Tool for up-scaling interventions in the Limpopo Basin.
- Small –water infrastructure (causes behind the failure and success of small scale infrastructure have been documented and rehabilitation guidelines have been developed for the Limpopo Basin) and small reservoirs database.
- Farm systems and risk management (innovative farming systems, livelihood options and partnerships have been used to incorporate livestock for improved water use efficiency and livelihoods in the Limpopo basin)
The CPWF research for development programme in the Limpopo Basin is a group of locally based professionals investigating and addressing a pressing basin development challenge (BDC). The Challenge is how to improve integrated management of rainwater to increase smallholder productivity and livelihoods and reduce risk. The Challenge has been tackled through five inter-related projects, described below.
Project 1 – Targeting and scaling out (identification and characterization of past and current Agriculture Water Management (AWM) interventions has informed the development of a Decision Support Tool for up-scaling interventions in the Limpopo Basin.
- Project 2 – Small-water infrastructure (causes behind the failure and success of small scale infrastructure have been documented and rehabilitation guidelines have been developed for the Limpopo Basin)
- Project 3 – Farm systems and risk management (innovative farming systems, livelihood options and partnerships have been used to truly incorporate livestock for improved livelihoods in the Limpopo)
- Project 4 – Water governance (institutional and governance aspects affecting access to water and land in the Limpopo, participation and gender are defining factors in sustainably out-scaling innovations and maintaining small scale infrastructures)
- Project 5 – Coordination and learning for adaptive management and change
The role of the L5 project has been to help the other 4 LBDC projects conduct quality, coherent and problem oriented research to contribute to beneficial change in the basin. L5 led by the Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) and jointly carried out by Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA) and WaterNet, is eager to share emerging findings and outputs from all of the projects with stakeholders in the Limpopo Basin and wider region. L5 is organizing a two day workshop in order to share these findings for feedback with strategic partners and key stakeholders.
After nearly 10 years of research for development including the last three years on increasing productivity of smallholder rain fed farming systems – Challenge Programme on Water and Food (CPWF) will be ending in late 2013.
At the end of this 10-year period, it is crucial that the Workshop achieves the following goals:
- To share research results and identify policy issues from the LBDC
- Engage and seek advice on targeting, packaging and potential post project activities at region, basin and national levels
- Foster region ownership of project outputs, outcomes, partners, networks and processes.
Further sharing is expected to be done during a session entitled “Taking research for development forward in Southern Africa - lessons from the CPWF LBDC in the Limpopo basin”, GWP SA will share the outcomes of the LBDC meeting with other stakeholders during the WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposia scheduled to be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 29 October – 1st November 2013.