About

GWP’s VISION is a water secure world. Our MISSION is to advance governance and management of water resources for sustainable and equitable development.

OUR UNIQUE VALUE: GWP mobilises action on the global water crisis through a unique combination of social capital, shared values, credibility within the global water community, bottom-up orientation, and expertise. A network of networks, we ensure the ‘voices of water’ can inﬂuence local, national, regional, and global development priorities. We are committed to our role as a neutral convener and respected for our focus on inclusiveness and sustainability.

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GWP creates and communicates information about integrated water resources management which contributes to improved water governance and, ultimately, water security.

Together with our Partners, we provide knowledge resources and capacity building activities for solving water problems.

Partner

Institutional Partners are the basis of GWP's multi-stakeholder partnership. A strong, diverse partnership can bring about the changes needed to achieve a water secure world. In this section, learn about the benefits of being a Partner and meet a few who already are. We invite like-minded organisations to join us!

GWP Regions

This is where you can find links to the websites of our Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs). RWPs are closest to the countries where we work. They share knowledge and learning across national boundaries and are expected to have an open, inclusive, and gender-sensitive policies for bringing together as wide a group of stakeholders as possible to solve water problems.

Transboundary: Mainstreaming Rainwater Harvesting to Build Climate Resilience in the Caribbean Water Sector (#475)

Caribbean countries face a number of challenges in maintaining adequate supplies of water for their populations. Challenges range from low annual rainfall levels to inadequate storage, polluted water sources, and poor management of existing water resources.

Caribbean water supply challenges are exacerbated by climate change and variability manifested as severe and protracted dry seasons and more intense rain events. High intensity rainfall events and more intense storms and hurricanes increase the potential of damage to water supply infrastructure through flooding and landslides (Bates et al. 2008, Cashman 2012). Damaged water infrastructure in turn can lead to impaired water quality with resultant human health effects.

Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) is currently being promoted across the Caribbean region as a key low cost and low technology water supply augmentation method. It is seen as a means to improve resilience to water related climate impacts at both, the national and community level. While prevalent in the past, there are only approximately 500,000 persons currently in the Caribbean who depend at least partially on RWH.

Action taken

As threats from climate change and variability become more tangible, GWP-C, along with other national regional and international organisations, is working to reintroduce and mainstream RWH in the Caribbean. Agencies have focused on RWH knowledge sharing and capacity building along with the creation of an enabling environment for RWH, and the development and enhancement of suitable frameworks, policies, and legislation. A regional programme for promoting RWH in the Caribbean was developed in 2006 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute/the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CEHI/CARPHA) (The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) 2006).

Regional and international agencies have executed a number of demonstration projects to showcase and promote RWH for domestic, agricultural and industrial use. For example, a Food and Agriculture Organization-run project in South St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, for instance, facilitated the purchase of reduced cost RWH equipment and the creation of credit facilities via a revolving door fund.

Recent knowledge sharing activities include a regional RWH Forum held in Saint Lucia in October 2014. This forum was hosted by GWP-C and regional partners and consisted of presentations, field visits, and group activities. The forum was attended by country delegates, representatives from GWP-Mediterranean and GWP-Central America as well as staff from regional and international organizations.

Lessons learnt

The development of a regional programme for RWH in 2006 by one of the regional agencies has helped guide, coordinate, and shape the regional RWH agenda and activities for a number of the agencies, including GWP-C. While funding for the entire programme has never been realised, regional agencies have been able to implement aspects incrementally as smaller pockets of funding become available. Thus, overarching reference frameworks are recommended.
Knowledge sharing has been successfully advanced by the utilisation of multiple media and multiple approaches including videos, online tool boxes, demonstration models, manuals, lectures, and exhibits. Approaches have been tailored to the specific audience, for example, physical models have worked best with younger audiences.
Capacity building for communities that have incorporated business training has furthered the replication of RWH as trainees have pursued RWH installation as a business initiative.
Another area that requires more focus is the development of a market for specialised RWH equipment as supplies are often difficult to obtain and maintenance services are often unavailable. The business sector, as well as the region at large, will therefore greatly benefit from the development of RWH products and services, inclusive of equipment installation and maintenance.

Page last edited: 3/14/2016