On 19 November 2020, CRIDF and ROCKBlue co-hosted an event with the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation (ESAWAS) Regulators Association and the African Forum for Utility Regulation (AFUR) to look back at water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) efforts during the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the title Effectiveness of WASH-based…
Category: Blog
Upping the flow: Phase 1 water supply upgrades in Tanzania’s Makonde Plateau close to completion
With the restrictions on movement and massive disruption of supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance and development of infrastructure has been stalled in many parts of the world. This has had consequences for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, which prioritise access to clean water and sanitation. In the Makonde Plateau of…
CRIDF hosts webinar on the GESI Toolkit to support the USAID Resilient Waters Program
In the context of water, gender is not just a women’s issue. As women are the primary users and managers of water, particularly in rural areas, it is essential that projects aimed at improving access to water, and related infrastructure, services and value chains, take into account their needs. Recently, CRIDF hosted an online workshop…
OKACOM holds community consultations on the future of the Okavango Delta
The world’s largest inland delta, the Cubango-Okavango river basin is recognised as a site of global ecological importance. But a growing population, poor infrastructural development and climate change are threatening the ecological integrity of this near-pristine Ramsar wetland and World Heritage Site. The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) provides technical advice to the…
Tapping the potential of Southern Africa’s aquifers
Southern Africa has been slow to utilise its ample groundwater resources. Despite offering a more reliable alternative to increasingly erratic rainfall and over-exploited rivers and lakes, for example, groundwater accounts for only one per cent of the water used in the region’s irrigation systems. This represents a lost opportunity. A sustainable groundwater strategy that closely…
Proposed water infrastructure facility consolidates the work of CRIDF
A new water infrastructure facility to consolidate the gains of CRIDF after the UK aid-supported programme has ended was recently discussed at a meeting in Johannesburg. The facility will target climate resilient infrastructure projects and align its priorities with funds already operating within Southern Africa. The Water Resources Technical Committee (WRTC) Working Group meeting provided…
Coronavirus and beyond: the importance of WASH
With the exception of South Africa, where the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has passed 1,000, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has been less affected by the novel coronavirus that has paralysed the rest of the world. This does not tell us anything about the future progression of the disease in the region,…