Showcasing our Action Groups!

6 April 2017

Two of the five AfriAlliance Action Groups participated in the AfriAlliance Conference and highlighted their activities and progress in a dedicated session. Dr. Nelson Odume and Dr. Nosie Ngqwala represented the "IWRM and Ethics" Action Group. Dr. Zeleke Agide from the "Efficient and Innovative Small Scale Irrigation" Action Group had prepared an audio message. 

In an introduction from David Smith, founder of WE&B and Work Package leader of the AfriAlliance Action Groups, the audience was explained what an Action Group is. The Action Groups bring together African and European peers and take a bottom-up approach for generating knowledge and insights. Next, the floor was given to Dr. Zeleke Agide from The Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources who, in an audio message, introduced the Action Group “Efficient and Innovative Small Scale Irrigation”. This Action Group conducts an assessment of existing small scale irrigation techniques (in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania), identifies the farmers’ needs, selects new, appropriate irrigation techniques and pilots projects to test these techniques and trains farmers so that they can master them. Challenges encountered are limited funding and a difficulty to conduct separate assessments in the three pilot countries.

Next, Dr. Orghenekaro Nelson Odume (Rhodes University) presented the “IWRM and Ethics” Action Group. The approach of this Action Group is based on a socio-ecological complex system. IWRM should take a systemically-relational perspective. Through case studies, this Action Group will be looking at questions such as: how should policy makers balance values? Should all values be treated in the same way? The case studies are internationally located in South Africa, Spain, Morocco, USA, Bangladesh and India. The audience was very interested in the approach of this Action Group, especially how to link it to a global economic trend.

Smith also provided a brief overview of the three Action Groups that were unable to attend the conference. A new call for Action Groups will be issued in spring 2018.