AfriAlliance Workshop in Ghana: one step closer to finding solutions

25 September 2017

From 17 to 21 July 2017, the five AfriAlliance partners WE&B, AfWA, BothEnds, IHE Delft and OIEau organised the workshop ‘Identifying the needs and priorities of water managing organisations’ in Accra, Ghana.

WE&B presented the objectives and aims of the AfriAlliance project during the plenary session of the AfWA Scientific and Technical Council (STC), entitled ‘Improving WASH Sector Performance in Africa’. With 200 delegates from over 30 countries, this session provided a great outreach opportunity for AfriAlliance.

The AfriAlliance team also ran a workshop to find out the needs of water utilities and other water managing organisations that face new challenges from the increasing manifestation of climate change. Water managing organisations will require staff with relevant skills and resources, (new) technological approaches as well as appropriate organisational structures to face these challenges. This dynamic and interactive workshop provided utilities and other organisations with the opportunity to better understand the water-related needs arising from climate change and to exchange experiences and ideas with their peers on how to deal with the new challenges. The 30 participants identified their own organisations’ water-related needs due to climate change as well as priority areas for action and knowledge creation.

Apart from presentations and workshops, the AfriAlliance partners used the event to gather valuable insights for the project. With the support of partners BothEnds and AfriWater COP, WE&B conducted interviews and focus groups at the Water Resources Commission in Accra. The focus groups were held with key target groups, such as NGOs, women’s groups and traditional leaders, to better understand the reasons for the existing knowledge fragmentation of water and climate actions in Africa. Participants expressed the needs and challenges from organisational and personal points of view, which helped to establish links between different types of stakeholders working on climate action at different levels. These insights will be used in the next call for AfriAlliance Action Groups.