Unlocking resilient benefits from African water resources

可持续的水资源开发仍然难以实现，因为发展在很大程度上使环境和弱势群体的成本外部化。需要新的研究理论，方法和实践，以满足联合国可持续发展目标并实现2025年非洲水资源愿景。我们建议推出一种创新的研究方法：自适应系统方法（阿萨）。我们的目标是应用变革性，跨学科，社区参与的研究，将水资源开发成果转向实现可持续发展目标。我们专注于大陆水资源开发的优先事项：供水和污染。此次合作汇集了ARUA卓越水资源中心（CoE）和英国合作伙伴谢菲尔德大学（UoS）。这8个CoE节点是：㈠埃塞俄比亚阿迪斯大学;卢旺达大学;塞内加尔切什·安塔·迪奥普大学;坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆大学;乌干达马凯雷雷大学（发援会最不发达国家）; ㈡尼日利亚拉各斯大学（发援会中低收入）; ㈢南非罗兹大学（发援会中高收入）。我们提出了一个基于国家的案例研究结构，以支持当地的研究发展和途径，以当地的影响（图1的情况下支持）。我们使用以SDG 6（水和卫生）为中心的模型，将与景观水资源相关的SDG与与供水服务相关的SDG联系起来。(This该模型是UKRI成功的基础：GCRF能力赠款：“非洲可持续发展目标的水”）。我们提出了三个研究问题（RQ）有关水发展的优先事项。三个基于流域的案例研究解决了RQ 1：水是如何使用的，谁受益？（坦桑尼亚的鲁菲吉、塞内加尔的塞内加尔和埃塞俄比亚的青尼罗河）。两个案例研究侧重于城市水污染（乌干达坎帕拉市和尼日利亚拉各斯市），解决问题2：城市水系统污染的来源、途径和影响是什么？一个跨领域的案例研究解决了所有CS中的水资源保护和生物多样性问题，以及卢旺达的一个生物多样性地点。通过该项目的完成，我们致力于让当地人民与影响他们的水资源决策机构有效联系起来。因此，所有案例研究都解决了问题RQ 3：如何提高参与性治理的能力：I）公平的水资源共享，II）社区污染复原力，III）生态系统保护和恢复？新的适应性系统方法（阿萨）提供了一个连贯的方法框架，将支持案例研究比较，改变水资源开发实践，并将嵌入整个项目的影响途径。阿萨需要参与研究，并借鉴了三个核心理论概念，以及相关的方法：复杂的社会生态系统，跨学科性和变革性社会学习（在支持案例中详细阐述）。这些概念支撑着ASA的四个步骤，每个案例研究都遵循：1.约束：研究人员与全方位的利益相关者合作，以确定相关的地方水资源开发问题，并确定案例研究的范围。2.适应性规划过程：利益相关者共同创建一个关于他们所选择的本地问题的未来状态的背景信息愿景，并共同制定一个目标层次结构，以解决问题。3.并行活动3.1研究每个案例研究小组都要解决具体的研究问题，提供解决问题的数据。3.2当地人民、正式的和传统的水治理机构共同努力，使当地人民成为土地和水决策的一部分。3.3战略自适应管理（SAM）-利益相关者将接受系统性、响应性、情境性和共同管理过程的培训。4.反思学习的参与性监测和评估研究人员和利益相关者共同制定指标，共同监测，共同反思进展，共同学习和适应，使用SAM。在案例研究中遵循阿萨嵌入了变革理论和影响途径。

Sustainable water resource development remains elusive because development has largely externalized costs to the environment and vulnerable people. There is a need for novel research theory, methodologies & practice in order to meet the UN SDGs and realise the Africa Water Vision 2025. We propose to launch an innovative research approach: the Adaptive Systemic Approach (ASA). Our aim is to apply transformative, transdisciplinary, community-engaged research, to shift water development outcomes towards achieving the SDGs. We focus on continental water development priorities: water supply and pollution.This collaboration brings together the ARUA Water Centre of Excellence (CoE) and UK partner, the University of Sheffield (UoS). The 8 CoE nodes are: i) Addis Ababa U, Ethiopia; U Rwanda, Rwanda; U Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal; Dar es Salaam U, Tanzania, Makerere U, Uganda (DAC least developed); ii) U Lagos, Nigeria (DAC lower-middle income); and iii) U Cape Town, Rhodes U (CoE Hub), South Africa (DAC upper-middle income). We propose a country-based Case Study structure to support local research development and pathways to local impact (Figure 1 in Case for Support). We use an SDG6 (water and sanitation) centred model, that links SDGs related to landscape water resources with SDGs related to water services. (This model underpins the successful UKRI:GCRF Capability Grant:"Water for African SDGs"). We raise three research questions (RQ) related to water development priorities. Three catchment-based Case Studies address RQ1: HOW IS WATER USED, TO WHOSE BENEFIT? (Rufigi R Tanzania, Senegal R Senegal, and Blue Nile R Ethiopia). Two Case Studies focus on urban water pollution (Kampala City Uganda and Lagos City Nigeria), addressing RQ2: WHAT ARE THE SOURCES, PATHWAYS AND IMPACT OF POLLUTION IN URBAN WATER SYSTEMS? A cross-cutting Case Study addresses water resource protection and biodiversity in all CSs, and a biodiversity site in Rwanda.By the completion of the project we commit to leaving local people effectively linked with institutions making decisions about water that affect them. Therefore all Case Studies address the question RQ3: HOW CAN LOCAL CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE BE DEVELOPED FOR: I) EQUITABLE WATER SHARING, II) COMMUNITY POLLUTION RESILIENCE, AND III) ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION? The novel Adaptive Systemic Approach (ASA) provides a coherent methodological framework that will support Case Study comparisons, changed water development practice, and will embed pathways to impact throughout the project. The ASA requires engaged research, and draws on three core theoretical concepts, with associated methods: Complex Social-Ecological Systems, Transdisciplinarity, and Transformative Social Learning (Elaborated in Case for Support).These concepts underpin four ASA steps, followed in each Case Study: 1. BOUND: Researchers engage with a full range of stakeholders to identify a relevant, local, water-development issue, and scope the Case Study. 2. ADAPTIVE PLANNING PROCESS: Stakeholders co-create a contextually informed vision of the future state of their selected local issue, and co-develop an objectives hierarchy to move towards resolving the issue. 3. CONCURRENT ACTIVITIES 3.1 RESEARCH Each Case study team addresses the specific research questions, delivering data for resolving the problem. 3.2 PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT Local people, formal, and traditional, water governance institutions together move towards local people being part of land and water decision-making. 3.3 STRATEGIC ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT (SAM) - stakeholders will be trained in a process for systemic, responsive, contextual, co-management. 4. PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF REFLEXIVE LEARNING Researchers and stakeholders co-develop indicators, co-monitor, co-reflect on progress, co-learn and adapt, using SAM.Following the ASA in the case studies embeds the theory of change, and the pathways to impact.