Live Now: #AfWAGroundwater2020

photo: Dr Kerstin Danert facilitating this morning’s opening session of the UPGro Study Tour, Kampala, from @amcowafrica
We are really excited that today, in Kampala, is the kick-off a week of activities to promote, show and discuss the opportunities and challenges of using groundwater for rural and urban water supply, and for environmental and economic sustainability. This is part of the African Minister’s Council on Water (AMCOW) new Pan-African Groundwater Program, which was launched in Nairobi in October last year, in partnership with IWMI, GRAN (Groundwater for Resilience in Africa Network), UPGro (Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater for the Poor), GRIPP, BGR and support from the Africa Groundwater Network and the Sustainable Groundwater Development Theme of RWSN.

The aim of these coordinated activities is to build a strong and lasting connection between researchers, policy-makers and implementers, not just in Uganda, but across Africa. If you are any of those, then we hope to create opportunities for you to get involved over the coming months and years.

For live updates follow the #AfWAGroundwater2020 on Twitter and follow

What’s happening and where:

Thursday 20 Feb: UPGro Study Tour – Day 1 (closed event)

  • Learning with UPGro – delegates meet and brief
  • Group A: Learning from the adaptation of Transition Management approach in Bwaise Community, Kampala
  • Group B Learning from the adaptation of Transition Management approach in Bwaise community, Makerere Community, Kampala

Friday 21 Feb: UPGro Study Tour – Day 2 (closed event)

  • Group C: Rural Water Supply Functionality: beyond the numbers, Luwero District
  • Group D: Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater through Resource Assessment, Management and Regulation, Ministry of Water and Environment Headquarters, Luzira, Kampala
  • Closing event – sharing of experiences, debriefing and take-away messages

Saturday 22 Feb: AMCOW APAGroP Working Group Meeting (closed event)

AIM:  Building on the progress made at the launch of APAGroP in Nairobi in October 2019, the aim of this one-day meeting is for APAGroP to be taken forward and the APAGroP Working Groups to be operationalised, with a programme of activities for the next 12 months.

OBJECTIVES

  1. Consolidate and build on the momentum set in Nairobi
  2. Strengthen groundwater networks
  3. Key short-term priorities and deliverables for APAGroP set out and agreed
  4. “Action Groups” under each Working Group established
  5. Draft Action Plans for each Action Group developed, with a designated Champion to lead the group, and ways of collaborating over the next 12 months set out
  6. Milestones for 8th Africa Water Week and the 9th World Water Forum 2021 and other key events identified and agreed

Sunday 23rd Feb: AMCOW Groundwater Policy Dialogue (closed meeting)

AIM:  The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) launched its Pan-African Groundwater Program (APAGroP) with a major meeting in Nairobi October 2019. The programme, with its crucial target being that groundwater is better represented in the continent’s major strategic programs around water, intends to improve the policy and practice of groundwater in Africa for better lives and livelihoods. The initiative is intended to contribute to the achievement of the continent’s commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

The purpose of the Groundwater Policy Dialogue is to:

  1. Inform AMCOW TAC Members of background and forward-looking dimensions of the APAGroP, including a roadmap through AWW8 in Windhoek, November 2020, to the WWF9 in Dakar, March 2021;
  2. Share experiences and messages between AMCOW TAC and groundwater networks;
  3. Bridge the gap between science, policy and practice; and
  4. Build a cadre of groundwater ambassadors at the political representation level among AMCOW Member States.

Monday – Thursday: African Water Association (AfWA) Congress, Kampala (open to delegates)

  • High-level Ministerial Dialogue
  • Keynote: Dr Kerstin Danert
  • Groundwater exhibition stand, convened by UPGro (I will be there, to answer questions)
  • Groundwater sessions through the week:
Topic/Title Convenors Chair
1.     Groundwater Governance: The AMCOW Pan-African Groundwater Program as a Catalyst for Intra- and Cross-country Groundwater ‘Resource-to-Tap’ Management AMCOW/GRAN/BGS/IWMI

(Dr Karen Villholth)

 Dr Kerstin Danert

Programme Coordination Group Chair – UPGro

Skat Foundation, Switzerland
2.     Where does your water come from? 5 ways to increase water security and inclusive access in cities, towns and villages UPGro

(Prof. Richard Taylor)

 

 Dr. Simeon Dulo

University of Nairobi, Kenya

 
3.     Insights in the adaptation of transition management in order to increase sustainable urban groundwater management UPGro
(Prof. Jan Willem Foppen – T-GroUP/ IHE Delft)		 Dr Robinah Kulabako

Makerere University, Uganda
4.     Off Grid: the opportunities and challenges of safe and sustainable water points UPGro

(Prof. Alan MacDonald)

 Co chairs

Alan MacDonald, British Geological Survey, UK  & Chikondi Shaba, Chancellor’s College Malawi
5.     Manage, recharge, protect – Groundwater for resilient urban water supply BGR/IWA GM SG

(Michael Eicholz)

 Ramon Brentführer

Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Germany
6.     Drilling dialogues: a conversation about professionalism, groundwater mapping and off-grid cities Cardiff University, Skat Foundation, Uganda Drilling Contractors Association, Ministry of Water and Environment

(Adrian Healy)

 Dr Adrian Healy

UKRI Future Leader Fellow

Cardiff University, UK
7.     Unlocking Groundwater: from data to knowledge. What’s needed to manage groundwater for society, economy and environment AMCOW/GRAN/BGS/IWMI

(Kirsty Upton)

 

 Paul Orengoh,

Director of Programmes

African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW), Nigeria

 

 

 

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