Category: Announcement

  • Organisations and governments seek to invigorate a pan-African groundwater initiative
    Organisations and governments seek to invigorate a pan-African groundwater initiative

    by Isaiah Esipisu at the 7th Africa Water Week, Gabon More than 10 organisations and groundwater networks from across Africa have resolved to work closely with the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) to invigorate a pan-African groundwater programme over the medium-term to demonstrate the benefits of a politically-connected pan-African approach. This follows the establishment…

  • Going underground at the Africa Water Week
    Going underground at the Africa Water Week

    by Isaiah Esipisu at the 7th Africa Water Week, Gabon Groundwater is one of the most important sources for drinking water, livestock water and irrigation in Africa, representing 15% of the continent’s renewable water resources, according to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). However, its hidden presence under the ground has left it largely…

  • Governments asked to accelerate access to water and sanitation security for Africa
    Governments asked to accelerate access to water and sanitation security for Africa

    by Isaiah Esipisu at the 7th Africa Water Week, Gabon Water experts, policy makers, government representatives, UN agencies, donors and nongovernmental organisations kicked off the celebration of the seventh edition of the Africa Water Week in Libreville city of Gabon on 29th October 2018, calling on African governments to reflect on achievements made so far…

  • “They Gave Us Breakfast and a Good Meal”: Roles, Perceptions and Motivations of Water Point Area Mechanics in the Maintenance of Borehole Hand Pumps in Balaka District, Malawi

    by Thokozani Mtewa, Evans Mwathunga, Wapumuluka, Mulwafu Abstract “In the rural areas of Malawi, water is accessed mostly through boreholes. The borehole and hand pump functionality concept is currently getting a central place in development agenda for the provision of affordable and safe water supply under the Sustainable Development Goals. A study on area mechanics and borehole…

  • :: New UPGro paper :: Characteristics of high-intensity groundwater abstractions from weathered crystalline bedrock aquifers in East Africa

    Maurice, L., Taylor, R.G., Tindimugaya, C. et al. Characteristics of high-intensity groundwater abstractions from weathered crystalline bedrock aquifers in East Africa Hydrogeol J (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1836-9 From the GroFutures Consortium project and Groundwater Recharge Catalyst project Background Crystalline Bedrock aquifers underlie about 40% of Sub-Saharan Africa and can generally sustain low-intensity abstraction. However, pumping rates and dependency is increasing…

  • An Analysis of Hand Pump Boreholes Functionality in Malawi
    An Analysis of Hand Pump Boreholes Functionality in Malawi

    by  Prof T. Mkandawire, E. Mwathunga, A.M. MacDonald, H.C. Bonsor, S. Banda, P.,Mleta, S. Jumbo, J. Ward, D. Lapworth, L. Whaley, R.M. Lark Abstract A survey on functionality of boreholes equipped with hand pumps was undertaken in five districts in Malawi in 2016. The survey aimed at developing a robust evidence base and understanding of the complex and multifaceted causes…

  • Groundwater and African National Development Strategies
    Groundwater and African National Development Strategies

    Keynote address by Dr Callist Tindimugaya, Ministry of Water & Environment, Uganda (UPGro Ambassador) [Correction: the co-author of the abstract is Dr Andrew Bullock, not Sean Furey] “Groundwater is poised to play a key role in Africa’s transformation. Over two-thirds of African nations have made specific reference to groundwater within their National Growth and Poverty…

  • Resilience of Rural Groundwater Supplies to Climate Change

    Key Note Presentation by Prof. Alan MacDonald @ 1st SADC Groundwater Conference Keywords: (Drought, Climate, Change, Infrastructure, Groundwater Resources, Resilience). “Recent droughts have highlighted the need to understand and forecast the resilience of water supplies to climate variability. Resilience of groundwater supplies is determined by several factors: groundwater storage; long term recharge; permeability; and the infrastructure…

  • Facing the groundwater threats and opportunities in Southern Africa
    Facing the groundwater threats and opportunities in Southern Africa

    This week, regional and international water experts have converged on Johannesburg at the 1st Groundwater Conference of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The event has been convened by the SADC Groundwater Management Institute (GMI) in assocciation with a number of partners including GRIPP UPGro has a strong presence at the event as part of the…

  • :: New UPGro Paper :: Understanding process, power, and meaning in adaptive governance
    :: New UPGro Paper :: Understanding process, power, and meaning in adaptive governance

    Two new social science papers from Hidden Crisis Cleaver, F., and L. Whaley. 2018. Understanding process, power, and meaning in adaptive governance: a critical institutional reading. Ecology and Society23(2):49. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10212-230249 Whaley, L., (2018). The Critical Institutional Analysis and Development (CIAD) Framework. International Journal of the Commons. 12(2), p.None. DOI:http://doi.org/10.18352/ijc.848 Key Points from : Understanding process, power, and meaning…