Learning for the water sector: quenching the thirst for knowledge and bridging the banks?

Abstract

This issue of Knowledge Management for Development Journal is dedicated to learning, knowledge management and cooperation in the water sector and it has been produced by the team of Guest Editors Ewen Le Borgne, Jaap Pels, Nadia Manning-Thomas and Russell Kerkhoven. In this special issue, the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) sectors are under the spotlights. During 2009 issues around water have become a priority for both governments and the wider public, as was illustrated by the participation of 30,000 people in the Fifth World Water Forum held in Istanbul in March 2009. Public attention and pressure around the blue gold is rising as the clock is ticking towards the next judgment day in the water sector. In 2015, target 10 of the 17 Millennium Development Goals comes under public scrutiny. Halving the world population without access to water and sanitation is a challenge that already seems compromised, and it says little about a more meaningful objective: sustained access to quality services. There are plenty of statistics to show that it is a major challenge to provide sustainable access to water and sanitation or to manage water resources equitably in a context of everincreasing demand. Human beings crucially need water (and sanitation). Learning about the importance of water, learning how to change habits and learning how to collaborate can make a huge difference. Due to the presence of various actors (policy-makers, regulators, providers, tariffsetters, consumers, capacity development actors), profiles (public, private and civil society) and levels (from grassroots to intermediate, national and international), the water sector is characterised by a significant fragmentation (UNDP and WWAP 2006). To add to the complexity, water is important as a natural resource that relates to a social service (sustained access to water and sanitation for domestic use) and to a productive factor for economic gain. Fragmentation of the sector puts an enormous strain on the governance of water services, particularly as it goes in parallel with a global movement towards decentralisation of decision-making related to water and sanitation. The circumstances of climate change, economic insecurity and population growth add to this strain. Nevertheless, there are signs that water sector actors have realised the significance of these challenges and are taking measures to address them. These initiatives follow a dual strategy. On the one hand, there is an increased emphasis on learning at a personal and organisational level; on the other hand, extra emphasis is put on cooperation between various actors, as a better guarantee to reach effective results.