Workshop 1: Dr Jane Tanner (RU): Determining the South African hydrological contribution to three initiatives: ARUA CoE Doctoral School, Africa Europe Cluster of Research Excellence and FRIEND-Water
Two long term hydrological programmes include (1) the Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data (FRIEND-Water Program) and (2) the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) Africa Regional Committee (ARC).
Two newer networks include (3) The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), and specifically the ARUA Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Water, and (4) Africa – Europe Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Water Resource Management for a Sustainable and Just Future.
This workshop is focused on how we can use the two newer networks to support the hydrological programmes FRIEND and IAHS ARC with resources, identify how we can utilize those resources most efficiently and most beneficial to the hydrological community. The workshop will provide opportunities to sign up new members to the programmes, identify research priority themes for the region, as well as create synergies within the activities/initiatives.
The overarching aim of the workshop will be to build teams of interested individuals who can start preparing concepts and proposals ready for when resources from the two initiatives become available. Secondly, to plan for the Water Futures Doctoral School (350 Doctoral bursaries over 10 years funded by Mastercard Foundation) in terms of aligning hydrological priorities for the research, and to determine involvement by the South African hydrological community.
The workshop has the following specific objectives, (aligned with the planned programme):
- Gather Information:
- Identify individuals who are interested in becoming involved in any of the programmes/networks,
- Identify existing research that aligns with the initiatives,
- Identify existing research which needs resources (especially doctoral students),
- Decide what’s important:
- Identify priority research/themes that doctoral students could form a cohort around
- Explore Solutions:
- Where are the synergies?
- Make decisions (post workshop due to time limitations):
- Evaluate the different options and make informed, strategic decisions based on the information gathered.
| Time | Tentative Workshop Programme |
| 15:30 – 15:50 | Welcome and Introduction Opening remarks: Brief introduction to the workshop’s purpose and objectivesPresentations:· FRIEND – Water programme (Jane Tanner, Rhodes University)· IAHS ARC (Wandile Nomquphu, Water Research Commission) · ARUA Centre of Excellence in Water (Rebecka Henriksson, University of KwaZulu-Natal) · Africa – Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Water Resource Management for a Sustainable and Just Future (Augustina Alexander, University of Das es Salaam, Tanzania) Networking and Sign-up (Objective 1) |
| 15:50 – 16:10 | Identifying Existing Research (Objective 1) Objective: Map out research that aligns with the initiatives and identify areas needing resources (especially for doctoral studies) Activity: Populate a blank canvas with existing research using note cards |
| 16:10 – 16:30 | Prioritizing and Clustering (Objective 2) Objective: Identify research/themes that doctoral students and supervisors can form a cohort around, and initiate formulation of cohort co-leads and participants Activity: Workshop leads will facilitate clustering of the research into themes to establish cohorts. |
| 16:30 – 16:50 | Exploring Synergies (Objective 3) Objective: Identify areas of synergies/overlap between the programmes and networks and identify concrete, strategic activities that can enhance synergies and collaboration Activity: Participants will share ideas and suggestions in a facilitated discussion to explore collaboration and solutions |
| 16:50 – 17:00 | Conclusions and closing Summary of key outcomes and proposed solutions Closing remark |
| 17:00 | Social Networking Event Emerging discussion points and networking will continue during the subsequent social FRIEND event. |
Workshop 2: Mamohloding Tlhagale (WRC): Charting the Way Forward in Hydrology and Water Security Research in Africa
Overview
Although hydrology has evolved into a matured, critical field of enquiry in water resources management, it is facing challenges that are highlighted by Wagener et al (2010). They call for major changes in the way hydrological research is conducted due to the deepening and widening human-induced hydrological change, and to better align the science with societal needs as we move into an increasingly uncertain future. These hydrology challenges are amplified in developing countries such as South Africa where water scarcity is a reality due to the semi-arid to arid nature of the climate, while the capacity to conduct hydrology research is generally hamstrung by the limited pool of hydrologists and the lack of sustained funding for research and capacity development.
The purpose of this Session is to reflect on the contributions of the hydrology discipline in advancing the insights and understanding of water resources, and to make recommendations to strengthen the hydrology discipline as a fundamental science in water resources and security assessments.
Session Outline
Facilitator: Dr Mamohloding Tlhagale (WRC)
- Opening session – Dr Mamohloding Tlhagale (2min)
- Setting the scene/Welcome address – Prof Stanley Liphadzi (8min)
- Presentations: (8min)
- Multi-disciplinarity of hydrology discipline – Dr Piotr Wolski (UCT)
- Water quality in water security: a growing concern – Prof Philiswa Nomngongo (UJ)
- Panel Discussion on the role and future of hydrology in water security in Africa with specific reference to (30min)
– advancing hydrology as a fundamental science for water security
– funding and partnerships for capacity development - Panellists: Dr Shafick Adams (WRC), SAHS (TBC), Prof Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema (IAHS/WaterNet), DWS (TBC), DSI (TBC), IWMI (TBC) – Facilitator: Wandile Nomquphu
- Facilitated Questions and Answers – Dr Mamohloding Tlhagale (20min)
- Remarks from DWS – TBC (7min)
- Closing remarks – Dr Shafick Adams (WRC) (3min)
- Using the long-term South African experimental catchments data to respond to the IAHS Science for water solutions decade: HELPING
Workshop 3: Oudi Kgomongwe (DWS): UNESCO IHP – pathway for South Africa to achieve water security
Introduction
The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (UNESCO IHP) is an intergovernmental scientific cooperative programme in water research, water resources management, education and capacity building and it is the only broadly-based science programme of the United Nations (UN) system in this area. It provides opportunities for member states, cooperating professionals and scientific organisations to enhance their understanding of the water cycle, thereby increasing their capacities to manage and develop their water resources better.
The South African National Committee for UNESCO IHP (SANC IHP) is a UNESCO-led activity through the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). The SANC is chaired by the Deputy Director-General: Water Resources Management (DDG: WRM) who ensures that the IHP activities are sufficiently resourced to function effectively.
Background
The IHP is aimed at addressing national, regional and global water challenges and building a sustainable and resilient society by expanding the scientific understanding of water, improving technical capabilities, and enhancing education. IHP-IX continues to offer a platform and venue to extend cooperation within the international scientific community, and thus contribute to addressing many unsolved problems in hydrology.
The IHP-IX Strategic Plan[1] is positioned within the context of the global water-related policy landscape to provide opportunities of alignment with other initiatives and in contributing to their achievement. The Strategic Plan of IHP-IX has five interrelated and intertwined priority areas and 34 outputs. Under each output, key activities were identified for delivering the expected result. In total 150 key activities are considered under the Operational Implementation Plan.
Objectives
The main objectives of the workshop are to:
- Familiarize the water sector with UNESCO IHP-IX strategy.
- Facilitate contributions from the water sector on implemented and planned activities contributing to implementation of UNESCO IHP-IX (2022 -2029).
- Present practical UNESCO IHP implemented case studies/activities.
- Familiarize the water sector with UNESCO Flagship Initiatives, Benefits and how to register their projects as UNESCO Flagship Initiatives.
| Time | Items |
| 15:00-15:15 | Opening Overview of achievements of UNESCO IHP and its importance in ensuring water security |
| 15:15-15:30 | Presentation UNESCO IHP-IX, inputs on planned and implemented activities 2022-2029 reporting process & alignment with SDG 6 reporting |
| 15:30-15:35 | Example of implemented UNESCO IHP activity. [VIDEO] Diamonds on the soles of our Feet |
| 15:35-15:45 | Q&A Inputs and clarity |
| 15:45-16:00 | Presentation UNESCO Flagship Initiatives & requirements to register projects as UNESCO Flagship Initiatives |
| 16:00-16:10 | Q&A Inputs and clarity |
| 16:10 – 16:15 | Closing |
Workshop 4: Dr Michele Toucher (SAEON) :Using the long-term South African experimental catchments data to respond to the IAHS Science for water solutions decade: HELPING
The IAHS scientific decade for 2023 to 2033 is the “”Science for water solutions decade: HELPING – Hydrology Engaging Local People IN one Global world””. The overarching goal for this IAHS scientific decade is “”understanding hydrological diversity and integrating knowledge across scales and regions””. Following from this, a theme established is HELPING with global and local interactions where the research goals include i.) Understanding local hydrological processes; ii.) Understanding differences and similarities between regions; and iii.) Understanding global-local interactions.
South Africa has two long-term research catchments, Jonkershoek in the Western Cape with data from 1938 onwards and Cathedral Peak in KwaZulu-Natal with data from 1948. These long term data sets which have had significant influence on South African hydrology and the South African water law are relatively unique for a developing country in the global south. Beyond these, there have been and are numerous other experimental research catchments. As South African hydrologists using these rich experimental catchment datasets, how can we contribute to the IAHS HELPING decade theme on global and local interactions?
The proposed special session is to inventory the available experimental catchment data available and to workshop how these datasets could be used to contribute to the IAHS HELPING decade theme on global and local interactions.
Session Outline:
15:00 Setting the scene
15:05 Catchment overviews and mapping exercise: Dr Jane Tanner, Prof Johan Van Tol, Dr Sagwati Maswanganye, Dr Eddie Riddell, Dr Julia Glenday, Mr Jeremy Moonsamy, Dr Faith Jumbi, Dr Michele Toucher
16:00 Discussion session
- What synthesis and comparative studies do the available data facilitate?
- What enablers could assist/facilitate field based observations?
The objectives of the workshop are to,
- Inventory the available field based data, including accessibility, management/storage of the data.
- Strengthen the communication and collaboration between the groups undertaking field based observations and to determine what enablers are required to facilitate and assist field based observations.
To develop ideas (and form groups interested in taking them forward) on synthesis and comparative studies using the field based data.