Resilient Waters

Water shortages, natural disasters like floods and droughts, and widespread declines in crop productivity are just some of the challenges faced by people living in Southern Africa. As change, especially climate change, further stresses this already water-scarce region, drastic action is needed to stop the situation from worsening. Transboundary cooperation and adaptive, dynamic management of critical river ecosystems is key in securing the region’s vital and fragile biodiversity and ecosystem services and ensuring the livelihoods of all who depend on them.

The USAID Resilient Waters Program supported interventions towards building resilient, water-secure communities and ecosystems in Southern Africa through improved management of transboundary natural resources, increased access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation services. The geographic focus was on the Limpopo River Basin, home to 18 million people living in parts of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, the Okavango River Basin, with its population of one million people in Angola, Namibia, and Botswana; and in the Buzi, Pungwe and Save (BuPuSa) Tri-basin with a population of 5.5 million people across parts of Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Overlaying the Limpopo and Okavango River Basins, the Program also worked in Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) and the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA).

The Program was implemented in cooperation with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and other regional structures such as River Basin Organization (RBOs) and Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). To expand its impact, Resilient Waters emphasized strong learning goals and partnerships which built upon previous and ongoing USAID investments in the region. This Program directly supports the implementation of a number of regional objectives, including the SADC Protocol on Shared Watercourses and the SADC Biodiversity Strategy.

Features

Resilient Waters Webinars & Videos

Throughout the course of implementation, USAID’s Resilient Waters Program developed, directly and through technical support, a range of webinars and videos targeting critical aspects of resilience and resource management across Southern Africa. These products include informational resources, trainings, and community consultations.

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Resilience Hub (ResHub)

The Resilient Waters Program supported the establishment of the southern African Resilience Hub (ResHub), an online repository of resilience-related documents, webinars, and training materials. The platform is used by over 1,000 users globally, the majority of whom are based in South Africa.

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Awareness Campaign Graphics

Throughout the course of implementation, USAID’s Resilient Waters Program developed a range of awareness campaigns targeting critical aspects of resilience and resource management across Southern Africa, often aligned with events or observances in the region. These campaigns include recognition of days of observance, informational campaigns, and how-to guides.

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Knowledge Products

Throughout the course of implementation, USAID’s Resilient Waters Program developed, directly and through technical support, a range of knowledge products targeting critical aspects of resilience and resource management across Southern Africa. These products include contributions to books, manuals, and journal articles.

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In a community where livelihood activities are characterized by agricultural farming, water remains a critical natural resource. It is important for the survival of people, plants, animals and the maintenance of the ecosystem.
The USAID Resilient Waters Program supported Bupe Banda, the young, female, head of Zambia’s National Community Resources Board, to attend the World Youth Wildlife Summit held in South Africa on September 21st -24th, 2019.
More than half of rural people living in southern Africa do not have access to safe and reliable sanitation. That figure emerged during the development of Botswana’s new National Sanitation Roadmap 2020-2022, the country’s first ever sanitation-focused initiative.

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