Formation, Achievements and Challenges of Water User Associations: The case of Ilonga Water User

Transcription

1 Formation, Achievements and Challenges of Water User Associations: The case of Ilonga Water User Association in Kilosa district By Laurent Kadeng`uka, Chairman, Ilonga Water User Association, P.O. Box 33, Kilosa, Tanzania

2 Background Majority depend on Ilonga river as a source of livelihood.( agriculture, fishing and other domestic uses) Minimum attention from the communities to support management of the river resource base Deterioration of water resource Quality and Quantity)

3 Background Continues Need for reversing the trend Approach adopted community participatory management approach managing the water resource base through communities mobilization. The central idea to initiate and maintain community collective effort in the planning and implementation process of improving water quality and quality for sustainable livelihood of these communities.

4 Formation of Water User Association Water User Unions (At village level) Water User Unions Committee Unite all categories of water users at village level. Water User Association (At River Level) Water User Association Unites the unions of water users from the various villages.

5 Water Resource Management Agenda To improve availability of water year round To improve water quality and quantity To improve crop and livestock production

6 Agenda 1:To improve crop and livestock production Strategies To put and supervise water uses guiding regulation based on the whole community water requirement To provide education on the management of water in an effort to conserve and protect environment To put and supervise water use guiding regulations for environmental protection Plant environmental friendly trees at the water sources

7 Agenda 1 continues Activities to be done To visit river water source and assess the amount of water and requirement for the communities To get the number of water users from the five villages and neighboring institutions To prepare water use calendar for the various water user groups

8 Agenda 2:To improve water Strategies quality To obtain water use education needs To conduct training on the proper use of water and explain measures for failure to abide the agreed regulations

9 Agenda 3:To improve crop and livestock production Strategy To establish and improve water harvesting and use infrastructures

10 Agenda 3 continues Activities Excavation of water dam (collaboration) Introduce conservation agriculture technologies

11 Achievements of Programmed Plans Capacity build up of Water user associations Water user association committee members have been facilitated to attend seminar and study tour- improved awareness Establishment of water harvesting techniques Excavate a water dam at Ilonga. Already a feasibility study has been done collaboration

12 Achievements Continues Education and sensitization Knowledge and Guidelines governing the improvement of water quality and quality based on the stipulated laws Measures to be taken for violating the guidelines. With the provision of education, number of cases of community members found to have violated the water use guiding rules has been decreasing substantially

13 Achievements Continues Conflicts resolutions between water user groups Water users for irrigation Water user for livestock watering Water user union versus water user unions (imbalance of water access)

14 Challenges/Lessons learnt Traditionally in rural communities water is considered as a free good Cost attachment imposing challenge to water fee payment

15 Challenges/Lessons learnt Binding constraints:there are services which needed to be intervened first which appeared to obstruct the level of implementation of the planned activities. lack of water reticulation system in villages have forced the communities to continue using water in situ on the river thus imposing pressure between water user committee and communities

16 Challenges/Lessons learnt Water sources a source of many activities at this time of inadequate soil moisture and fertility) impose water sources use pressure Bricks making Livestock watering Farming Mainly during offseason

17 Challenges Continues Lack of funds:lack of funds for purchasing and hiring materials and services important for supporting the spirit of the communities to implement the planned activities has slowed down the implementation of planned activities by the communities.

18 Challenges Continues Limited knowledge:implementation of some activities were challenged by limited knowledge on some management areas such as financing and tree planting.

19 Conclusion and Recommendations Strong linkage among the stakeholders particularly the community members who take the driving sit in the water resource management is important.

20 Conclusion and Recommendations Continues Identification and intervention of binding Identification and intervention of binding factors is important for accelerated achievement