CuveWaters First Stakeholder Workshop, Oshakati, Namibia, October 23-24th, 2007

At the invitation of the Department of Water Affairs (Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development) the first stakeholder workshop of the CuveWaters project took place in Oshakati, Namibia from 23rd to 24th October. The aim of the workshop was to identify and select suitable options for water supply, waste water and sanitation technology, and determine the requisite implementation steps. Future development paths describing two contrasting pictures of the future in the region (progress, recession) were developed in preparation for the workshop. Together with a list of general criteria, future paths of development, drawn up to show two contrasting future scenarios (progress, recession), served as the main facilitating instrument for the discussion process. During the workshop, capacity-building activities, governance and institutional arrangements were proposed and discussed in connection with the selected technological options. Workshop participants included user groups, practitioners, local, regional and national decision makers, NGOs, and scientists.

An important item on the agenda was the presentation of various technology options adapted to the regional conditions. These presentations incorporated key results from two social-empirical surveys conducted by facilitators from the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN), the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE), the Technische Universität Darmstadt, Chair of Water Supply and Groundwater Protection (TUD, Institute WAR), and the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB) to assess people’s perceptions of living conditions, with a focus on water management, rainwater harvesting and sanitation. The two situation analyses were carried out in one urban (Evululuko) and one rural site (Epyeshona) in May and August/September 2007.

The technology options were discussed in small working groups and assessed and evaluated with the help of the previously prepared lists of criteria.

Technology options for the rural group:

• Rainwater harvesting from roof catchments
• Rainwater harvesting from ground catchments
• Groundwater desalination
• Artificial groundwater recharge
• Earth dams (an already existing technology)

Technology options for the urban group:

• Sanitation facilities
• Wastewater treatment and reuse
• Rainwater harvesting

For most technologies, affordability was the most important criterion, while for waste water treatment and reuse, additional benefits such as income generation through gardening, poverty reduction, and household food safety ranked highest. In a final plenary session the next steps towards an implementation of pilot plants were developed and responsibilities specified.