by Linda Straker
- Water Resource Management consultation began on Thursday, 11 February 2021
- Farmers and farming organisations will participate in second day of consultation
- Water resource must be managed through an Integrated Water Resource Management process
Farmers and farming organisations will on Friday, 12 February participate in the second day of a Consultation on the National Integrated Water Resource Management Communication Strategy which began at the National Stadium, on Thursday, 11 February 2021.
According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture communications department, Government stakeholders, representing Agriculture, Tourism, Education, Infrastructure and other relevant bodies were brought together in one space on the first day and presented with the National Water Policy IWRM Plan.
The consultation’s objective is to receive the significant issues and concerns that should be addressed in the communication strategy from participants. During the presentations, it was agreed that the water is a useful natural resource that must be managed through an Integrated Water Resource Management process.
“A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems,” said notes shared on the Ministry of Agriculture Facebook page. “There should be equity in water management – Agriculture, leisure, tourism, ecology, recreation, desalination, religion and health, all depend on water. Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource.”
Recommending that water development should be participatory, the statement said that Women must play a central role in its management. “Water should be recognised as an economic good, as well as a social good,” the statement.
Making presentations in the consultation were Trevor Thompson – Chief Land Use Officer (Acting) and Dr Everson Peters – Consultant who put together the National Water Policy and IWRM Plan. Dr Hans-Werner Thiesen – Project Manager of the G-CREWS Project, spoke on the establishment of a Water Resource Management Unit (WRMU). Raelene Lazarus is the consultant who led discussions on the development of a National IWRM Communication Strategy and Implementation Plan.
