Participatory empirical research on water and sanitation demand in central northern Namibia: a method for technology development with a user perspective
- Improvements in water infrastructure in developing countries are of major importance for achieving access to clean water. CuveWaters, a research based IWRM project, currently underway in Namibia, is testing different technical options to de-centralise water supply and upgrade sanitation. The Cuvelai Basin is affected by highly variable precipitation, mostly saline groundwater and a lack of perennial rivers. Water management is characterised by strong dependency on a water pipeline. Finding ways to improve the situation calls for a good grasp of the local situation regarding water utilisation patterns. Technologically sophisticated concepts can easily clash with users’ socio-cultural needs and everyday behaviour as well as their understanding of planning and maintenance. A demand-responsive approach has therefore been developed. It combines a qualitative socio-empirical perspective with participatory planning. This paper discusses method development, empirical application and results. The approaches aim is to support mutual learning as a basis for a sustainable change process.
Author: | Jutta Deffner, Clarence Mazambani |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-271693 |
Series (Serial Number): | CuveWaters Papers (7) |
Publisher: | Inst. for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) |
Place of publication: | Frankfurt/Main |
Document Type: | Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Year of Completion: | 2010 |
Year of first Publication: | 2010 |
Publishing Institution: | Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg |
Release Date: | 2013/02/20 |
Page Number: | 25 |
HeBIS-PPN: | 332047512 |
Institutes: | Angeschlossene und kooperierende Institutionen / Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung (ISOE) |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 3 Sozialwissenschaften / 30 Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie / 300 Sozialwissenschaften |
Sammlungen: | Universitätspublikationen |
Licence (German): | ![]() |