Southern and Eastern Rainwater Network - 15th SearNet International Conference

4th-9th November 2012. and , .

The Southern & Eastern Africa Rainwater Network (SearNet) hosted at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), in collaboration with the Government of Kenya, RAIN Foundation and CORDAID are organizing the 15th SearNet International Conference to be held from 4 - 9 November 2012, at the Enashipai Resort and Spa in Naivasha, Kenya. The conference’s main theme is “Financing Rainwater Harvesting Interventions for Scaling-up Climate Change Mitigation in the Dry Lands”.

The rationale of organizing the conference is based on the premise that rainwater harvesting and management (RWH) technology is one of the options that can enable sub-Saharan Africa strive towards meeting the MDGs and develop sustainable coping strategies. This is done to mitigate the impacts of ensuing climate change and environmental degradation.

Objectives The overall conference objective is to facilitate sharing of experiences on research, development, promotion and adoption of RWH systems among diverse stakeholders working in Africa and other parts of the world. Technical papers and posters on planning, research and development activities shall be presented through information exchange on RWH by professionals and stakeholders in plenary, parallel and open sessions. In addition, there will be field excursions to relevant sites and a rainwater harvesting exposition (in Nairobi) to showcase, to the general public, the latest innovations and products by the private sector, academia, government line ministries and other practitioners. The conference will create a platform for partnerships in solving water scarcity problems, floods, famine, droughts, environmental degradation and water-borne diseases affecting many regions of the world.

Conference Sub-themes There will be five sub-themes selected to address different aspects of water harvesting and management. Each sub-theme will have the following as cross-cutting issues: Rainwater contribution to MDGs; Environmental, Social, Economic, Policy, Legal & Institutional issues.

The sub-themes are: Sub-Theme 1, Scaling-up of Case Studies; Sub-Theme 2, Mapping Rainwater Harvesting sites; Sub-Theme 3, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Sub-Theme 4, Food Security and Livelihood; Sub-Theme 5, Financing and Institutional Arrangements. Abstracts and Papers Interested persons are invited to submit abstracts for selection by the organizing committee for oral and poster presentations. Papers will be selected on the basis of their relevance to the conference theme and sub-themes. The abstract written in English should summarize precisely the scope and content of the proposed paper. It should include the title (in Bold), author’s names, postal and email addresses. For papers with multiple authors please underline the main author. Use Times New Roman, Font 12 point and single spacing. The abstract should not be longer than 350 words. Full papers should not exceed 12 pages (double spaced) including diagrams/figures and references. The papers should be submitted in digital format using a current version of MS-Word.

Please take note the deadline of submission of abstracts for review and possible sponsorship is August 15th 2012.

Important dates First call for Abstracts through media houses: May 9, 2012 Second call for Abstracts and reminder emails: June 10, 2012 Deadline for submission of Abstracts: August 31, 2012 Final submission of full papers: October 15, 2012 Deadline for registration and confirmation of participation: September 30, 2012 Conference dates: 4 November - 9 November, 2012 Receipt of conference materials by registered participants: 4 November, 2012

Registration Each participant will be required to make a contribution of US$ 1500, which will cover the following costs associated with conference: facilities and equipment, accommodation (standard rooms), provision of meals and refreshments during the workshop, transport as well as secretarial support. Participants who pay before September 30th 2012 will pay USD 1500, and those paying after or upon arrival will pay USD 1550. Deadline for confirmation of participation to the workshop is 30 September 2012. Participants are requested to register online

About Naivasha The term ‘Naivasha’ is derived from the local Maasai name Nai'posha (later misspelt by the British to Naivasha), means ‘rough water’ because of the sudden storms which can arise. Naivasha is a market town in , Kenya, lying north-west of Nairobi. It is located on the shore of and along the Nairobi - highway and Uganda Railway. Naivasha is part of the Nakuru District. The main industry is agriculture, especially floriculture. Naivasha is also a popular tourist destination. Hell's Gate National Park, Longonot National Park and are nearby attractions. Tours also have included Lake Naivasha, to observe birdlife and hippopotamus behavior, as well as other wild animals.

Visit conference website for more details. SearNet Conference website