Water Human Future Safe Water for All Japan International Cooperation Agency 1-6th floor, Nibancho Center Building, 5-25, Niban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8012, japan Tel: +81-3-5226-6660~6663 URL:http://www.jica.go.jp 2015・3 Capacity Development Safe and Stable Water Supply and in the Water Sector Improvement of Sanitation for the Enhancement of Human Security Supplying water and sanitation through community participation (Rural water supply and sanitation) Lack of access to safe water is an impediment to the progress of public health, educa- tion and poverty reduction for many people around the world. Contaminated water and lack of hygiene practices, such as washing hands and using toilets, expose people in developing countries to the risk of waterborne diseases. In addition, natural disasters, such as floods and droughts, have become increasingly serious threats in recent years. Solving such water-related issues is essential for allowing people to escape the pov- erty trap and for enhancing human security. In order to develop a system to effectively manage water resources and to ensure access to stable, equitable and safe water for people, using the capacity development (CD) approach is an important strategy. With the CD approach, JICA has been cooperating with partner countries and their communi- ties to strengthen the capacity of individuals, organiza- tions, institutions and societies. ■Institutional and social level JICA places importance on the sharing of experience ■Organizational level and information gained in the field. We take into ac- count the needs on the ground of each individual ■Individual level country while cooperating with institutions that include government agencies and other public entities. This Three layers of capacity development knowledge sharing comes not only from Japan, but Source：JICA (2004) also from neighboring countries. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/publications/reports/study/capacity/200403/pdf/200403.pdf Given that many developing countries are situated in areas vulnerable to climate change, JICA supports the following water-related measures: (1) Introduce integrated water resources management in the region, reduce climate risks and promote sustainable water resources management. (2) In areas with a higher risk of floods and other disasters, consider prevention mea- People in many villages in developing countries JICA places great importance on conducting social sures according to local conditions. have been trying hard to meet their daily water surveys to grasp the real needs of communities, (3) In areas where the risk of drought is expected to increase, accelerate implementa- needs, but without proper water supply facilities. establishing water-user groups, building the capacity tion of water supply measures. They are often faced with a choice of whether to of communities to maintain water facilities and pro- carry clean water from a source far from their com- viding education on hygiene. (4) Design projects/programs in view of climate risks. munities or to fetch water available near at hand, JICA also develops the capacity of central and local which might possibly be contaminated. Residents governments involved in rural water supply in pre- ■JICA’s approach As water resource problems are have little knowledge about hygiene and sanitation paring for serious breakdowns that communities becoming more critical, JICA has and are frequently affected by waterborne diseases. cannot cope with, and thereby ensures the sustain- established a development strategy with four objectives in taking the ability of projects. initiative to solve global water prob- In addition, children lose opportunities to go to lems. These objectives are: (1) to school because of water-fetching responsibilities. provide a safe and stable water ◯Ｃ CTII supply and improved sanitation; (2) to Water scarcity in the dry season brings a great finan- enhance flood control to protect lives Safe and stable water supply and Improvement of flood management to improvement of sanitation protect lives and property cial burden to poor households because they have to and property; (3) to conserve the water environment; and (4) to purchase expensive drinking water. Access to safe promote integrated water resources water is one of the most critical issues to ensure management. escaping from the poverty trap. Presented here are case studies of JICA’ s contributions to the CD of institutional systems, organizations JICA provides assistance in improving water sup- and individuals in relation to the four plies and sanitation in rural areas through commu- objectives of the development strat- nity participation, making communities the main egy mentioned above. Water environment preservation Integrated water resources management players in development. 1 2 Safe and Stable Water Supply and Improvement of Sanitation Supplying water and sanitation through community participation (Rural water supply and sanitation) ■Assistance for Senegal As a long-term development partner of Senegal, Japan lead them to have less interest in the ASUFOR and fewer Two new projects were formulated from the community workers, and the next step is the training of village water has provided financial and technical assistance in rural payments for the water tariff. Thus, in the project, a rule development through water management activities based committee members by skilled extension workers. After water supply for decades, with the construction and ser- was set that at least one post should be allocated to each on ASUFORs. One, in the water supply sector, was the the training activities, water committee members started vicing of more than 120 motor pump water supply sys- tribe, including pastoral people who do not even reside Project for Sustainable Rural Development (March 2008 to improve the hygiene environment around water facili- tems. This is equivalent to over 10% of facilities in the permanently in one community. to January 2011), in which ASUFORs invested their sur- ties through exchanges of opinions with villagers. Their whole nation, enabling 350,000 people in rural areas to plus funds in community agricultural activities that efforts are to construct infiltration and fences around access potable water and 600,000 domestic animals to be The third aspect was gender. Fetching water is a role showed the potential for improving incomes and quality of water facilities, upgrade account-recording systems and fed, in terms of constant secured water. While hardware is assigned to women, and the workload directly affects life. The other project, in the sanitation sector, is the Proj- collect water tariffs. built progressively, soft them. Consequently, women benefit more than men from ect for Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement in Rural The results of monitoring conducted after these activities components such as the maintenance of the facilities. Women ultimately made up Areas of Tambacounda, Kedougou and Matam Regions show that the rate of water tariff collection has been degradation of facilities more than half of the ASUFOR members. (March 2012 to February 2016), in which support for improved to 76% from 40%, and there was an increase in and unreliable operation improving sanitary behavior, the spread of sanitation the number of villages with fences around water facilities, and management systems The fourth aspect was to introduce transparency in facilities and building sanitary systems is extended in which were constructed using collected water tariffs. became challenges. financial management. In the past, water tariffs were col- three target regions. lected but did not last long because of obscure usage. To Another activity contributing to the dissemination of Regarding water avail- amend this system, water tariffs were managed by several Thus, with comprehensive cooperation that includes O&M methods is community radio, which airs interviews ability, the local people, members and there was an obligation to report financial both the construction of facilities and capacity building for with villagers or government officials in charge of water and especially women, status on a regular basis. government officials and local people, JICA implements facilities on specific issues such as “Why does a hand had been facing risks all multilateral support that contributes to access to safe pump malfunction?” and “Why do we have to pay a water the time. For example, With all the above points integrated into project activi- water as well as the management of water supply facili- tariff regularly?” Sharing experiences through community when the pumps or the ties, ASUFORs were successfully established and man- ties, improvement of sanitation and hygiene, community radio contributes to efficiently spreading O&M philoso- generators broke down, aged in a self-sustainable manner. As a result, during the development and improvement of life through ASUFORs. phies. the community had to 2nd Phase period, the government of Senegal institution- present a petition to the alized ASUFORs as a requirement whenever water supply government to fix the facilities are constructed. In addition, the project team ■Assistance for Malawi facilities, with no informa- implemented training programs inviting not only the proj- tion on when they would be fixed because of the limits of ect target areas, but also officers from other regions. This Malawi has around 1,000 mm of precipitation per year, the government’s budget. Sometimes it took more than attempt resulted in the concept becoming pervasive in