U.S.-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies in Water Final Report 2014 - 2019 Cooperative Agreement No. AID-391-A-15-00004 Contents Preface 3 Executive Summary 5 Introduction 8 Impact and Recommendations 16 Governance and Sustainability 20 Applied Research 33 Education and Training 47 Partnerships 65 Gender Equity & Inclusion 77 Conclusion 89 Annexes 94 DISCLAIMER The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. Acronyms ACIAR Australian Centre for International PhD Doctor of Philosophy Agricultural Research PI Principle Investigator AOR Agreement Officer Representative PKR Pakistani Rupee BoG Board of Governors RDF Rural Development Foundation CA Cooperative Agreement S&T Sustainability and Transition CAS Center for Advanced Studies SDGs Sustainable Development Goals CCNY The City College of New York SDG 6 Sustainable Development Goal 6 – CMP Course Mentoring Program Clean Water and Sanitation CSU Colorado State University SEP Student Exchange Program EnvEng Environmental Engineering SID Sindh Irrigation Department FAR Faculty Activity Report SIDA Sindh Irrigation and Drainage GCISC Global Change Impact Studies Centre Authority GEP Gender Equity Policy SOP Standard Operating Procedure GIS Geographical Information System TA Technical Advisor GoP Government of Pakistan TOC Theory of Change GoS Government of Sindh TVC Technology and Venture HEC Higher Education Commission, Commercialization Pakistan UEPL United Energy Pakistan Limited HID Hydraulics, Irrigation, and Drainage UNLV University of Nevada, Las Vegas ICARDA International Center for Agricultural UNR University of Nevada, Reno Research in the Dry Areas U.S. United States IWRM Integrated Water Resources USAID United States Agency for International Management Development LA-PAM Linear Anionic Polyacrylamide USD U.S. Dollar LoP Life of Project USPCASW U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced M&E Monitoring and Evaluation Studies in Water MEL Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning UU University of Utah MS Masters of Science WASH Water, Sanitation, and Health Sciences MSI Management Systems International WSIP Water Sector Improvement Project MUET Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro NGO Nongovernmental Organization NIAB Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology NUST National University of Sciences and Technology NRSP National Rural Support Program NUST National University of Sciences and Technology P&D Planning and Development PCMD Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine & Drug Research PCSIR Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research PCRWR Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources 3 U.S. Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water What Started as a Project Became a Family Established at the Mehran University of Engineering mentality of approaching activities and engage- and Technology (MUET) with technical assistance ment as a sustained program. This mindset from from the University of Utah (U) and key partners the start was embraced by the original team and all Colorado State University (CSU), University of Ne- those that were involved during the project. All were vada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and City College of New committed to the importance and urgency of the York (CCNY), the USAID-funded U.S.-Pakistan Cen- cause. As our team started to travel to Pakistan and ter for Advanced Studies (USPCASW) project was a deliver the activities, their dedication was palpable. life-changing experience for those that contributed The USPCASW faculty, staff, students, and stake- to or were touched by its activities. This final report holders - and Mr. Hafeez Samo and our USAID col- summarizes the project approach, activities, suc- leagues - equally bought into this spirit. Over time as cesses, missed opportunities, and lessons learned. our partnership grew into a friendship our activities It serves to document the completed project and evolved to be approached more collaboratively. provide insight, ideas, and inspiration for all readers. Ultimately, the time invested and passion of the Critical to understanding this project and its impact effort forged us into the USPCASW family. As we on people is the philosophy taken toward imple- move forward, we will persevere, individually and to- mentation and ultimately the underlying outcome gether, in our cause of advancing higher education that defines USPCASW. In December of 2014, I trav- to deliver impactful education, research, and training eled to Pakistan for the first time with my colleague, to help Pakistan achieve water sustainability. In this Dr. Tariq Banuri. During this trip, we cemented in our next phase our efforts may be less intense, but they minds and the minds of our partners, Project Direc- will be equally as impassioned. tor Dr. Bakhshal Lashari and his team at MUET, that this effort was to be a lifetime commitment. Togeth- Steve Burian er with Dr. Aslam Chaudhry, we established the Project Director Dr. Steve Burian receiving the 2019 Sitara-i-Imtiaz from the President of Pakistan, His Excellency Dr. Arif Alvi in recognition for his efforts and the impact of the entire USPCASW team on higher education in Pakistan. Utah Water Center 4 “The best approach to any sustainable de- velopment program doesn’t come from the outside-in but works to empower individuals to solve the challenges facing their own local communities.” - Steve Burian, Project Director Executive Summary Summary In Pakistan, water is the foundation of communities, University (CSU) and the University of Nevada at Las culture, and commerce. At the heart of sustainable Vegas (UNLV), the Center was launched in 2014 with development is access to clean water and sanitation, financial support from USAID, and guidance from protected water quality and ecosystems, equita- the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. ble water management, and efficient water use. To The project established the governance structure progress toward water sustainability, Pakistan faces a and operating procedures of USPCASW, introduced daunting challenge. According to UNICEF, as of 2017 critical interdisciplinary educational programs and 128 million people lacked improved drinking water approaches, established facilities and environment sources contributing to the death of a child every 10 for learning and research, built the capacity of the minutes. Municipalities and industries generally dis- Center’s personnel, and strengthened networks sup- charge wastewater directly to water bodies or in rare porting the research-policy-practice interface. cases provide insufficient treatment. Water loss from source to house, industry, or farm field is substantial. Similar to solving water problems, the successful It has not been accurately measured, but estimates approach to creating USPCASW required the U-led place it at 50% or more. Service interruptions are team to develop a shared vision, diverse and creative regular, the sparse and undertrained workforce is team of experts, adaptable strategies, an engaged unable to operate and maintain systems, and insti- local community, and resilience. USAID provided tutions are unable to respond to customer needs the framework of five components and numerous or finance systems for sustainability. Policies at the illustrative examples to guide the U-led team. The national, provincial, and local levels are not coherent, U-led team enthusiastically embraced the opportu- specific, or enforced. Adding to the complexity is nity to work with MUET and USAID. The team took rapid population growth, unplanned urbanization, a system view of higher education in Pakistan to aging infrastructure systems, climate change, and design a holistic strategy for establishing USPCASW. the variability of problem intensity by location and Further, the team sought to develop a model of an time.1 applied research center that could flourish not only at MUET but at other higher education institutions Water sustainability in Pakistan is possible. The in Pakistan. This was not easy since the necessary key is to create the local communities of practice community, business, political, and financial support that can home grow the myriad of adaptable solu- to nurture a research center addressing a grand chal- tions needed to address the vast array of local and lenge did not and still does not exist in Pakistan. The national problems. Higher education is uniquely success of the project therefore is measured on two positioned to develop a workforce and deliver the levels. One is meeting the USAID targets represent- research necessary to generate and implement these ing a well-functioning research center. The second is community-engaged water solutions. broader systemic change of higher education. The U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in The goals of this final report are to (1) synthesize the Water (USPCASW) is the seminal step leading higher inputs, outputs, and impacts of the project activities education to serve as the catalyst for communities, to document the effort and present ideas seeding industry, business, and government working to- future efforts and (2) provide a summary of reflec- gether to design and implement water solutions tions and lessons learned to help advance higher locally and nationally. Established at the Mehran education capacity building and in particular the University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) translation of applied research to tangible benefits. with technical assistance from the University