Water Governance: Developing Countries Versus Developed countries

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  1. Why is it that developed countries (e.g. Europe) have continuosly managed to govern their water resources very well while most developing countries are still struggling in water management (even after being exposed to what developed countries are doing in sustainable water governance)?
  2. How much more could developed countries do to help water governance in developing countries?
  3. Developing countries have so many policies and strategiesin place but very little is achieved and there is ever increasing problems in the water sector, why?
  4. Most developed countries have their waters highlysusceptibleto pollution andexperience a lot of flood problems but have still managed to have sustainable water provision to various purposes (agriculture, domestic, navigation, etc.), why?

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  1. Me thinks the African water sector has come a long way, and has also registered modest but significant changes in the journey. Yet it still has along way given the high levels of poor access, and its impacts on people health and opportunities. I am quiet optimistic about changes taking place in the continent with IT and drive for effective governance and equitable development. Perhaps with 'just abit more less' talk (planning and research) and more on the ground action (locally focused level but multi-layer delivery and management system, capacity and organization)...Otherwise all insighfull comments

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  2. 1. Why is it that developed countries (e.g. Europe) have continuosly managed to govern their water resources very well while most developing countries are still struggling in water management (even after being exposed to what developed countries are doing in sustainable water governance)? Lack of adopting governance practice within the central and local government institutions is one of the main reasons of struggling in water management. Unwillingness of the politicians is also a barrier against ensuring sustainable water governance. Unethical and corruption is the restricting the community to play effective role in water management. The community people wouldn’t play effective role on decision making process, budget preparation and monitoring. 2. How much more could developed countries do to help water governance in developing countries? Different types of Local governance capacity building initiatives might be promote under various projects in developing countries to change the mindset of the LGIs. Moreover, community empowerment initiatives would also be initiated where community people will be able to contribute at the local government tier by participating at the decision making process, budget preparation and allocation, monitoring overall activities through forming community based different types of committees. It means developed countries might provide cooperation through governance promoting activitie4s both at the LGIs and the community people for developing strong advocacy approach at the execution and policy level. 3. Developing countries have so many policies and strategies in place but very little is achieved and there is ever increasing problems in the water sector, why? Unwillingness of the LGIs and lack of execution of different policies and strategies in effective manner is the main problem of increasing problems in the water sector in developing countries. Again, corruption is the main cause of keep raising problems in water sector. Effective implementation of policies and the active involvement of community at the lower local government tiers might change the situation in right direction by establishing governance practices. 4. Most developed countries have their waters highly susceptible to pollution and experience a lot of flood problems but have still managed to have sustainable water provision to various purposes (agriculture, domestic, navigation, etc.), why? It has a linked with awareness and availability of preventive measures and technologies, which is a serious lack in developing countries. Massive awareness enhancement initiative with make available of user friendly technologies might change the overall situation of the developing countries.

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  3. It is true that we do manage our water resources relatively well in developed countries, however this has not always been so. It is only since the industrial revolution and thanks to the wealth that economic development generated that we have been able to construct and maintain well-managed public water supply systems. In present day terms sustainable and improving water systems are funded largely by private enterprise and as such requires paying customers in all sectors of the economy... Therefore I would say that the primary reason why developing countries are still struggling to manage their water resources is poverty ... the lack of economic foundations on which water infrastructure can be built and sustained. Other common hindrances to effective development and management in the utilities sector are indeed related to greed and selfishness, but also desperate opportunism, leading to widespread resource theft by the general populace who can not afford to pay for such services in their current state of economic under-development... It is a chicken and egg situation, however, because one of the most essential ingredients for poverty alleviation and successful economic development is reliable water supply, therefore there is a strong argument in support of aid-funded water development as one of the most productive means to stimulate economic development.

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  5. Hi stephen, I read some where the current “water crisis” is not a crisis of scarcity but a crisis of mismanagement, with strong governance features. And i totally agree to this point. In many developing, water-rich and water-scarce countries, water governance is still in a state of confusion. I think the reason is the traditional way of looking towards water. People are not taking the issue seriously and neither governments of respective countries are serious about it. Water governance should be a part of ground level entity like village committes. women should be involved in every stake of water bodies as they are the one who has to deal with the water problem most. Developed countries can only show their modes and strategy its the other country who has to learn from them and work according to the ground situation.

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