29,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: GRIN Verlag
- Sprache: Englisch
Master's Thesis from the year 2010 in the subject Politics - Topic: Development Politics, University of Sussex (Institute of Development Studies), language: English, abstract: The purpose of this study is to move beyond conventional thinking on rural water (and sanitation) infrastructure and resource management. The study acknowledges the existence of other water management and sanitation tools but it engages its argument from a knowledge management perspective. In most rural areas, water and sanitation projects have been implemented and community members only enjoy these facilities for a short time. Why? The reason is simple. Most donors and governments are often concerned with the specificity of their projects/programmes, long-term sustainability is rarely guaranteed and those who are left to manage these water systems lack the necessary capacities (skills & knowledge). Consequently, after few years of implementation most water supply are been closed down while sanitation structures are fast deteriorating due to poor management and lack of post-project government/donor support. This study on water and sanitation knowledge management (WKM) highlights some of these pitfalls in rural Cameroon; it acknowledges the fact that knowledge is always incomplete and that rural water supply systems are in themselves a complex and dynamic system involving risks and uncertainties. The study takes a look at the recent literatures on water resource management and rural water supply systems and the range of technological and institutional approaches that have been applied in the past years in an attempt to increase access and/or reduce inequality. By examining key reasons why the resource has proven so difficult to manage, I came to the conclusion that, in many cases, the most promising solutions may lie outside highly conventional technological and institutional approaches. The WKM model focuses on enhancing the generation, flow, and use of knowledge and information to enable communities achieve better results or quality services. This study is based on the need to build the capacity of - and also utilize the various skills and knowledge available within - rural communities to support decision-making processes on how to better manage, operate and maintain water supply systems as well as promote better sanitation and hygiene.
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012
Ähnliche
Page 1
M.A. Science, Society & Development Thesis byLinus Elangwe
Water & Sanitation Knowledge
Management in Rural Cameroon
... mobilising knowledge for sustainable development.
Page 2
M.A. Science, Society & Development Thesis byLinus Elangwe
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to move beyond conventional thinking on rural water (and sanitation) infrastructure and resource management. The study acknowledges the existence of other water management and sanitation tools but it engages its argument from a knowledge management perspective. In most rural areas, water and sanitation projects have been implemented and community members only enjoy these facilities for a short time.Why?The reason is simple. Most donors and governments are often concerned with the specificity of their projects/programmes, long-term sustainability is rarely guaranteed and those who are left to manage these water systems lack the necessary capacities (skills & knowledge). Consequently, after few years of implementation most water supply are been closed down while sanitation structures are fast deteriorating due to poor management and lack of post-project government/donor support. This study on water and sanitation knowledge management (WKM) highlights some of these pitfalls in rural Cameroon; it acknowledges the fact that knowledge is always incomplete and that rural water supply systems are in themselves a complex and dynamic system involving risks and uncertainties. The study takes a look at the recent literatures on water resource management and rural water supply systems and the range of technological and institutional approaches that have been applied in the past years in an attempt to increase access and/or reduce inequality. By examining key reasons why the resource has proven so difficult to manage, I came to the conclusion that, in many cases, the most promising solutions may lie outside highly conventional technological and institutional approaches. The WKM model focuses on enhancing the generation, flow, and use of knowledge and information to enable communities achieve better results or quality services. This study is based on the need to build the capacity of - and also utilize the various skills and knowledge available within - rural communities to support decisionmaking processes on how to better manage, operate and maintain water supply systems as well as promote better sanitation and hygiene.
2 |P a g e
Page 3
M.A. Science, Society & Development Thesis byLinus Elangwe
Table of Contents
Abstract
Table of Contents Acronyms Acknowledgement 6Chapter 1. Introduction1.0 Prologue 7 1.1 The Rationale 8 1.1.1 Knowledge management 9 1.1.2 Water & Sanitation 10 1.1.3 Objective of the study: linking KM to W/S 11
1.1.4 Water Knowledge Management: a concept 12 1.2 Rural Water supply 15 1.3 Background Information of Study Area 16
1.3.1 The State of Water in Cameroon 17
Chapter 2. Theoretical Framework2.0 Introduction: global stance of water and sanitation 19 2.1 Current Trends in Water Resource Management 23 2.1.1 Integrated Water Resource Management 23 2.1.2 Privatization and Commodification 23 2.2 Community-led water management (CLWM) 24 2.3 Water Governance: Local institutions managing water 26 2.4 Multi-stakeholder Forum: participatory water resource & infrastructure management 28 2.5 Water, Science & Technology 28 2.6 Conclusions 29
Chapter 3. Case Study: Kwa-Kwa Bakundu, Cameroon3.1 Introduction 32 3.2 Research Methodology & Data Collection 33
3 |P a g e
Page 4
M.A. Science, Society & Development Thesis byLinus Elangwe
3.3 Rural Water Systems:the case of Kwa-kwa Bakundu35 3.3.1 Drinking Water 35 3.3.2 Sanitation & Hygiene 35 3.4 WKM:the Way Out!38 3.5 Conclusion 38
Chapter 4. Analysis4.1 Introduction 41 4.2 W/S-KM Dynamics in rural Cameroon 43 4.3 Implications for Development 44 4.4 Critique: debating sustainability through KM 45 4.5 Establishing Resiliency and Robustness through an effective KM 46
Chapter 5. Conclusion and Recommendation5.1 Summary 48 5.2 Conclusion 49 5.3 Recommendations 50 5.4 Policy Implications 53
Appendices 55
Bibliography 61
Page 5
M.A. Science, Society & Development Thesis byLinus Elangwe
Acronyms
AfDB African Development Bank
CLWM Community-Led Water Management
CLTS Community-Led Total Sanitation
CSO Civil Society Organisations
IWRM Integrated Water Resource Management
KM Knowledge Management
NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations
MDG Millennium Development Goals
PAID-WA Pan-African Institute for Development - West Africa
PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal
RWSS Rural Water Supply System
SDP Suggested Development Plan
SNEC Cameroon Nation Water Corporation
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
WaSH Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
WKM Water (and Sanitation) Knowledge Management
WMC Water Management Committee
WS Water and Sanitation
UNICEF United Nations Children Education Fund
VTC Village Traditional Council
5 |P a g e
Page 6
M.A. Science, Society & Development Thesis byLinus Elangwe
Acknowledgements
The research data used in this study is drawn from a research exercised I participated in while at the Pan African Institute for Development - West Africa in 2008. The research used mainly Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and techniques. This form of inquiry into rural livelihood systems was very enriching and left me with skills and knowledge on how to work with rural communities. Our work was to act as facilitators while allowing the villagers to identify by themselves that which is lacking in their community and how they can better achieve their development goals.
From my experience working with the villagers of Kwa-Kwa Bakundu I found the issue of access to water very pivotal to human development and I had always wanted to give my personal account on what I think is missing or what can be done to mitigate the problem.
I am grateful to the entire staff of IDS for their perpetual support, love and patience. Most especially to Dr. Linda Waldman, Dr. Jeremy Allouche (my supervisor), Dr. Erik Milstone (at SPRU), Dr. John Thompson, Dr. Jim Sumberg, Dr. Robert Chambers, Dr. Melissa Leach and to the staffs at KNOTS and STEPS Centre whose names I couldn’t mention. I want to acknowledge that I have learnt more than I had ever imagined and that my stay at IDS was splendid. I wish I could return some time in the future.
I am equally thankful to my parents (Elangwe Christopher & Elangwe Elizabeth) for financing my studies and also for their moral encouragements, without which this whole adventure would have been but an illusion. On March 31stmy wife (Tata Anita Mushur) gave birth while I was still in the UK, and it was really a very challenging moment for both of us. I just want to thank her for going all through by herself and that I can’t wait to meet my baby girl (Elangwe Keona Villa Baliki). God bless you all!
I did learn a lot from the community of Kwa-Kwa Bakundu and I am deeply indebted particularly to those villagers (PRA Insiders) who assisted us with our work. And I hope that one day this piece of work can be read by the villagers, development practitioners working in that part of the country and even government institutions so that new ways of thinking can be fostered and policies formulated in the interest of the rural poor.
And above all thanks to Almighty GOD!
6 |P a g e
