Supporting Decentralised Rural Water Supply and Climate Resilience in Pacific Islands
The International WaterCentre at Griffith University
Climate Resilience Research (WRA-CR02)
Led by the International WaterCentre at Griffith University, this research project seeks to strengthen active and sustainable water committees (WCs) in rural Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu by better understanding and leveraging formal, informal and emergent networks to support capacity development. It aims to promote climate-resilient water management and inclusive WASH practices.
Research theme: Networks, community water management and climate resilience
Research focus: Investigating how networks can strengthen community water management (CWM) and climate-resilient WASH in Pacific Islands.
Locations: Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
Partners: International WaterCentre at Griffith University (IWC), The University of the South Pacific in Fiji and Vanuatu, Solomon Islands National University
Key Research Questions:
In the context of the increasing decentralisation of rural water management in Pacific Island countries, how can formal, informal and emergent networks – both WASH and non-WASH related – better support mobilising and strengthening water committees to be WASH and water resource managers who engage with both community and beyond-community factors affecting climate resilience?
Sub-questions:
- How can formal, informal and emergent networks (WASH and non-WASH related) be used to improve both the prioritisation of CWM and WC capabilities for climate-resilient water management?
a) What monitoring, reporting and capacity-building activities can decentralised government structures feasibly use to mobilise, and hold WCs to account, to deliver climate-resilient WASH?
b) How can informal and emergent social networks, such as church-based, town-village-based, and other non-WASH networks (such as agriculture, market associations, tourism, sporting programs, education institutions) be used to further promote and support CWM?
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How can WCs be assisted by formal/informal/emergent networks to engage in water resources issues both within their community and with others in their catchment?
a) How can existing and emergent networks – both WASH and non-WASH – assist WCs to address water resource issues with others in a catchment?
b) Can community-led monitoring of water be a feasible and effective way to motivate WCs and community collective action, to inform climate-resilient water management and support WCs to engage in water resource management discussions in their catchments?
"To strengthen climate resilience in the Pacific we need to find practical, effective and resource appropriate ways to better support community water management practices and outcomes. Through this research, we are seeking to better understand the strengths and challenges of decentralisation / devolution underway in the sector and explore how leveraging social networks may be key to climate-resilient WASH outcomes through supporting and developing the capacity of both community and beyond-community catchment management in the Pacific.”
Mark Love, Research Fellow and Project Manager, International WaterCentre
Research Description
In rural Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, active and sustainable WCs play a crucial role in community-based water management (CWM) and climate-resilient rural water security. These countries are currently decentralising WASH services and support systems to varying degrees. However, WCs often lack sustainability and proactive functioning, and their engagement in broader water resource management (WRM) is limited. To address these challenges, WCs require ongoing capacity development, mentoring and motivation.
Led by the International WaterCentre (IWC), this research project is tackling challenges for WASH provision and sustainability posed by government decentralisation/devolution. Utilising formal, informal and emerging networks — including non-WASH networks such as familial, faith-based, market associations, agricultural, chiefly councils and educational institutions — is essential to provide the necessary support. Previous research has highlighted the importance of these networks, which are often overlooked in the WASH enabling environment.
In collaboration with research partners The University of the South Pacific in Fiji and Vanuatu and Solomon Islands National University, this research aims to address challenges faced by Pacific communities in the context of intensifying climate change hazards, both sudden and slow onset, which impact human wellbeing, livelihoods, and water infrastructure. These hazards include storms, surges, king tides, heavy rains, droughts, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and destructive cyclones.
The research specifically focuses on three of the highest at-risk countries in Oceania — identified by The World Risk Index 2021 as highest at-risk region in the world — with Vanuatu ranked 1st, Solomon Islands 2nd and Fiji 14th most at-risk of 181 countries.
This project aims to combine formative and action research with regional knowledge sharing to explore how government and civil society organisations (CSOs) can strategically leverage various networks to strengthen WCs and promote effective, sustainable, and inclusive climate-resilient WASH. The action research specifically aims to strengthen water safety planning processes in Fiji to enhance climate change resilience and improve the protection and management of water resources and cycles. Briefs, reports, videos, and guidance notes are being produced to support WASH implementers in achieving these objectives.
Building on existing and strengthened relationships with government actors and agencies, recommendations, tools, guides and supporting outputs are also being produced that governments can include in their existing approaches to strengthen CWM investment outcomes. Examples include:
- Piloted, evidenced-based recommendations on alternative and supplementary implementation approaches for the Fijian Government Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ Drinking Water Security and Safety Planning (DWSSP), including for more climate-resilient informed water safety planning.
- Videos for WC training and other contexts for the Water Authority of Fiji and Ministry of Health and Medical Services, and the Vanuatu Department of Water Resource.
The longer-term objectives of this research project are to improve rural CWM practices and rural WASH situations in each country by:
- increasing the inclusiveness and effectiveness of water committees
- improving water security planning processes and outcomes
- contributing evidence to support more climate-resilient WASH policies and services
- positively informing the policies and practices around decentralisation of WASH service delivery in the Pacific.
"The strong socio-cultural norms of reciprocity, self-help, and obligation that exist in the Pacific Islands allows support around water and sanitation to flow from urban to rural areas. The ability of governments to offer ‘water services’ to rural populations in these regions is limited, with it ultimately falling on non-state institutions, such as churches, chiefs, and village organisations and committees to provide these services."
- Mark Love
Pathways to impact
- Formative research on decentralisation and CWM in each country.
- Pilot implementation and monitoring of the Drinking Water Safety and Security Planning (DWSSP) intervention in Fiji.
- Formative research on climate change impacts in Fiji and guidance for the government’s ongoing DWSSP activities.
- Literature review and formative research on community-level water monitoring by WCs and village-based groups in the Pacific.
- Formative research on incorporating church and customary governance networks to support CWM in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
- Formative research on connecting CWM with agricultural and other non-WASH networks, such as market associations, eco-tourism associations and schools, in Fiji and Vanuatu.
- Formative research on barriers and opportunities for WCs to engage in beyond-community WRM in Fiji and Vanuatu.
- Action research to co-develop, pilot and refine the role of faith-based organisations and church networks in CWM in Solomon Islands.
- Video production for WC training and small-scale social marketing campaigns in Fiji and Vanuatu.
- Regional knowledge and learning peer-to-peer events.
Utilising these tools, WASH implementers will be able to strengthen inclusion and climate resilience aspects of their programs. Regular engagement with key local stakeholders from government and CSOs, who have been active in providing input and assistance to guide the research, will ensure maximum relevance and reach.
“In rural Fijian communities, community-based water management is the dominant model for water service delivery with rural communities managing, operating, and maintaining their water supply and sanitation services. With increasing threats from intensive land use and climatic drivers affecting water security for rural communities, we believe that utilising social networks can assist in strengthening the WASH enabling environment in Fiji. The team at USP are pleased to partner with the International WaterCentre on this research.”
Sarah Pene, Lecturer in Environmental Science, School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences; The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
Water for Women is proud to be partnering with the International WaterCentre, The University of the South Pacific and Solomon Islands National University for this important research work.
Photos:
Water storage in Sumante, Solomon Islands (IWC / Solomon Islands National University)
A demonstration of the community-based water security improvement planning step four in practice with a community (IWC / Solomon Islands National University)
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