Integrated water management - International conference in South Africa

Representatives from South Africa, Germany and other African partner institutions - including universities from Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tunisia - discussed integrated water management to strengthen resilience to water scarcity at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS). Topics such as climate change, the connection between water and Agriculture, integrated water resource management (IWRM), irrigation and water quality as well as many other topics were examined in detail during the three-day conference. The Bavarian State Chancellery sponsored the initiative as part of the African-Bavarian Alliance 2.0.

Three days full of experiences, perspectives and practice

On the first day, the focus was on South Africa's experiences, in particular the lessons learnt from the „Day Zero“ crisis in the Western Cape province. Discussions centred on urban-rural water distribution, governance, practical strategies of local water management associations, farmers' perspectives and innovative technological solutions - including AI-based monitoring systems.

On the second day, the scope of the conference was extended to regional and international water management challenges, with country perspectives from Tunisia, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, Zambia and Germany.

The final day included a technical visit to the Berg Water Scheme near Franschhoek, which supplies Cape Town with water for domestic use and Agriculture. The visit offered practical insights into the design and operation of effective water management systems. Participants then took part in a reflection session under the management of Sebastian Kägler from the Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR), which included a discussion on the next EU funding.

• Back to list