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Water management and resource-sharing in the low valleys of East Africa

This programme is coordinated by Stéphanie Duvail, geographer, Researcher at IRD, attached to the Research Unit 169. Three other researchers, based in Tanzania, are also part of the project:

- Jean-Luc Paul, Anthropologist, Lecturer at the Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Researcher at IRD
- Pius Yanda, geographer, Director of the Institute of Ressource Assessment (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
- Olivier Hamerlynck, Ecologist, attached to the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology

Various other European and Tanzanian researchers are involved in short term missions.

This programme focuses on the links between the choice of water management and the evolution of low valleys in East Africa (estuaries, deltas and flood plains) focusing on four side basins : Tana (Kenya), Pangani, Rufiji and Ruvuma (Tanzania). The emphasis is on the relationship between local communities and their environment, as well as on the evolution of their strategies in using renewable resources in the context of changing environmental conditions. The objective is to propose analysis and to set up tools that can aid prospective reflection and decision-making from different actors. For a detailed description of the programme, visit www.ur169.ird.fr (cf. axe de recherche « basses vallées du littoral Est Africain »).

Publications

Duvail S., Hamerlynck O., In press. The Rufiji River flood: plague or blessing? International Journal of Biometeorology. Special issue on climate perception.

Duvail S., Hamerlynck O., Nandi R. XL., Mwambeso P., Elibariki R., 2006. Participatory mapping for local management of natural resources in villages of the Rufiji District (Tanzania). Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries (EJISDC), n°25 : 1-6 www.ejisdc.org

Duvail, S. & Hamerlynck, O. 2006. Crues artificielles et gestion intégrée des basses vallées des fleuves africains. Les exemples du fleuve Sénégal (Afrique de l’Ouest) et du fleuve Rufiji (Afrique de l’Est). In Chaussade, J. & Guillaume, J. (Coord.). Pêche et aquaculture, pour une exploitation durable des ressources vivantes de la mer et du littoral, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, collection Espace et Territoires : 471-485.

Duvail S. et al., 2005. Apport de la cartographie à la gestion locale des ressources renouvelables dans les villages du District du Rufiji (Tanzanie). Norois, 196 : 51-66.

Duvail S., 2004. Water management and resource use in eastern African wetlands. Pangea, n° 41/42 : 57-60.

Research Training

Claire Bertin underwent a field internship in the Rufiji region as part of her Masters programme «Environnement, Milieux, Techniques et Sociétés» from the National Museum of Natural History – Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Her project is on the role of floods on fishing in the permanent lakes of the Rufiji flood plains « Le rôle de la crue sur les pêches dans des lacs permanents de la plaine inondable du Rufiji, Tanzanie ».

Augustino Mwakipesile carried out his field internship in the Rufiji within his Masters programme on « Natural Resource Management », from the Institute of Resources Assessment (University of Dar es Salaam). His project is on ‘Livehood diversification and its implications for poverty reduction under climatic variability in the Rufiji.’

Stéphanie Duvail teaches the "Water Management" module, of the Masters programme in « Natural Resources Management » at the Institute of Resource Assessment (University of Dar es Salaam).