Understanding upstream-downstream linkages is vital to ensuring effective water resources planning at the river basin level. Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) is an approach that considers these matters while paying due regard to the environmental and livelihood impacts of water use and the management of water-related hazards towards disaster risk reduction.
In the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, land and water management in the upstream areas directly impacts downstream communities. It looks at both opportunities and potential threats.
Upstream–downstream linkages can be drawn across all levels, from micro-watersheds to larger river basins. It also considers terrains from mountains to plains, administrative units, and country borders. Only a holistic approach to managing river basins considering available water, not just a contained system. It also considers it a sustainably managed and used resource, thus a genuinely effective assessment technique.
IRBM in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) considers these matters. At the same time, it pays due regard to water use’s environmental and livelihood impacts. IRBM also accounts for the management of water-related hazards towards disaster risk reduction.
To further its uptake in the HKH region, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Griffith University, International WaterCentre, and Alluvium has co-designed a professional training course on multi-scale IRBM.
Training HKH water professionals
With support from the Australian Water Partnership, these institutions jointly organised an IRBM training from 19 August to 10 September 2022, focusing on the various approaches to IRBM, the processes involved, and their application in the HKH region. Twelve participants (including seven women) from the HKH countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan were part of the training.
The course covered nine modules, including conceptual perspectives and real-world examples of IRBM. It comprised a mix of presentations, group activities, and discussions, all set within the framework of an integrated learning approach.
The goal of the training was to help HKH water professionals understand and articulate the concept of IRBM and relate it to their work. The topics covered included water governance, water diplomacy, regional cooperation, and socio-economic issues. Some key socioeconomic issues included the importance of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI). They also discussed other tools and approaches towards facilitating IRBM for tailored and targeted interventions.
Theory plus practice
Along with theoretical sessions, the training included field visits to the Koshi basin in Nepal and the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) in Australia. These helped participants understand and compare issues, challenges, and opportunities across the HKH and Australian river basins. Also covered were management approaches and cross-learning across various platforms.
Participants were guided through dealing with real-life challenges in the field and related opportunities and actions that may be replicated and scaled out. For most, the GEDSI session was eye-opening regarding how integral it is to IRBM.
The participants’ discussions and feedback to each other extended beyond the formal training sessions to what the team called ‘bus-shops’ – discussions on the commute between destinations. Such interactions helped them learn from each other’s work but also helped them find interlinkages between their individual expertise and training learnings.
As attested by the trainees, the event allowed mid and senior-level professionals from diverse expertise, interests, and backgrounds (cultural and academic) to share and learn.
Speaking at the inaugural training, Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of ICIMOD, talked to the participants about the vital importance of rivers to the livelihoods of close to two billion people in the HKH. Gyamtsho encouraged them to champion the IRBM approach across the HKH basins.
At the same event, Kavitha Kasynathan, Head of Development, Australian Embassy, Nepal, noted that it is usually the most marginalised – including women and children – who are most affected by climate change. She urged that the needs of these groups be prioritised.
The multidisciplinary team of professionals who were part of the training have committed to working on IRBM. The training organising team is now preparing to conduct a tracer study to evaluate the impact of the training in helping implement IRBM across the HKH region.
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