HC Deb 24 June 2002 vol 387 cc677-8W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent projects her Department has undertaken to support water conservation projects in developing countries. [63510]

Clare Short

The term water conservation may refer to increasing storage of water resources, greater efficiency in the use of water resources, or to the conservation of valuable aquatic ecosystems. DFID has supported a substantial number of activities seeking to address all of these. The number is too great to list here, but the projects and programmes set out give an illustration of the type of engagement DFID are undertaking Increasing storage of water resources Current projects include:

  • Sustainable management of West Bank and Gaza aquifers
  • Augmenting groundwater resources by artificial recharge
  • Community management of groundwater resources
  • Guidelines for implementing environmental flows.
Greater efficiency in the use of water DFID has funded many research projects looking at ways in which the water efficiency in irrigation can be improved and has encouraged Governments to take up the results. These include:
  • Raising irrigation productivity and releasing water for inter-sectoral needs.
  • Improving community spate irrigation systems
  • Improved irrigation in peri-urban areas.
 Conservation of aquatic ecosystems Examples of DFID support include the Uganda Lake Management project and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Water and Nature Initiative, particularly the elements looking at wetland economics and ecosystem based livelihoods.

DFID is also directly supporting developing countries in preparing and implementing comprehensive policies and strategies for integrated water resource management. To have these strategies in the process of implementation by 2005 is one of the internationally agreed targets to which DFID is committed.

DFID is also supporting a number of global initiatives that are promoting water conservation in all its interpretations. These include the Global Water Partnership, the International Hydrological Programme, the World Commission for Dams (and the subsequent Dams for Development Unit), Water for Food and Nature Dialogue and the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage.

Monitoring of water conservation activities and consequences is also supported through agencies such as the World Water Assessment Programme and the Joint Monitoring Programme of WHO and Unicef, both of which DFID contribute to.