UNESCO-IAHS Sixth Kovacs Colloquium

The Fifth Phase of the International Hydrological Programme (1996-2001):
The balance sheet from a scientific perspective
Paris, 13-15 June 2002 – Fontenoy salle XXIIDISCUSSER

Theme 5:INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN ARID
AND SEMI-ARID ZONES

By
Harouna KARAMBIRI

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Contribution…
I first of all would like to thank the organizers of this colloquium, which are theIHP and the IAHS for inviting me as a discusser of this topic about theintegrated water resources management in arid and semi-arid zones. I also thankMrs. ATTIA Fatma for her brilliant presentation about the work accomplishedwithin the framework of this theme 5. It is true that many conferences wereorganized during the 6 years of IHP-V, it is the occasion for researchers to makeacquaintance, exchange ideas and to publish papers, but the subjects presented atthese conferences were not always directly linked to the objectives of the Theme
5 and remained in the major part rather general. An effort has thus to be done fortargeting more the presentations, so that these ones, although being case studies,answer more precisely the objectives of the themes proposed. Findings of these
conferences need to be synthesized in order to make a state of the art ofresearches. This was the task of different Working Groups. It would also benecessary for the continuation, to draw lessons from the dysfunctions caused
throughout this program IHP-V Theme 5, in particular at the level of theorganization of the working groups. Some of them did not work because of theretirement of their coordinator, and I think that in the future, it would have to bemade sure that the coordinators who are selected would remain throughout theentire program. One can also notice that a financial shortage prevented certain
groups from meeting regularly, and I find that a little bit regrettable for a2

program of such a great scale and importance. More financial supports need tobe provided.

Nevertheless, the work presented remains considerable and of the utmost
importance, when we know that more than one third of the land surface of theEarth is arid or semi-arid, and that the population of these zones is soaring.
These areas face today with a water crisis, which compromises theirdevelopment seriously. Among these problems, it is necessary to note thecontrol of the water resources, their exploitation, their supply in quality andsufficient quantity, as well as the vulnerability of ecosystems. Which problems
will be from year to year worsened by the climate changes, the droughts, theadvance of the desert and the human pressures (land-uses). It would benecessary to add to these physical environment-related problems, all the otherpolitical, economic issues and social conflicts, which make difficult any concept
of integrated management of the rare water resources available.

Concerning the architecture of the Theme, I found the sequence of thevarious projects logical and relevant insofar as we designate hydrologically byarid or semi-arid regions, zones where the ratio of annual precipitation andevapotranspiration ranges between 0.05 and 0.50; it is thus of capital importanceto understand the distribution of the rains between surface runoff and infiltration,
which remains very variable in time and space. Considering the rapidity and3

brevity of processes involved, it is thus essential to be interested in the very finemechanisms going from small plots scale to the large basins. This would make itpossible to largely improve our knowledge and comprehension of groundwater
recharge processes. This question of the aquifers recharge must be treated withmeticulousness by developing and perfecting new methodologies adapted to thespecificities of the arid and semi-arid areas. A promising way is the wide use ofchemical and isotopic tracers (18O,32Si,3H,2H, etc..), as geophysicaltechnologies showed some limitations in these areas. A particular emphasis mustbe put on the soil properties (hydraulic conductivity, structural heterogeneity,macro porosity, vegetation cover, surface characteristics) and on the role of theunsaturated zone, which ensures the transition between surface and undergroundphenomena.

Once all these processes analysed, understood and quantified, it is thenpossible to develop methodologies for estimating and drawing up assessments ofpotential water resources, as much at land scale, country scale, as at regionalscale. Such were the objectives of the Project 5.2., which we all regret the failureof its Working Group, but fortunately, most of this Project was included in theTheme 3 of the IHP-VI relating to "Land Habitat Hydrology", and we hope that
it will be a success and will make it possible to fill the bibliographical gaps
about the question.

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In hostile such environments which are arid and semi-arid regions, where
any water drop must be regarded as a vital element, a rare species, it is necessary
to build strategies of optimal management if we want to ensure a sustainable andsteady development of local populations. These strategies necessarily pass by asocial dialogue around water or what I call the Hydro-democracy, i.e. a
democracy of water, by water and for water, which calls for a dialogue and an
integration of the precious water resources. These problems are well mentioned
in Project 5.3 on the "water resources management for sustainable development
in arid and semi-arid zones. BUT, it's no good making recommendations,
proposals, organizing symposiums on integrated water resources management, if
all these measurements are not applied or we do not have the means, nor thecompetences to apply them, or to make them applied, all these will remain asight of the spirit, a simple intellectual game.
I think and I believe that the IHP, as a program of UNESCO and itself anorgan of the United Nations, can find the means to get implemented (one way oranother) the recommendations taken, for a harmonious development of local
communities, so that the slogan "water knows no frontier" becomes a reality.
This supposes many things: an integration and a harmonization of water policies
for the different concerned countries, which supposes a settlement of frontier
conflicts and ethnic hatreds, which supposes political and economic guaranteesof stability, which supposes reducing of foreign debt and increasing of foreign
aid in Less developing Countries, which supposes… which supposes… and5

which supposes. Ok, I think we are leaving the framework and the sphere ofactivity of the IHP.
For this reason, I think and I believe that such scientific programs (I referto the IHP-V but also to the coming IHP-VI), in order to guarantee their success,must integrate political, social and sociological dimension, based on endogenous
and participative approaches. The empirical, old and traditional knowledge oflocal populations, their mystical relations with water, must be made profitable
use to transmit the scientific message and serve as bases for information andawareness campaigns of these populations, in order to cope with water scarcity
by a optimised management of the little water available. In this way, I find theProject 5.3 on "coping with water scarcity" of capital and undeniable
importance. BUT, is the only willpower to cope sufficient? Is the only fact ofpreserving, treating and re-using water sufficient? What can be done concretelyagainst climate aggressiveness? Droughts? High evaporations? Desertification?
Keeping in mind that any solution suggested today must be viable and durable
for the next generations! But which next generation is it about? A generationthat we don't even know! A generation, which the needs, the requirements, theattitude toward water, are poorly known and non controlled! Who can tell me inthis room, what water quantity do I have to drink today so that the following
generations have also enough to drink? When we try to deeply think, aren't we avoice in the wilderness? Isn't aridity or semi-aridity a fate?
I let you think to these questions….!
6OK! Let be more optimistic about the future…

I think and I believe that all the problems raised in the various Projects ofthis Theme 5, are of the highest importance, but they still remain burning issues;
because one can't solve in 6 years, problems dating from more than 10 000 years.
It is thus necessary to ensure a continuity of these themes within the frameworkof the IHP-VI, on the one hand, by widening the reflection and research fields,on the other hand, by maintaining close connections with other disciplines (newtechnologies, sociology, ...). I Think that it would be to the advantage of theIHP-VI which will start soon, to be directed towards operational andmultidisciplinary Research programmes, which would lead to put in place atcountry and/or regional scale, experimental sites and teams of researchers tocomplete successfully its defined Topics, as you know, in many arid and semiarid regions, there are also many poor countries which have neither financial
means, nor technical capabilities to undertake and maintain research
programmes. The examples of FRIEND and WADI Hydrology programs haveto be followed and extended.

A special emphasis on training and awareness of:• Local populations, students and policy makers if we don’t want KIT
transfer becoming a “water drop in the desert”!
7The IHP Headquarters has to play a key role in gathering and disseminating
material.
A Close link with other programmes (ex: SAHRA: Sustainability of semi-Arid
Hydrology and Riparian Areas in the USA).

I thank you for your attention!

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