Objective Livelihoods in semi-arid areas depend upon a biological resource base underpinned by access to water. With increasing human populations and water stress come pressures to harness water resources for 'higher economic value' uses, instead of an integrated approach that includes provisions for ecosystem conservation and livelihood sustainability.Nowhere is this lack of integration more prevalent than in the semi-arid regions of Africa. The linkages between Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), Sustainable Livelihoods (SL) and Biodiversity Conservation (BC) are poorly known. River basin management, biodiveristy conservation and livelihood programmes in Africa have evolved independently, with often overlapping and/or conflicting goals and responsibilities.The result has been persistent intra- and trans-boundary conflicts; leading to increasing poverty and declines in biological diversity. This proposal will address this disparity by recognising that IWRM, BC and SL are irretrievable linked and that water management and policy initiatives focusing on individual aspects are likely to fail.It will aim, therefore, to resolve this gap by initiating and promoting inter-disciplinary and international collaboration to integrate sustainable water resource management, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods using the Mara river basin as a case study. It will provide a platform for policy makers, practitioners and researchers to consolidate expertise on African IWRM systems and draw on experiences from the implementation of the EU-Water Framework Directive to promote and reinforce the vital synergies between IWRM, BC and SL.The Mara river basin system in Kenya and Tanzania will form the case study for this project and it is envisaged that the principles and outcomes derived from this SSA could provide an integrated framework for future policy development and research covering other vulnerable river basins throughout the semi-arid Africa. Fields of science social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil societynongovernmental organizationsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiodiversity conservationnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologydrainage basinssocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringnatural resources managementwater management Programme(s) FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) INCO-2004-A2.3 - Managing arid and semi-arid ecosystems INCO - Specific measures in support of international co-operation Call for proposal FP6-2002-INCO-DEV/SSA-1 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme SSA - Specific Support Action Coordinator MACAULAY LAND USE RESEARCH INSTITUTE EU contribution No data Address Macaulay Drive, Craigiebuckler ABERDEEN United Kingdom See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY POLICY STUDIES NETWORK Kenya EU contribution No data Address 3rd Floor, The Chancery Building, Valley Road NAIROBI See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data TANZANIA NATIONAL PARKS Tanzania EU contribution No data Address Burka Estate, Dodoma Road ARUSHA See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
