A dynamic assessment of adaptive capacity
to climate change: A case study of water
management in Makondo, Uganda
by
Mavuto D. Tembo
Presented at
Suas/TIDI Research for Change Trinity College Dublin
9th November 2010
My background
• I am a Malawian
• My qualifications: Bachelor of science degree in
Agriculture and MSc. GI Science (NRM)
• I am employed by Mzuzu University in Malawi
• I applied for a PhD position in July 2009
• I was enrolled for PhD in January 2010
My research focus
Makondo Parish
• Size is 2.2 square kilometres
• Population is over 8000
• Main livelihood means is subsistence agriculture
My research focus
• Adaptive capacity
to climate change for rural
communities in developing countries who are more
vulnerable to climate change impact
• In recent years Makondo Parish has experienced several
droughts
• Climate change models predict future water scarcity in
quality and quantity, thus impacting on people’s
livelihoods
• A critical question is how individuals will adapt their
livelihoods to water scarcity?
My research focus
• Currently there is no proper approach to facilitate the
fusion of knowledge related to climate change
adaptation between communities and policy makers.
• The way Participatory rural appraisal methods are
commonly used is static, while GIS application is at its
embryonic stage in adaptation research
• There is a need for a dynamic assessment that views
water as the nexus of livelihoods activities; and uses
participatory geographical information system (PGIS) as
new way to assess AC
My research questions
• My research questions are:
i. Do communities living in drought- and flood-prone
areas have water-related knowledge that can help
them adapt to climate change?
ii. How can PGIS help to make local knowledge relevant
and usable to other actors for water management
and decision-making amidst climate change?
My research strategy
• My research strategy will occur in four stages:
i. Stage One: February 2011 – the exploratory stage
•
Settling down and selecting my two study villages
ii. Stage two: March to June 2011 – fieldwork
•
Intensive qualitative research using PGIS to
understand AC in the two villages
My research strategy
• My research strategy will occur in four stages:
iii. Stage three: July to August 2011 – fusion stage
•
Explore possible integration between local and
external knowledge using GIS by:
iv. Stage four: September 2011 – wrapping-up stage
Expected outputs
•
At the end of my study I expect to achieve the
following:
i. Reveal how adaptation is perceived, experienced
and managed by individuals, households, and
communities at rural scale in Africa
ii. Using participatory GIS, my work will help to create
a discussion space that includes: information space;
argumentation space ; and analysis space for
communities , local government, and NGOs which
will act as a fusion space for AC
My contribution to the community
• I will run workshops in each of my study villages on what
climate change is, how it might affect them, and why it is
important that their AC is understood
• I will enable communities to understand local water
management within the broader context of adaptation
• I will facilitate communities’ AC enhancement by
integrating ‘local knowledge’ for water management
with other water sector actors’ knowledge
Some impression of Makondo
• People switch from one source of drink water to
another within a year because of:
i. Drying of water sources
ii. Breakdown of the improved-water source pump
iii. Change in distance to water source within the year
iv. Internal conflict
• The external actors in water supply are Mary Medical
Missionaries and the Local Government
Water sources in Makondo
• One
protected
spring in Makondo
Village
Water sources in Makondo
• Shallow wells
Water sources in Makondo
• Rainwater harvesting from roof tops into
i. Cement tanks
ii. Clay pots
iii. 20 litres containers
iv. Underground pits
Water sources in Makondo
• Water ponds
Challenges facing water
•
•
•
•
Degradation
Erratic rains
Droughts
Lowering of water
table
• Governance
• Technology
Thank you all