The living catchments project: enhancing research, innovation and impact through engaged communities of practice in key catchments associated with strategic water source areas

Abstract

South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is leading the implementation of the Living Catchments project in partnership with the Water Research Commission through funding from the Department of Science and Innovation. The project was developed in response to the Water Research, Development and Innovation Roadmap (Water RDI Roadmap) which is a national planning intervention aimed at addressing water scarcity in South Africa over a 10-year period between 2015 and 2025. The Water RDI Roadmap is a high-level planning intervention by the WRC, DSI, and the Department of Water Affairs (DWS) and the project responds specifically to address the RDI Roadmap’s Supply Cluster 3: Improve adequacy and performance of supply infrastructure by enabling collaboration, co-learning and co-creation among researchers, development practitioners, communities, traditional leaders and policy practitioners at the nexus of the built and ecological infrastructure for water security. Improving water security means viewing water security broadly as being influenced by both built infrastructure (that supports bulk water infrastructure and water distribution infrastructure) and by ecological infrastructure. Therefore, creating an enabling environment for integrated built and ecological infrastructure planning, co-learning and collaboration for water security is of paramount importance. Co-learning and cocreation through communities of practice is central to SANBI’s approach to policy advice and mainstreaming that has grown over the years. The Living Catchments project is therefore implemented to grow the practice further and improve the engagement with the water sector to contribute to the Water RDI Roadmap. This is a collaborative project with the intention to strengthen the enabling environment for water governance in South Africa.