|
Groundwater scientists in the southern African region have a major role to play to ensure that policy and decision makers especially in non-water sectors understand and appreciate the value of using, developing, protecting and managing the groundwater resource for economic development and poverty alleviation.
The southern Africa region faces a widespread lack of understanding and articulation of groundwater’s role and contribution to national and regional development objectives, a reality resulting to limited attention and focus given to groundwater and its management.
More information needs to be disseminated at various levels so that policy decision makers and the general public understand the role groundwater can play towards poverty alleviation and mitigation of drought/climate variability if it is properly managed.
As part of our efforts to increase awareness on groundwater-related issues in the Southern African Development Community region, we (SADC Groundwater and Drought Management Project) have established a partnership with the Inter-Press Service (IPS) aimed at promoting awareness on the importance, value and benefits groundwater, its use, development and management in the SADC region through disseminating relevant information and knowledge via the IPS‟ media network so as to:
- Enhance recognition of the importance of groundwater resources in the SADC region.
- Empower and motivate decision makers to increase efforts and resources dedicated to the development, protection and management of the groundwater in the region, on which economic and social growth and stability depends.
- Share lessons and experiences on how some communities within the region are successfully developing, using and managing groundwater.
- Highlight better ways of addressing the various threats towards groundwater resources. Various factors contribute to the threats, among them being, poverty, increased population, irrigated agriculture, tourism, mining and pollution from human waste and agricultural chemicals.
We therefore invite groundwater experts to contribute to the process of disseminating information on groundwater issues by writing articles/columns that will be published via the IPS media networks.
The IPs editor for the groundwater columns requires at least 600 – 800 words on a suitably-sized aspect of groundwater in the region, preferably identifying a groundwater or opportunity and proposing actions to be taken. In terms of style, the only requirement is that sufficient background and explanation of terms is included to allow any interested reader to understand the issue.
IPS is an independent, professional news agency whose purpose is to contribute to development through communication and information, support freedom of expression and create opportunities for dialogue between media, civil society and decision makers.
If you are interested in contributing an article/column please get in touch with me for details on the contact person to submit your articles to in IPS.
Regards,
Barbara Lopi
Communications Specialist
SADC Groundwater and Drought Management Project
Plot 115, Unit 7b, Kgale Mews
Private Bag 282, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel:+267 3953386 Fax: +267 3928349
Cell:+267 72112560
E-mail: barbaralo@unops.org
Website: www.sadc-groundwater.org
|
