Climate-induced insecurity: Lessons learned from South Sudan

By Alier Oka

Undersecretary, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation,

Republic of South Sudan.

World Water Week, Stockholm: 25th - 30th August 2019

Presentation Outline

•Basic Facts about South Sudan

•Climate and hydrology

•Key Water Resources Management Challenges

• Impacts of Increased Vulnerability to Water-related Disasters

•Ongoing partnership projects

•Climate Outlook

•Conclusions

Republic of South Sudan

Facts about South Sudan• South Sudan gained independence

from Sudan on 9th July 2011 (54th in Africa and 193rd in the world),

• Total area 644,329 sq. km

• Bordered by 6 countries: Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo and Central Africa Republic

• Population: 8.26M (2008) and 13M (2017)

• Population growth rate: 3.53%

• Economy largely dependent on oil exports

• Subsistence agricultural practices

• Weak infrastructure

• Life expectancy (2014): 55 years

• Youth comprise 70% of the population

• 2/3 of the Population under 30 years

• Rural 81% Urban 19%

• Infant mortality (2013): 64 deaths/1000 live births – 9th highest in the world

• Under 5 mortality rate: 99 deaths/1000 live births

• Maternal mortality rate: 2,054/100,000 live births – world’s highest

• Primary school attendance: 41% (Girls 34%)

• Households: 6.5-10 persons living together

• 99% of Households use solid fuels

• Poverty line = SSP 73 (US$ 0.25) per month

Source: South Sudan First State of Environment and Outlook Report (UNEP, 2018)

Average annual rainfall

Climate:• Hot and dry, with

seasonal rains.

• Temperatures : 25 - 40°C

• Rain typically falls

unevenly across the

country; the northeast

drier and precipitation

increases towards the

southwest

Source: (MOE, 2015).

Hydrology

Key Water Resources Management Challenges

• Substantial water resources but unevenly distributed

• Increased rainfall variability (onset and length of season)

• Lack of storage

• Frequent disasters (Droughts and Floods)

• Pollution and environmental degradation (natural and man-made)

• Weak knowledge base (inadequate hydromet network)

• Weak institutions

• Lack of skilled personnel/skill drain

• Insufficient government funding

• Difficulties of integration and coordination across sectors

Saingata River (seasonal)

Water supply problems

Charcoal business

Clearing teak plantation/Timber business

Watershed destruction

Aweil, 16 August 2019

Bor, 14 August 2019

Effects of increased vulnerability

On People:

• Increased local conflicts over land use and resources between and among famers and pastoralists

• Displacement and migration (environmental refugees)

• Increased water-related diseases for human (malaria, hepatitis, typhoid, diarrheal diseases), livestock diseases and crop pests

• Increased poverty

On the Environment:

• Depletion of natural resources - (food and energy insecurity)

• Ecosystem and environmental degradation (reduced wetlands and watershed functions)

Partnership between the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Government of South Sudan (2013-2019)

IWRM Project with 3 interrelated components

• Component 1: IWRM of the Kenneti Catchment in Eastern Equatoria

• Component 2: Conflict sensitive management of water for productive use contributing to increased and sustained productivity, value addition in agriculture, horticulture and livestock

• Component 3: Safely managed and climate-resilient drinking water services and improved sanitation and hygiene

The project contributes by enhancing local resilience through market-driven approaches and supporting water and farm services centres

A new partnership making a positive impact on local livelihoods

Safe water supply

Nkurmai Haffir

Women engage in vegetable irrigation in Lakes

Partnership between the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Government of South Sudan:• Enhancing local resilience through

market-driven approaches by supporting water and farm services centres (Water for Eastern Equatoria, 2019)

Climate Outlook: Projected changes in temperature for South Sudan:1960-2039. Source (USAID, 2016)

Climate Outlook: Projected change in precipitation for South Sudan: 1960-2039. Source (UNEP, 2011)

Conclusions To achieve sustainable and climate-resilient development:

• Involve all stakeholders at all levels, particularly local communities, to ensure protection and restoration of wetlands and watershed to perform their natural functions. Scale-up successful pilots

• strengthen institutions and improve mechanisms for collaboration across sectors

• Establish early warning systems for floods and droughts and strengthen hydrometnetwork to improve knowledge generation and sharing

• Ensure integrated and coordinated approach to aid driven activities to achieve lasting impact and to ensure that humanitarian interventions cushion for enhancing recovery, ownership and resilience

• Improve access to funding for climate change adaptation measures to reduce human vulnerability to disasters

• Enhance networking for capacity building through existing national, regional and transboundary centres and institutions e.g. NBI, ICPAC, etc.