Networks, Experiences and

Sustainability The Nile Basin Capacity

Building Network (NBCBN): A Transboundary knowledge

Network for water professionals

By Amel Azab

NBCBN-SEC, Cairo Egypt

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Contents • Knowledge and Capacity

Development Framework • What is a network? • Why Establishing a network for

Capacity Building? • Knowledge Management Challenges? • The Nile Basin Capacity Building

Network (As an example)

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Knowledge and Capacity Development Framework

• Main building blocks

•  Individual •  Organisational •  Institutional and Enabling Environment •  Communities and Civil Society

Sector Performance

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What is a network?

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Networks Principles   Networks are purpose driven   Networks are functional to

their members. The network mission, vision, and activities reflect members’ interests and these need to be bottom-up to be genuine

  Networks are tools for collaboration and sharing to maximise benefits

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• Issue are complex – can’t manage alone • Synergy during implementation • Open and inclusive networks making maximum use of local expertise • Sharing information and communication

• Stops re-inventing the wheel and gives room for innovation • Accelerates implementation through good case studies

• Developing information flows + feedback • Bringing out the value of the tacit knowldge

Why Establishing a network for Capacity Building?

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Capacity & Knowledge Management Challenges “Reflecting on the Nile Basin”

•  The structural lack of research-capacity in the

water sector

•  Limited trust and partnership

•  Little or no R&D by local experts

•  The absence of an effective technical operational

co-operative framework

•  No contextual on-the-job training

•  The need for practical and creative solutions

•  No regional water knowledge base in the Basin

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10 Focal persons from the nodes of NBCBN-RE who

contributed to Cairo Declaration, 2002

NBCBN: How Did we start ?

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Burundi University of Burundi

D.R.Congo Centre de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (CRGM)

Egypt Hydraulics Research Institute

Ethiopia Addis Ababa University

Kenya University of Nairobi

Rwanda Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST)

Sudan UNESCO Chair in Water Resources

Tanzania Dar Es Salaam University

Uganda Makerere University

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Our Partners

• UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water

Education

• Cap-Net , Network of Networks

• ITC, Faculty of Geoinformation

Sceince and Earth Observation

• NBI, Nile Basin Initiative

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Networking Tools

KN

Connectivity

Collaboration

Knowledge Sharing

ICT

Cop’s

Communication

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• 6 Regional research clusters • 13 Regional research groups

Regional Cluster Research

• 9 In-country local actions Local Action Research

• 2 Integrated research groups Integrated Research

•  Impact of climate change on the water resources of the Nile Basin

• Water Scarcity

Multi-Disciplinary Research

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  Integrating capacity building tools and introducing regional

collaborative research in the Nile basin

 Creating regional research groups and COP’s around different

research themes on both regional and local levels

 More than 500 members from Nile basin with different expertise

  9 established Nodes and in-country networks

  6 Regional research clusters, 13 cop’s

 Highly qualified core group in coordinating collaborative

regional research projects

  230 active researchers in NBCBN different research themes

 Organising more than 60 regional workshops and specialised

training courses linked to Research Activities

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WWW.NBCBN.COM//DOCUMENTS-CENTER/KNOWLEDGE-OUTPUTS

 36 Accomplished Research Projects

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“Web-based Collaborative Platform” www.nbcbn.com

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http://nilebasin-knowledgemap.com

Nile Basin Knowledge Map

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Nile Water Science and Engineering Journal

Published since 2008

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The Way Forward… (2013-2017)

Closing the Knowledge Cycle

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In Research •  Climate change impacts, adaptation and

resilience

•  Ecosystems and wetlands Management

•  Hydropower developement (large and mini

hydropower)

•  Water scarcity

•  Water supply & sanitation

•  Water Quality

•  Ground water development

Our focus Areas....

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In Training and Education

•  Link all Nile Basin participating universities in an Edu-network

(Sub network of the NBCBN).

•  Create partnerships towards Regional Water program (s) (with

connections to research clusters and local universities in the

Nile basin countries).

•  Program modules (offered as short courses for network

members).

•  Regular (demand driven) short courses for network members

•  Linking applied research and developed case studies with

training activities.

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NBCBN Contributions to Wetlands Research & Training

•  Research Project on: Hydrological and Environmental

Aspects of Wetlands in the Nile Basin phase I, 2010.

•  Research Project on: Hydrological and Environmental

Aspects of Wetlands (Analytical Tools for Wetlands

Management) phase II in collaboration with TIGER CB II

Facility (ESA), 2011.

•  GIS Based Decision Support Tool for Sustainable

Development of SUDD Marshes Region, 2010.

•  Ecosystems in IWRM ToT programme, incollaboration with

CapNet, UNESCO-IHE and Makerere University, 2012.

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NBCBN Initiatives and follow up actions after Kigali Forum 2013 • Launch a regional cluster on ecosystem management with focus on wetlands in the Nile Basin for knowledge sharing and dissimination.

• Launch the regional research project on implementing ecosystems management tools in the Nile basin: Case studies and success stories on wetlands wise use, where the network is providing seed funds to start this activity during 2nd half of 2013 in collaboration with UNESCO-IHE and CapNet. Supporting pilot case studies from the Nile Basin on implementation of Guidelines for Sustainable Use of Inland Wetlands in collaboration with RAMSAR.

• NBCBN as a research and capcity building network in the Nile basin is willing to join and to support the activities of the WUESNA network (Wetlands Wise Use Enhanced Support Network for Africa initiated by RAMSAR)

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Thank You!

For further information Contacts (NBCBN-SEC Office, Cairo-Egypt) Dr. Amel M. Azab, Manager, NBCBN a_azab@nbcbn.net

Auke Herrema; http://aukeherrema.nl