THE 8th SADC GROUNDWATER CONFERENCE

The Southern African Development Community Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) invites researchers, practitioners, policymakers, development partners, and stakeholders to participate in the 8th annual SADC Groundwater Conference. Held annually, the conference provides a platform for advancing knowledge sharing on sustainable groundwater management at national and transboundary levels across SADC Member States. The conference will take place from Wednesday, 18 November 2026 to Friday, 20 November 2026 and will be held in person. The conference seeks cutting-edge presentations addressing the conference theme and sub-themes, while welcoming all contributions that advance understanding, governance, and sustainable use of groundwater resources.

Throughout the SADC region and beyond, groundwater remains an unobtrusive yet fundamental resource underpinning communities and economies. It supplies towns and cities, supports rural livelihoods, enables agriculture and industry, and provides resilience during droughts and climate variability. Yet because groundwater is largely out of sight, it is often undervalued, poorly governed, and fragmented across institutions and national boundaries. The conference theme — “Shared Aquifers, Equal Voices” — recognises that groundwater systems are interconnected, while decisions regarding their use are often disconnected across mandates, sectors, and borders. Enhancing groundwater resilience requires collective stewardship, shared governance frameworks, inclusive participation, coordinated monitoring, transparent data sharing, and sustained regional dialogue.