SADC-GMI Continues to make a difference in sustainable Groundwater management in the SADC region through the implementation of Phase 2 of the Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States Project

To support its mandate of promoting sustainable groundwater management and providing solutions to groundwater challenges across the SADC region for improved livelihoods, SADC-GMI is implementing phase 2 of the Sustainable Groundwater Management in the SADC Member States Project.

The project commenced in November 2021 and is closely aligned with the SADC Regional Strategic Action Plans (RSAPs) on Integrated Water Resources Development and Management, Phases IV (2016-2020) and V (2021-2025). The project builds on the achievements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States Project that was implemented from 2015 to 2021. The project addresses the findings of the regional Policy, Legal, and Institutional Gap Analysis conducted by SADC-GMI in 2019 which revealed gaps that exist in Capacity development, Knowledge management, and the use of groundwater to build resilient livelihoods across the region. The second Phase project addresses the identified gaps through three main components:

• Capacity Building for Sustainable Groundwater Management,
• Knowledge Development, Dissemination and Advocacy, and
• Building Resilient Livelihoods and Inclusive Groundwater Management.

The 4-year project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Cooperation in International Water in Africa (CIWA) through the World Bank Group. Since its inception in November 2021, the project has made impressive progress in its implementation. Several initiatives are at various stages of implementation and are all earmarked for completion before the end of the project contract in November 2025.

Project Coordinator: Eng. James Sauramba, jamess@sadc-gmi.org