Strategic Action Programme for the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save Basins (BUPUSA SAP)
Strategic Action Programme for the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save Basins (BUPUSA SAP)
The Strategic Action Programme for the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save Basins (BUPUSA) provided a collaborative framework for managing shared water resources and addressing critical environmental challenges across these vital transboundary river systems.
About the BUPUSA Basins
The BUPUSA Basins encompass a vast area of approximately 162,055 square kilometres, with the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save rivers flowing through the landscape before discharging into the Indian Ocean. The region exhibits diverse climatic patterns, with mean annual precipitation (MAP) varying significantly. Rainfall generally decreases from around 1500 millimetres per annum (mm/annum) in the northern parts to approximately 400 mm/annum in the south and west. Furthermore, rainfall variability is particularly pronounced in the southern and central areas, presenting unique challenges for water management.
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
To lay a foundational understanding of the BUPUSA Basins, a comprehensive Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) for the BUPUSA Tri-basin was developed. This crucial study was undertaken as part of the “Management of competing water uses and associated ecosystems in Pungwe, Buzi and Save Basins (GEF-BUPUSA) Project.
Through a highly consultative and inclusive process, the TDA successfully identified five key transboundary environmental problems that significantly impact the basins’ aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, local livelihoods, and socio-economic conditions. These critical issues include:
- Reduced Availability of Water: Stresses on water resources impacting various sectors.
- Deterioration of Water Quality: Pollution and contamination are affecting ecosystem health and human use.
- Land Degradation: Erosion and unsustainable land use practices.
- Changes in Flow Regime: Alterations to natural river flows, impacting ecosystems and water access.
- Increase in Extreme Climate Events: Growing frequency and intensity of floods and droughts.
Strategic Action Programme (SAP)
The Buzi, Pungwe, and Save (BUPUSA) Strategic Action Programme (SAP) was a collaboratively developed document intended to offer a unified framework for the entire basin. Its primary goal is to guide the implementation of a prioritized set of national and joint transboundary actions and investments. These initiatives aim to effectively address the environmental concerns that have been collectively identified within the BUPUSA basins.
Together with the related National Action Plans (NAPs) of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the SAP forms the essential foundation for:
- Implementing priority actions at both national and basin levels.
- Integrating crucial transboundary and basin-specific concerns into national legislative frameworks, policy development, and budget decision-making processes.
By fostering this integrated approach, the BUPUSA SAP is instrumental in ensuring sustainable water resource management, protecting vital ecosystems, and enhancing the resilience of communities across the Buzi, Pungwe, and Save Basins for generations to come.
The project was generously funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with strategic support from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) serving as the GEF Implementing Agency. The Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWP-SA) acted as the Project Executing Agency, working in close partnership with the Governments of Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Project Achievements:- Robust and comprehensive Transboundary Diagnosis Analysis
- Strategic Action Programme