Moving from sectoral to integrated water resources management in Tanzania: the challenges and opportunities
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Date
2003
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
As in many other countries of Southern Africa, the conventional approach to water resources
management in Tanzania has generally suffered from the syndrome of lack of recognition of multi-
sectoral water uses and linkages. It has focused more on a sectoral-based development of water
resources (e.g., the construction of irrigation infrastructure) and less on holistic management of
water resources. However, the new water policy (2002) in the country has set a scene for major
changes in the water sector to ensure better integration of water resources management across
sectors, which is in essence a move from the conventional (sectoral) water resource management to
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This intends to address participatory,
multisectoral, multidisciplinary river basin management and integrate the linkages between land
and water uses. Making IWRM happen on the ground is however, a hard work. It requires bringing
together on a decision-making table, different stakeholders with diverging interests, complex power
relationships and different perceptions: bringing together a very intricate socio-economic reality,
the legacy of the conventional water management approach and its embedded practices and beliefs,
and the apparently non-reconcilable conflicting demands. It is against this milieu that this paper
presents a discussion of the existing water management challenges in Tanzania and the
opportunities to build upon. Notwithstanding the complexity of translating the concept of IWRM
into practise, the paper underscores the need to have the initial IWRM process focusing on crucial,
urgent issues. For Tanzania, the entry point should be that of addressing the existing water
resource conflicts, which are becoming rampant, particularly in the Rufiji and Pangani river
basins; and facilitate the establishment of functioning Water Use Associations and Apex bodies.
These are more likely to solve most of the existing problems of water resources management in the
country.
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Keywords
Integrated Water Resources Management, Sectoral Water Resources Management, Multisectoral Water Resources Management, Holistic Water Resources Management, Tanzania