Critique of decentralized political structures in water resource management in Tanzania: the case of Pangani river basin
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Date
2011-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
WIT PRESS
Abstract
Tanzania adopted the river basin model in 1950s and declared it as an essential
feature for economic development. Since 1990 management of water resources
in Tanzania is based on the nine river basins that do not follow administrative
boundaries as defined under the system of decentralized political structures.
Water is a key resource in the river basin; however, it is not a driver of economic
development. Drivers of economic development are outside the water sector
such as energy, agriculture and mining. The non-water sectors fall under
decentralized political structures from the central government ministries,
regional administration to local government authorities. The system of political
structures cut across different varieties of governance from central to local
government levels. Variance in governance under these structures has
intensified water scarcity and as an institutional and legal tool is more rhetorical
rather than practical. Total water withdrawal in Tanzania is estimated to be
5,142 million m 3 out of which agriculture development consumes more than 85%
and the rest accounts for the domestic sector, livestock development and
industry. Water scarcity hinders the effectiveness of the adopted river basin
model as competition of water use between hydropower production and
irrigation is intense. This paper addresses the main questions as to what effectsthese structures have on institutional policy design and discourse in the river
basin management. Do the structures promote or block institutional reforms?
How is the sustainability of the reforms ensured? This paper suggests a
mainstream institutional set up of a non-water sector into the river basin model
from the central to local government levels.
Description
Keywords
political structures, decentralization, institutions, Tanzania, Pangani, river basin, water scarcity