About the meeting
The expert consultation has as its main objective to develop a partnership in capacity development on the use of new technologies for improved water productivity and management. To this purpose, it will bring together experts and users from various fields and disciplines who are all actively involved in the development and use of these technologies.
A working group formed by representatives of various organisations meet at the 2014 Stockholm World Water Week to discuss subject interest, scope, and initiating the design of the partnership and planning of this expert meeting.
The meeting will gather the supply and demand sides of new technologies: water professionals and managers, development practitioners, policy makers, farmer representatives and industrialists, researchers, and capacity development specialists. Along the 2-day meeting these participants will discuss salient questions and set the basis for the design of a capacity development programme for the period 2016-2019 which will be lead by Cap-Net UNDP under a partnership approach including partner organisations and affiliated networks.
New technologies for water management and productivity: why and how?
As the world faces increasing challenges for effective water productivity and management in relation to food production, climate change, and safe access to water and sanitation, technological solutions potentially play a key role in the search for sustainable development.
Data collection, accessibility, integration, interpretation, and use offer benefits at various levels including people, environment, government and business. However, the best and most innovative technology in the world is of no use if people cannot afford it, see no advantage to it, or do not understand it. Technological development and human capacity development should be a continuous partnership if we are to ensure concrete results. The development and introduction of new technologies therefore creates a demand for applied capacity development initiatives.
A leading partnership for capacity development
As an UNDP global network of networks for capacity development in sustainable water management, Cap-Net is well placed to respond to capacity development needs coming from different target groups around the world. Cap-Net´s principles of demand responsiveness and partnership development to overcome capacity constraints places the global network as a key player to keep track of new developments and challenges, and respond with a knowledge management system to lead information sharing and skills development.
Cap-Net UNDP over the last 12 years has already developed programmes on how to use integrated water resources management tools and instruments for adapting to climate change, and in managing floods and droughts, including the use of earth observation tools, among many other programmes. International partners, partner networks and specialist organisations enhance Cap-Net’s outreach, and the global network has become a vehicle for delivering quality capacity development. In September 2014 Cap-Net launched its Virtual Campus for Capacity Development, an innovative and state of the art platform which will enable new means for delivering capacity development and reaching an extended number of beneficiaries.
Cap-Net UNDP is inviting various organisations at the forefront of technological development and use, capacity development, water resources management, and food security, to be part of a partnership for applied technology dissemination and training.
Expected output
The expected output of this expert meeting is an alliance for the design and later implementation of a 4 year global level capacity development programme.
It is expected that sessions of this expert meeting will bring updated information about:
- Technologies which will play a key role in water productivity and universal access to water and sanitation
- organisations taking a lead in their development and use
- type of demands from various stakeholder groups
- capacity development needs and knowledge gag
Structure of the expert consultation meeting
The meeting is organised around three themes:
Number of participants and type of sessions
The meeting will bring together 30-40 participants representing various partner organisations and stakeholders including technology developers and water professionals with different backgrounds and from different regions.
The expert meeting at UNESCO-IHE will last 2 days were most of the time will be allocated for working groups, round tables, and open-space sessions aiming for strategic inputs for the design of a global level capacity development programme. Working groups will be facilitated by members of the expert meeting organising group. A few plenary sessions are included in the meeting programme to provide content framework and share valuable knowledge.
Expert meeting organising group
- Cap-Net: Kees Leendertse, Damian Indij, Wangai Ndirangu
- UNEP-DHI: Gareth Lloyd
- World Bank: Luis Garcia
- University of Twenty: Zoltan Vekerdy
- ICIWaRM-UNESCO, University of Arizona: Aleix Serrat-Capdevila
- ESA: Benjamin Koetz
- UNDP, Global Water Solidarity: Ivan Draganic
- UNESCO-IHE: Pieter Van Der Zaag
- AKVO: Jeroen van der Sommen
- Rain foundation: Robert Meerman
Programme
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