Importance of innovation and complexity in sharing and managing transboundary

water

Annette Huber-Lee, Jonathan Woolley and Alain Vidal

Outline• Overview of CPWF objective• Framework to examine complexity and

benefit sharing• Insights from research

– Collective action at multiple scales– Companion modeling for conflict resolution

• Summary

CPWF Objective:

To increase the productivity of water for food and livelihoods via increased social and ecological resilience, and alleviate poverty for disadvantaged groups.

Addressing complexity

Far

from

Certainty

Ag

reem

en

t

Close to Far from

Clo

se to Simple

Plan, control

Zone of Complexity

Technically Complicated Experiment, coordinate expertise

SociallyComplicated Build relationships, create common ground

Source: Patton, 2007

• A complex system is one where ‘things’ are connected by non-linear forces with ‘feedbacks’

• Expertise can help but is not sufficient; relationships are key

• Uncertainty of outcome remains• Need for continual innovation• Without diversity there is no evolution

and creativity

Complex systems

Conceptualizing Complexity

Swallow, Johnson, Meinzen-Dick and Knox, 2006

Action arenas• Socially defined space with:

– Actors– Livelihood assets– Rules (informal and formal institutions)– Actions

• The same decision can be reached in different action arenas, where actors may have different levels of resources

HypothesisIncreasing the social and human capacity

(livelihood assets) of rural poor and associated institutions increases the resilience of coupled human and natural systems

Research HighlightsSustaining Inclusive Collective

Action that Links across Economic and Ecological

Scales Project(SCALES)

Andes Watersheds• Dominated

by agriculture and livestock

• High poverty rates

• Conflict around environment and eco-services

Multi-stakeholder platform• Legal mechanism – conversatorios – in

Colombia to increase engagement of civil society in watershed decisions

• Three phases:– Preparation– Negotiation– Follow-up

• Limited applications

Conversatorio – collective action

• Focus on building human and social capital, including trainings on:– Legal rights– Ability to analyze environmental issues such as

water quality, erosion, loss of biodiversity– Identifying solutions and analyzing problems– Debating and speaking in public– Economic games

Fuquene conversatorioFuquene farmers asktheir questions

Staff record agreements for immediatesignature

In Fuquene, 26 agreements were signed on February 28, 2007

Results• 75 specific commitments totaling over $10

million• Experimental games resulted in increased

trust• Mentoring communities to participate in conversatorios – a forum where policy makers have to respond to community issues – proved highly effective

• Showed scientifically informed dialogue with awareness of power structures can lead to better overall outcomes

Research Highlights

Companion Modeling and Water Dynamics Project

Companion Modeling for resilient water management(Trebuil, 2008)

Stakeholders’ perceptions of water dynamics and collective learning at catchment scale

How to model & integrate different stakeholders’ perceptions for collective action?

Companion modeling in action

Preliminary Results• Individual and collective learning based

on a common framework• Role playing games established lines of

communication addressing asymmetries• Exploration of new water management

rules via scenarios in adaptive management approach

• Reduced conflicts via creative negotiation and institutional innovations

Summary

Lessons

Lessons• Complexity need not be an obstacle – people

can reach a common understanding & develop solutions

• Effectiveness depends on local institutional context and ability to introduce new and innovative forms of dialogue across multiple levels of organizations

• Laws need to recognize asymmetries of power and find ways to level the playing field

• Increasing social and human capacity can increase resilience of people and ecosystems

Diversity of people increases innovation