The research project CuveWaters implemented an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin between 2004 and 2015. The central goal of the project was to strengthen the potential of the region’s water resources by developing and adapting innovative technologies for water supply and sanitation as pilot and demonstration plants. The implemented technologies are made up of pilot plants for rain and floodwater harvesting, groundwater desalination, as well as sanitation and water reuse. Depending on its quality, the water is used as drinking water or to irrigate vegetable gardens.

The development and implementation of all this infrastructure was carried out in a participatory manner. In fact, participation was the key to involving stakeholders, such as the residents and the Namibian Ministry, so that they can develop ownership and goals to improve their living conditions. That is why a demand-responsive approach was developed. This Namibian-German joint transdisciplinary research project was led by the ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Research, together with the Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany. The Namibian partners were the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), the Outapi Town Council (OTC), the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN), the University of Namibia (UNAM), the Polytechnic of Namibia (PON) as well as the local communities of lipopo, Epyeshona, Akutsima and Amarika.

• Study area - The Culevai-Etosha Basin
• Approaches of the project
• Measures and benefits

All content regarding to the IWRM CuveWaters project in Northern Namibia was taken from the following sources:

CuveWaters (2016): Integrated Water Resources Management in Northern Namibia

Bischofberger et al. (Ed.)(2015): Water is life – Omeya ogo omwenyo. CuveWaters report

Jokisch et al. (2015a): Rainwater Harvesting in Central-Northern Namibia

Jokisch et al. (2015b): Floodwater Harvesting in Central-Northern Namibia

Liehr et al. (2015):  Groundwater Desalination in Central-Northern Namibia

Zimmermann et al. (2015): Sanitation and Water Reuse in Central-Northern Namibia