In light of the serious challenges that climate change poses on water supply, the North-West University (NWU) is bolstering its water-related research.
Significant parts of the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape are experiencing a drought that has officially been declared a national disaster, underlining the reality of South Africa’s status as a water-stressed country.
The NWU is stepping up to the challenge by expanding its involvement in research on water resource management.
The university recently hosted a seminar entitled “Capacity building for water resource management in the SADC region: WaterNet perspectives into the future”.
During the seminar it was announced that from January next year, the WaterNet Secretariat would be based at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus.
WaterNet is a regional network of university departments and research and training institutes specialising in water. For the past 20 years, WaterNet has been hosted at the University of Zimbabwe and has to date produced 32 PhDs and 96 master’s graduates.
The move to the NWU in South Africa coincides with phase five of WaterNet’s work. Running from 2022 to 2026, the network will focus on strengthening human and institutional capacity for innovative, systemic and sustainable regional water solutions in a changing environment.
WaterNet executive management head Prof Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema and his colleague Dr Krasposy Kujinga, have high praise for NWU researcher and director of Research Support Prof Nnenesi Kgabi, whom they say was instrumental in ensuring that the NWU hosts WaterNet researchers for the next five years.
One of WaterNet’s major capacity-building priorities is to push for greater female representation and inclusion in the water sector.
Another goal is to expand regional capacity for degree and non-degree education in integrated water resource management.
WaterNet, which currently has 79 members, says it is working hard to increase its membership base at a corporate level.
Through its initiatives and research, WaterNet is working to ensure water for the future, a goal that the NWU wholeheartedly supports.
