An analysis of IWRM capacity needs in Malawi

It is now nearly a decade since the notion of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) was first conceptualized and popularized. Although the significance and value of IWRM has been discussed and debated at many fora, both local and international, the understanding has not filtered down to the grassroots level where tangible programmes can be implemented. IWRM continues to operate at a high and often idealistic level. One of the major challenges is the lack of capacity for the operationalization of IWRM on the ground. IWRM is about the process of integrating ideas and principles which in turn requires stakeholder participation. The overall objective of the study was to identify IWRM capacity building needs for the country. Data collection involved literature review and interviews with representatives of key institutions in the water sector using a semi-structured questionnaire. In this paper, we present some preliminary findings on IWRM knowledge from the Malawian context. We show that as a process, IWRM has only began to have some impact on the ground. The study further shows that capacity building is required in the awareness, planning and implementation processes at different levels of society.