TRANSFORMING CATCHMENTS
BUILDING RESILIENCE
AWARD uses a range of innovative approaches to inform the development and implementation of a number of programmes that build social and ecological resilience.
From Crisis to Flow
Governance in Drought-Stricken Waters
Through strategic management decisions and innovative tools, AWARD supported decision makers, ensuring rivers endure as vital lifelines, even in the harshest of droughts.
The Association for Water and Rural Development
AWARD uses a range of innovative approaches to inform the development and implementation of a number of programmes that build social and ecological resilience. Current programmes include: RESILiM-O; Networks for Farmers; Wise Use of Wetlands; Wetlands and Livelihoods in Craigieburn. Through these programmes, we are building institutional, community and individual capacity to manage and restore water, land and biodiversity sub-systems in the context of climate change. Current areas of engagement include the upper, middle and lower Olifants catchment as well as regional and national initiatives on water governance. To enhance our work we are constantly improving our monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning (MERL) processes within the organisation. A broad selection of resource materials have been, and continue to be developed and adapted through the various project activities.
WHY?
We are a region facing significant water quality and quantity issues that impact on biodiversity and human livelihoods. These issues are exacerbated by climate change. This requires that we build resilience across a range of sectors…
WHAT?
AWARD has implemented a number of projects aimed at building resilience. These are broadly clustered around the themes of Water, Land, Climate Change with an overarching focus on Capacity Development…
HOW?
AWARD’s innovative approach involves working with Systems Thinking for understanding complex systems, Social Learning and collective action, Resilience Support Initiatives as well as a unique and robust Monitoring and Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) process…
WHO?
We recognise that building resilience is a collective effort. Therefore we work with NGOs, government, community groups, water management institutions, Ara-Sul, municipalities, service providers, civil society, farmers, interns and private landowners…
WHERE?
AWARD works in catchments across the southern African region. We have worked in all the easterly flowing catchments and recent focus areas have been Venda, Olifants and Inkomati river catchments…
Our Programmes
RESILIM-O
Funded by USAID
AWARD’s RESILiM-Olifants Programme is funded by USAID and focuses on resilience-building in the transboundary Olifants River Basin, shared between South Africa and Mozambique. The Olifants is the largest contributor of water to the Limpopo basin.
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NETWORKS FOR FARMERS
Funded by DKA
This project’s main objective is to support increased capacity, agency and resilience of smallholder farmers in targeted communities in the middle and lower catchments of the Olifants River. These farmers face multiple challenges including climate change.
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SAVE THE SAND
Funded by the WRC
The Save the Sand Programme (SSP) promoted the practices of Integrated Catchment Management and Land Care in South Africa, using the Sand River Catchment as a test case. The objective was to address the rehabilitation of the Sand River and its tributaries in a holistic manner through effective and integrated catchment management.
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WISE USE OF WETLANDS
Funded by the DFFE
The original objective for Wise Use was to develop and test a framework for assessing the feasibility of Working for Water rehabilitation leading to wise use, through exploring the resilience and adaptive capacity of the socio-ecological system.
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The Giyani Local Scale Climate Change Resilience Programme (GLSCRP)
Funded by the WRC
The GLSCRP is a three-year community-led programme scaling Multiple Water Use Systems and solar energy to develop, research and demonstrate practical and sustainable water and climate adaptation solutions in the Giyani municipal area.
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The Agriculture Support Initiative
Funded by DKA
The Agriculture Support Initiative (AgriSI) project aims to reduce vulnerability to climate change and other factors by supporting collective action informed adaptation strategies, practices and tenable institutional arrangements.
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National Dam Siltation (NatSILT) Programme
Funded by DWS and WRC
The development and piloting of four qualifications supported by an e- learning platform for the empowering of a new cohort of skilled professionals to enhance and improve the efficiency of dam siltation management in South Africa.
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BIO-SMART
Funded by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation
Biodiversity Systems Management and Analytics for the Restoration of Transboundary Rivers Integrating freshwater biodiversity data across the Lowveld’s catchments in and around Kruger National Park. This initiative enhances decision-making and conservation efforts by merging biodiversity with key environmental drivers. Join us in advancing water resource management and protecting our precious biodiversity.
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Integrating water quality & health
Funded by the WRC
The focus of this project is on exploring and clarifying the links between declining water quality and human and biotic health and making this information available to managers and stakeholders in an easily-accessible format for decision-making and action.
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ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) in the Crocodile Catchment
Funded by GiZ
The aim of the work was to contribute to enhanced water governance arrangements for mitigating water quality deterioration and impacts through planning for ecosystem-based adaptation in the Crocodile Catchment with a focus on the City of Mbombela (CoM) footprint within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality (EDM).
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uMhlathuze Real-time Tools
Funded by GiZ and NBI
The collaborative development of INWARDS and FLowTracker for Enhanced Water Security. The main objective was to provide stakeholders with real-time data for informed water resource management. This project also set out to enhance the skills of managers and stakeholders, to support them in making strategic decisions effectively.
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Complaince Monitoring
Funded by the IUCMA
The project aimed to assist the IUCMA in developing tools that support compliance monitoring and reporting. This included creating dashboards for both flow and water quality, as well as a simplified water quality licensing model and dashboard.
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A holistic Early Warning System for climate-induced water insecurity in the transboundary Inkomati River Basin (RiSK project)
Funded by Munich Re Foundation fieldtrip
Growing water insecurity in the Inkomati River Basin places the burden of risk on the poor, leading to increased livelihood insecurity. These communities face health risks that are unknown to them, especially from water quality contaminants, highlighting the need for a holistic early warning system (EWS) for disaster preparedness.
More info uMhlathuze Real-time Tools
Funded by GiZ and NBI
The collaborative development of INWARDS and FLowTracker for Enhanced Water Security. The main objective was to provide stakeholders with real-time data for informed water resource management. This project also set out to enhance the skills of managers and stakeholders, to support them in making strategic decisions effectively.
More info Complaince Monitoring
Funded by the IUCMA
The project aimed to assist the IUCMA in developing tools that support compliance monitoring and reporting. This included creating dashboards for both flow and water quality, as well as a simplified water quality licensing model and dashboard.
More info
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