Seminar
Investing More in Rural Water Services: Tapping Civil Society as Partner
4 May 2006; Manila, Philippines
Background | Objectives | Features | Program | Venue | Related Links
 At the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico City, 16-22 March, the Asian Development Bank announced a major new initiative that will double its investment in the region's water sector over the next 5 years. Using new financing modalities, products, and processes, the Water Financing Program (WFP) intends to increase ADB investments in the sector to over $2 billion annually.
The WFP intends to focus on three dimensions of water—rural water, urban water, and basin water. For the rural communities, ADB will work on services to improve health and livelihoods in rural communities, including investments in water supply and sanitation, and irrigation and drainage.
In late 2005, following a consultation with the civil society as part of a review process focusing on the implementation of ADB’s Water Policy, ADB commissioned a study on the extent of civil society (CS) engagement in rural water supply projects. Among the findings of the study were the following:
- There are at least four models of effectively engaging civil society in rural water projects, as shown by experiences in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and the Philippines.
- Long-term partnerships of CS organizations in local projects tend to ensure functional and more sustainable systems.
- Investments in rural water supply and sanitation implemented with CS involvement positively impact other poverty reduction efforts.
ADB used the findings from this study to strengthen WFP’s program of action for rural water.
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 The seminar enabled participants to
- Discuss key lessons from the study, including the Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Philippine models of CS initiatives in rural water supply and sanitation.
- Contribute to the formulation of the strategy and plan of action for WFP’s rural water, specifically by exploring how the civil society can be a partner in rural water.
- Discuss how key findings from the study can be integrated into ongoing or pipelined ADB projects on rural water supply and sanitation.
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The Streams of Knowledge, a global coalition of water and sanitation resource institutions, was commissioned to undertake the study. Its Executive Secretary, Ms. Rory Villaluna, presented the findings and facilitated the discussions.
ADB staff who have significantly contributed to the study were on hand to start the discussion on how the study’s findings can be mainstreamed into ADB’s water operations.
Open Forum time gave everyone the opportunity to ask questions.
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| 10:30 – 10:35 |
Introduction/Overview of the Study
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K.E. Seetharam, Principal Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist, ADB |
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| 10:35– 11:00 |
Highlights of the Study -- Four Models and Lessons Learned
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Rory Villaluna, Executive Secretary, STREAMS |
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| 11:00 – 11:25 |
Facilitated Discussion on
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Exploring the potentials of the civil society as a partner in rural water |
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Integrating findings into ongoing or pipelined ADB projects on rural water supply and sanitation |
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| 11:25 – 11:30 |
Closing Remarks
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Wouter Lincklaen Arriens, Lead Water Resources Specialist, ADB |
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The seminar was held at ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines.
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Wouter Lincklaen Arriens
Lead Water Resources Specialist
E-mail: water@adb.org
K.E. Seetharam
Principal Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist
E-mail: water@adb.org |
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