Researche Funding: Asia-Pacific Network (APN) for Global Change Research

Faculty Researcher: Dr Sara Nowreen

Collaboration: Lead: Tribhuvan University, Nepal; Affiliates: Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), BUET, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India; and Chattogram University, Bangladesh

Duration: October 2021 - September 2023

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Achieving urban water security, particularly in peri-urban mountainous regions of Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), is a major challenge for sustainable development. Water security problems here in HKH are often systemic but governed by diverse factors with complex interactions among each other. Hence, this study attempts to examine the complex linkages between water security and urban management at the local level of two South Asian countries, namely Nepal and Bangladesh learning from the experience of India. Unlike the indicators-based water security framework, this study considered perception-based measures applying a mix of participatory research methods namely in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. To collect and analyze data tools like problem and solution tree (PAST), seasonal calendars, and participatory GIS were integrated into the study. Water security in the peri-urban region is related to the quantity of water, i.e., the availability and distribution of water in Nepal and the quality of water in Bangladesh. Climate change, changing lifestyles, population growth, urbanization, poor institutions, and governance are the common causes of water insecurity in both countries. Conflict, water-related health issues, and reduction in agriculture production leading to a declining income are the most common impacts recorded from the study sites. Coping strategies, i.e. use of potash/allum and local water purification are dominant in Bangladesh while adaption strategies, i.e. tunnel farming, application of drip irrigation system, use of water meter and tariff, construction of rainwater harvesting and recharge ponds are prevalent in Nepal. Community based organization, i.e. Water User Committee (WUC) is absent in Bangladesh while the Water User Association (WUA) present is but not all WUA functioning properly in Nepal. Support from the government institution is lacking in providing water services while the influence of rich and elite groups exists at both study sites. Altogether, water security is governed by multifarious relationships among bio-physical, socio-economic including institutional and governance factors in peri-urban context. Overall, this study highlights the significance of the cooperation of diverse stakeholders in ensuring water security in the peri-urban region in South Asian countries. Besides, the study also facilitated the sharing of knowledge by exchange visits and training young researchers on linking science with policy through participatory research on water security. This project was funded by the Asia-Pacific Network (APN) for Global Change Research with a grant of $28,000 and spanned two and a half years, from October 2021 to March 2024. It was a collaborative initiative involving multiple partner institutes, including Tribhuvan University in Nepal; TERI School of Advanced Studies and WforW Foundation in India; and the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh. IWFM preliminarily received this grant as a PI and later transferred it to the Nepal counterpart to avoid COVID consequences.