FutureDams

Project Launch and Stakeholder Interactions

The Water Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-WRI) –Ghana is partnering the University of Manchester–UK and other Universities/Research Institutions in Europe, Africa and Asia to implement the FutureDAMS programme. Funded by the UK Research Councils, FutureDAMS involves a collaboration across academic disciplines (social sciences, engineering and the natural sciences) and sectors (academics, private companies and civil society) to co-produce useful knowledge and build capacity and capability for selecting, designing and operating future water-energy-food-environment systems including dams in a manner that improves their economic, social and environmental impacts. 

FutureDAMS is a 4 year programme (2017-2021), with case studies being implemented in West Africa (Volta Basin), East Africa (Nile Basin) and Asia (Irrawaddy Basin). Building on the benefits created by the WISE-UP programme (Water Infrastructure Solutions from Ecosystem Services Underpinning Climate Resilient Policies and Programmes), which was funded by the German Government through the International Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety and led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, FutureDAMS will deliver cutting-edge ideas about the ways in which multi-criteria decision-making models and political economy analysis can contribute to better development decisions, achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the Paris Agreement on climate change.

As part of activities to launch the FutureDAMS programme and exchange knowledge with relevant stakeholders in Ghana, a research symposium was held on 11th June 2018 at the ISSER Conference Hall of the University of Ghana, Accra, followed by a launch of the programme and stakeholder meeting on 12th June 2018 at the Conference Hall of CSIR-STEPRI, Accra. The launch and stakeholder meeting was attended by relevant stakeholders in the water, energy, food, and environment sectors. The stakeholders were drawn from the Volta River Authority, Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Energy Commission of Ghana, Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resources Commission, School of Engineering Sciences-University of Ghana, Fisheries Commission, CSIR-Science Technology Policy Research Institute, Institute of Environment and Sanitation-University of Ghana, Ministry of Energy, Global Water Partnership, Ghana Institute of Engineering, Ghana Grid Company Limited, CSIR-Institute for Science and Technology Information, Bui Power Authority, West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, International WaterManagement Institute, CSIR-Food Research Institute, Volta Basin Development Foundation, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research-University of Ghana, and Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. The stakeholder meeting provided opportunity to jointly identify how the expected outputs of FutureDAMS can support decision makers, planners and managerswith future decisions on water-energy-food-environment systems for improved economic, social and environmental impacts.

The CSIR-WRI FutureDAMS Team looks forward to working with key stakeholders to strengthen the implementation and impacts of FutureDAMS in the Volta Basin and globally.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2018/june-19th/futuredams-lead-supervisor-wants-govt-to-rethink-one-village-one-dam-initiative.php