Executive summary and recommendations : the African experience with river basin development

Activity to date has focused on constructing large dams - an approach which has allowed African nations to develop the hydroelectric potential of their rivers, but at the expense of their ecological resiliency, human populations, and agricultural potential. The enhancement of riverine production systems presents an alternative approach to river basin development, though the persistence of disease, irregular flooding and rainfall, population increases, and growing environmental degradation show it to be hardly free of problems. Such enhancement will in any case require developing new donor policies and strategies (e.g., intensifying rainfed agriculture, combining dam construction with irrigation), as well as improving water management by finding an ecologico-economic balance among dam construction, controlled downstream flooding, and reservoir drawdown. It will also require strengthening river basin development efforts by local organizations, river basin organizations, donors, the private sector, and research institutions - especially African research institutions. Specific policy recommendations are made for improving: analytical approaches to river basin development; planning and implementation; and monitoring, evaluation, and research.