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There is currently not enough water to meet the demand
in the Pangani Basin, yet the Pangani Basin Water Board
continues to receive requests for new water permits
from local, municipal and industrial investors. The
Water Board has little data on the economic, social
and environmental costs and benefits of various water
allocation scenarios to guide its water permit provision.
Climate change and reducing water supplies have yet
to be taken into consideration in the allocation process.
Conflicts are also emerging between various water users,
such as commercial farms, small farmers and livestock
keepers. The natural environment has yet to be recognized
as a important water user and at present receives hardly
any consideration in an already over-allocated resource.
The Government of Tanzania, IUCN, through its Water
& Nature Initiative (WANI), and the Global Environmental
Facility (GEF) through UNDP are committed to preparing
water users and water managers in Pangani Basin for
reducing water supplies. Their goal is to mainstream
the negative effects of climate change into Integrated
Water Resources Management in the Pangani River Basin,
in order to support the equitable provision of freshwater
for the environment and for livelihoods for future generations.
The
Pangani River Basin Management Project will address
this goal through several approaches, including: 1)
an Environmental Flow Assessment 2) establishing forums
for community participation in water management and
3) raising awareness about climate change impacts and
adaptation strategies.
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