Nordeco participates in a major study of water conflict and cooperation together with the Danish Institute of International Studies and a variety of local and international partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

During the past year, the study has focused on mapping the number and character of water conflict and cooperation events in five research sites in Vietnam, Mali, Zambia, Nicaragua and Bolivia. The programme is now entering its second phase which will consist of households surveys conducted with some 2000 households in total. The survey is expected to provide a wealth of information on the relationship between poverty and access to water. Following this, a third phase will be initiated in 2009 focussed on in-depth qualitative case studies of particular examples of conflict and cooperation in water governance.

Apart from providing much needed knowledge for use in water governance specifically, the study will also be able to highlight issues of interest to the climate debate: Water scarcity and flooding are some of the most direct and immediate ways that climate change impacts on local livelihoods, and knowledge of the way water conflicts play out and are resolved is therefore an important element in supporting local adaptation efforts.

Neighbour children taking well water for domestic use at Trung Huong hamlet, Vietnam