The role of water security in poverty reduction

Water security is critical to poverty reduction. Water scarcity can cause conflict and marginalisation and increase poverty. The Millennium Development Goals highlight the importance of water security in poverty reduction.

Different people have different water needs; these include domestic consumption, sanitation, agricultural production, irrigation, animal husbandry, industry and ecosystem maintenance. Safe and adequate water resources are also the basis for health, welfare and sanitation.

Water security should not just be viewed in terms of access to drinking water: it means that all people have secure and reliable access to water resources to meet their needs. Another central concept of water security is the involvement of all people in water resource governance. Achieving water security means that mechanisms are in place to ensure no groups become marginalised and access to water is maintained.

When resources become scarce, conflicts can occur and poor people can become marginalised. Water security also means people are protected from water-related hazards and can overcome water-related conflicts.

Research from the Asian Development Bank outlines how water scarcity can affect people and increase poverty:

• Water resources maintain the ecosystems upon which people depend for food and resources for employment.
• Women use water for domestic and productive work and must adapt in times of water scarcity.
• Poor people are especially vulnerable to the impacts of water-related hazards including droughts, storms, floods, landslides and pollution.

Water security has a key role in poverty reduction. The extent to which it is achieved depends upon the extent to which local people are involved in decision making about water resources. Fair participation of all groups is central to maintaining water security and avoiding water-related conflict.

To develop effective water security policies, the research suggests:

• Develop water governance policies that benefit poor people explicitly and improve the participation of rural people in decision making processes.
• Increase poor peoples’ access to quality water services including drinking water, sanitation, irrigation and drainage.
• Increase investment in agriculture and other water-reliant employment sectors to diversify income opportunities for poor communities.
• Support community skills and knowledge about water to improve the management of communal water resources.
• Improve the resilience of communities to water-related disasters by developing prevention, relief and recovery systems.
• Empowering women is essential for effective water management.
• Develop sustainable systems that encourage participation in the management of shared natural resources.

Source(s):
‘Water and Poverty – Fighting Poverty through Water Management’, Asian Development Bank, by John Soussan, 2004 Full document.

Funded by: Asian Development Bank; Netherlands Government

id21 Research Highlight: 27 March 2006

Further Information:
John Soussan
Stockholm Environment Institute
University of York
York YO10 5DD
UK

Tel: + +44 (0) 1904 434745
Contact the contributor: js47@york.ac.uk

Asian Development Bank

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