Training & Capacity Building

Groundwater is an important resource which is increasingly under stress because of over-exploitation and pollution. Until fairly recent the emphasis was on groundwater development rather than groundwater management and governance. As a consequence there is a need to increase capacity in techniques and skills required for successful groundwater monitoring, assessment, management and governance

Monitoring, assessment, management and governance of groundwater require specific knowledge and skills. To develop acceptable and sustainable solutions it is also necessary to consider multiple disciplines (like the environmental, socio-economic, legal and institutional) as well as the sometimes conflicting interests of different stakeholders. Many of IGRAC’s projects are related to transboundary aquifers. Dealing with transboundary aquifers requires an even more specific set of skills; practical knowledge and skills which are often not developed in university courses. 

Even though it is not one of IGRAC’s core activities, IGRAC aims to contribute to capacity building in groundwater monitoring, assessment and governance through specialised training workshops and on-the-job training. Together with BGR and several other partners we have developed training material groundwater management for river basin organisations and IGRAC has been one of the leading partners in developing guidelines for the assessment of transboundary aquifers. As its in-house partner, IGRAC is also very well positioned to join forces with IHE Delft whenever this is appropriate.