Framework for groundwater data collection presented at SADC-GMI conference

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After a successful first edition in 2018, SADC-GMI organised its second Groundwater Conference on 4-6 September 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. During this conference with the overarching theme ‘Groundwater Contribution to SDGs in the SADC region’, IGRAC presented the SADC Framework for Groundwater Data Collection and Management. This full framework, as well as the executive summary, is an outcome of the SADC-GWdataCoM project.

2nd SADC-GMI Groundwater Conference

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Arnaud Sterckx at the conference

With an average of over 150 participants, the conference was very well visited. There were several keynote speeches, presentations and also two interactive panel discussions, all around the main theme of groundwater and SDGs in the region of Southern Africa. IGRAC Researcher Arnaud Sterckx, took part in the technical committee of this conference and also gave a presentation on the SADC-GWdataCoM framework.

Framework for groundwater data collection and management

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SADC Framework for Groundwater Data Collection and Management

The SADC-wide Framework for Groundwater Data Collection and Data Management (main report and executive summary). This framework, that sits between regional and national strategic plans and technical manuals, provides guidance on an organisational and planning aspects of groundwater data collection and management. It aims to

  1. Assist Member States which are currently facing difficulties in groundwater data collection and management to develop adequate groundwater data collection and management procedures at national level that match their financial and human capacity and level of development; and
  2. Enhance transboundary and regional cooperation through harmonisation of practices across Member States in terms of data collection and management and facilitate data-exchange.

Follow-up

The SADC Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) has initiated a project to expand the SADC Groundwater Information Portal (SADC-GIP) and make it a one-stop centre for accessing groundwater data in the SADC region.