SPLASH reviews national programmes on water research for developing countries

An important objective of the SPLASH Era-net (European Union Water Initiative European Research Area Network) is to exchange knowledge between different European partner research initiatives and to facilitate collaboration between them. As part of this, SPLASH recently surveyed programmes relating to water research for developing countries, funded or co-funded by the national governments of the 11 SPLASH partner countries. This provided an analysis of thematic and geographic research areas covered, capacity development, funding issues, programme development, dissemination activities, and the potential for joint activities.

Gathering of SPLASH partners

Within the thematic area of water research for development:

• the main sub-themes are ‘more crop per drop’, ‘protecting eco-systems’ and ‘water and sanitation’;
• clear areas of geographic focus are also revealed, with Africa and Asia receiving support from all countries, although there are gaps in coverage within this;
• programme funding is mainly by ministries, primarily to universities in SPLASH partner and beneficiary countries, and research centres and government institutions in developing countries;
• while there are different approaches to developing programmes, most identified research priorities internally, involving Southern organizations in the research design;
• it was found that more than half of programmes surveyed already incorporate some form of collaborative working with other national programmes or international organizations and initiatives.

While the aims, objectives and focus areas vary across the programmes surveyed, there is a good spread of support across the thematic areas, and all partner countries are involved in the Mekong region and in Africa, suggesting that these offer the greatest potential benefits for future collaboration.

Existing programmes show additional common characteristics such as capacity development, dissemination strategies, and clearly, collaboration between programmes and other national or international organizations is already underway.

The survey concluded that there are good opportunities for future joint programmes, without necessitating a significant shift in the existing research culture.

For further information please contact Peter O'Neill, Deputy Head, Central Research Department, Department for International Development (E-mail era-net@dfid.gov.uk).