Service Contract No 2007 / 147-446 Strategic ... - Swaziland

7.1 Addressing High Priority aspectsRECOMMENDATION INVOLVED INSTITUTION /ACTORSIMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTSA. WATER AVAILABILITY / CLIMATE CHANGEThe National Climate Change Office, Swaziland Meteorological Service, National WaterAuthority, Department of Water Affairs, River Basin Authorities along with bulk water users,relevant government departments, sections and ministries and the scientific communityresponsible for climate change planning, must develop a strategy to adapt to the impact ofclimate change notably on water resources within the sugar sector, and be reflected in basinwidewater management.The Strategy:o Must establish the scale, significance and economic impact of climate changeinduced impacts on water resources through technical and scientific studies;o Relevant baseline information must be developed, collated and collected to inform thestrategy;o Must identify the spatial and temporal impacts of climate change on irrigation waterrequirements and yields for sugar cane;o Must assess any beneficial effects of climate change on yield due to increased CO 2concentrations that might offset the potentially negative impacts of increased irrigationneeds;o Must identify realistic and achievable adaptation measures to be implemented by thesugar sector that may include improvements in irrigation water management practices(e.g. irrigation scheduling and improvements in irrigation efficiencies);o Must include a situational analysis of the institutional capacity of River BasinAuthorities to implement their mandate as described in the Water Act, 2003;o Must be discussed and agreed with all key stakeholders;o Must include quantified objectives and time-bound targets;o Must define responsibilities;o Must include a mechanism to report implementation and achievement of targets andobjectives, on a regular basis.Led by the National ClimateOffice, Swaziland MeteorologicalService, National Water Authority,Department of Water Affairs andRiver Basin Authorities.Also involvement of bulk waterusers, relevant governmentdepartments, sections andministries and the scientificcommunity responsible for climatechange.NB: This action needs to be addressedat a level higher than the NAS.The NAS SC and the EC should raisethis issue with the SMS, DWA andRBAs to put it in their agenda.Funding can be sought frominternational bodies dealing with climatechange, such as UNDP and the EC.RDMU (Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Adaptation Strategy) - Page 115