Climbing the water ladder: multiple use water services for poverty reduction

Abstract

This joint work of CPWF, IRC and IWMI demonstrates how increased water access at the Multiple-use water services (MUS) community and household level can greatly improve the livelihoods of the world's poorest people. It is the fruit of joint efforts by all partners in the action research ‘Models for implementing multiple-use water supply systems for enhanced land and water productivity, rural livelihoods and gender equity’– referred to as ‘CPWF-MUS’, as the project was part of the Challenge Program on Water and Food. The project developed case studies in eight countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa, Thailand and Zimbabwe) involving 150 institutions. The book shows how livelihoods act as the main driver for water services and how access to water is determined by sustainable water resources, appropriate technologies and equitable ways of managing communal systems