Integrated Water Resources Management

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is designed to coordinate actions across multiple sectors involving a range of stakeholders at local, national and international levels. This chapter presents the overarching principles of IWRM and the steps for basin management. Effectively incorporating meaningful stakeholder involvement and gender perspective is critical to the success of IWRM. Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) is a sub-set of IWRM and involves the implementation of IWRM at the basin level through River Basin Organisations.

Chapter Summary

This chapter covers the following content and material:

• The key principles of Integrated Water Resources Management;
• The Steps Involved in Integrated Water Resources Management;
• Key principles of Integrated River Basin Management and the role of knowledge management within a river basin organisation; and
• Strategies for incorporating Stakeholder Involvement and enhancing the role of women in Integrated Water Resources Management.

The Kunene River basin is a complex ecosystem that requires an integrated water management approach.

Source: De Jong 2008

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