Awareness and Communication Strategy CHAPTER 8. SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT 8.1 Strategic Objectives Availability of and access to water is a critical element of poverty alleviation, economic development and regional integration in SADC, which is a water stress area. It is, therefore, important that dissemination and communicating sustainable water resources development and management should promote the integrated use of surface and ground water resources, the reuse of water, and the provision of environmental requirements. This should be achieved with strategic objectives that include: a) To improve understanding of the amount of water (surface and groundwater) available in the region; b) To empower and increase popular participation and commitment in the development planning and management of the water resources among the water sector as well as water-using and water-influencing sectors; c) To promote opportunities for and investment in water resources development and management by the general public, public and private sectors, cooperating partners and investment banks; d) To increase understanding of the impacts, risks and hazards of water developments and operations. 8.2 Key Message Areas 8.2.1 Water availability in the SADC region Communicate that the SADC region is largely water deficient due to a mismatch between water availability and water demand arising from high variability of rainfall in both space and in time - to build a case for sound management of water that promotes integrated use of surface and ground water resources. To who: The general public (special focus on communities, youth and women) Politicians (cabinet, parliamentarians and Councillors) government ministries especially development planners, public and private and business sector (industry, mining, electricity etc), farming sector (commercial and small scale), NGOs, environmentalists and cooperating partners. How: Primary education, public awareness campaigns, public events, publications (including maps), mass media, advertisements, personalities, entertainment, demonstrations, and extension services. The SADC region needs to be fully aware of the mapping of water resources (surface water, groundwater, and rainfall) which are unevenly distributed in time and space. On a regional basis the average renewable freshwater resources (ground and surface water) are enormous. However, there is tremendous variability in climate across the region, which in turn Page 34