Integrated Managment

Careful management is key to ensure all riparians benefit equally for a shared water resource and have sufficient water to prevent a situation of water stress. To aid the three nations to achieve this the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission also known as OKACOM was formed. 

OKACOM is a water commission and advisory authority set up by the three nations in 1994 to ensure the co-operative management of the Okavango River whilst still promoting the social and developmental needs of each riparian . The commission is funded by the 3 countries and consists of representatives from each nation who meet on a yearly basis, sometimes more.

Also known as the commission, OKACOM is a technical consultant to governments on a whole series of matters including: development, conservation and sustainable resource use. The OKACOM Agreement signed in 1994 gives the organisation the legal power to:

- find out the long term and safe yield of the river basin
- estimate demand from consumers
- suggest mitigating measures against pollution
- investigate water infrastructures
- develop ways to alleviate short term problems (e.g. droughts)
- prepare criteria for conservation, fair allocations and sustainable water usage
- bring any other issues determined by OKACOM onto the table

OKACOM aims to anticipate and reduce negative impacts that happen as a result of uncoordinated development by offering nations a way to develop a management plan for the river basin based on sustainability, equitable allocations and that benefits should be shared among members. For this to occur the commission collaborates with foreign organisations and makes sure any integrated management of the Okavango basin improves livelihoods, aids development and looks after biodiversity.

The commission mainly take on an advisory role but it also prides itself on ‘action based on knowledge’ and this has been vital in ensuring that members are aware of any transboundary issues occurring in the basin.

OKACOM's 17th meeting (source: OKACOM)

On the whole the development of OKACOM has been pivotal for the Okavango basin nations as it has allowed them to co-ordinate projects that can meet development and conservation goals whilst assuring they will not negatively impact other riparian states. Integrated and collaborative management is therefore key in transboundary water systems as it promotes water security and reduces contention. Continual monitoring the basin and this way of co-coordinating development will also prove vital in addressing and mitigating any future pressures as the rising population increases in Africa and as climate change may negatively affect water conditions in the Okavango basin. 

Battles on the River

This post will be exploring the conflicts that arise from the transboundary Okavango River as states try to develop but are restricted due to challenges with water security.

There are several factors and projects that are points of contention in the area. One reason is the unequal distribution of water. Angola receives 94.5% of river flow whilst Namibia and Botswana receives around 3% this means to prevent a conflict Angola would need to ensure their water usage does not limit other riparians. Moreover, as Namibia and Botswana experience regular drought and are some of the driest states in Africa the river is vital for their survival. Botswana’s economy is reliant on tourism based around the delta which also supports the plants and animals that over 500,000 depend on and argues that it loses 97% of its water to evaporation. During the rainy period Angola receives triple the amount of precipitation Botswana does and this rainfall can take more than four months to reach the delta -given that it does not bypass the region. In Namibia the river supports employment through supporting the local ecosystem.

Tourism is a key industry in the Okavango delta, Botswana (source: MissQuinn)

The dependence of the downstream nations on the upstream riparian to use the river responsibly has led to the proposals of schemes that ensure a steady water supply. For example, Namibia built a canal and wishes to build a pipe that will divert water into the nation to stabilise water supply during droughts but this will have negative impact on local biodiversity , it also wished to build a dam but this was cancelled due to protests from the Botswana tourism industry . International organisations have tried to run projects to aid development (food production, irrigation and dams, employment opportunities, improve utilisation resources) but the affect these projects have on the river and what it means to riparians were not addressed. Another water-related conflict is that of riverine island disputes which may also cause political tension between states.

A drip irrigation farm in the region (source: Okavango Properties)

For years regions used the river however they wanted but as populations and awareness of the upstream-downstream relationship grew this would no longer work. Thus to address challenges in development and water security for all riparian states an integrated rive management scheme was needed – enter OKACOM.

Save the delta!

Further to my last post in which I mentioned that conservation groups have a vested interest in the Okavango River Basin and its management, I came across this old article in the Guardian. The writer describes the Okavango as 'the most important Ramsar site in the world' and that, in order to ensure its diverse ecosystem is protected, more information and monitoring needs to be done of contributing upstream rivers in Angola. This statement illustrates how stakeholders are not only the riparians states but also those who find a value in the river basin- be it economically or environmentally. It also goes to show how the management of the basin may be influenced by international agents and pressures and why hydropolitical analyses need to consider wider issues when understanding the management of transboundary water resources.


Here is a documentary on the Okavango delta so that you can see for yourself how important the ecosystem is and just how many species rely on it. Enjoy!

(p.s also recommend trying to finding the BBC's Steve Backshall documentary on the Okavango if you're interested in this sort of thing- or even if you just want to see the stunning cinematography of the landscape!)