Traditionally, the users? organisations at local level are playing an important role for the management of natural resources by organizing the users. The Government of Nepal through its Water Resources Strategy 2002 and National Water Plan 2005 has emphasized a holistic approach in place of sectoral one for natural resources management at sub/basin level based on the principle of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). It envisages the creation of committee at the sub/basin level, which is lacking at present.

The Ganges River basin faces severe water challenges related to a mismatch between supply and demand. Although the basin has abundant surface water and groundwater resources, the seasonal monsoon causes a mismatch between supply and demand as well as flooding. Water availability and flood potential is high during the 3–4 months (June–September) of the monsoon season. Yet, the highest demands occur during the 8–9 months (October–May) of the non-monsoon period.

Although the Ganges River Basin (GRB) has abundant water resources, the seasonal monsoon causes a mismatch in water supply and demand, which creates severe water-related challenges for the people living in the basin, the rapidly growing economy and the environment. Addressing these increasing challenges will depend on how people manage the basin’s groundwater resources, on which the reliance will increase further due to limited prospects for additional surface storage development.

The Ganges River Basin may have a major pending water crisis. Although the basin has abundant surface water and groundwater resources, the seasonal monsoon causes a mismatch between supply and demand as well as flooding. Water availability and flood potential is high during the 3–4 months of the monsoon season. Yet, the highest demands occur during the 8–9 months of the non-monsoon period. Addressing this mismatch requires substantial additional storage for both flood reduction and improvements in water supply.

For much of the last century the Fengu people living near Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, have held title deeds to their land. In this report the chief of the Fengu explains how the title deeds have helped them, and how his people are responding to the current land redistribution programme in Zimbabwe.

A civil engineer explains how low-cost guttering and ponds can enable a family to harvest significant quantities of water from their roof.