Why prepaid technologies are not a panacea for inclusive and sustainable rural water services in Tanzania?

Komakech, Hans C.; Kwezi, Lukas; Ali, Mansoor

doi:10.2166/wp.2020.070

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Many actors in the development sector are still looking for governance or management models that can serve as panaceas and solve all issues related to water access independent of the context. In this paper, we point at the limitations of such conceptions, which is in line withthe growing body of literature that questions the usefulness of decontextualized concepts such as irrigation management transfer [23], permit systems [24], pre-paid water meters [25] and mainstreamed participation [26] as solutions for rural water access. While we reject the idea of self-supply as a panacea, we emphasize the potential benefits of focusing on forms of collective action.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Rooted Water Collectives in a Modernist and Neoliberal Imaginary: Threats and Perspectives for Rural Water Commons

Hofstetter,

Bolding,

Boelens

2023

Water

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Water schemes that rely on user (co-) ownership and collective action have been described in the irrigation sector for a long time. Still, interest in such forms of (co-) investment in the domestic/multiple use sector is more recent. To address the persisting issue of rural water service, (what has been coined) self-supply is proclaimed to be a (supposedly) low-cost, sustainable manner to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). User (co-) investments are to be promoted and realized through the creation of an enabling policy environment and development of, and training on, low-cost technologies through government and NGO support and private sector-steered access to such technologies. In this article, we apply the Rooted Water Collectives (RWC) framework to describe two such schemes, one in South Africa and one in Switzerland. The data collection followed an action research methodology, with the main author being involved in interventions in all three schemes. We show here that these collectives create positions of purpose within societies and that what motivates people is to help themselves and contribute to the greater good of the community. This article shows that interventions to foster and sustain such collective actions that follow a neoliberal/modernist imaginary negatively affect their viability since these collectives, through their other-than-capitalist interactions, form part of and depend on an alternative imaginary. We conclude that interventions aiming to strengthen forms of collective action can only succeed if they recognize contextuality, unequal power relationships, and grass-rooted forms of interdependence and collaboration, and actively build on and work toward such alternative, more convivial imaginaries.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Rooted Water Collectives in a Modernist and Neoliberal Imaginary: Threats and Perspectives for Rural Water Commons

Hofstetter,

Bolding,

Boelens

2023

Water

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“…A lack of a clear theoretical definition of what constitutes a water infrastructure (a Google search of "what is a water infrastructure?" showed 257 results) becomes a specific problem for developing countries due to the different water governance systems, repeated malfunctioning of water infrastructure [12], and multiplicities of technologies [118].…”

Section: Infrastructure Classification and Typologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: Trend, Size, and Purpose

Adeniran

Daniell

Pittock

2021

Water

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Water infrastructure development is key to attaining sustainable development, especially for water supply, sanitation and health, agricultural development, and energy production. However, sub-Saharan African countries face specific challenges around infrastructure financing, systemic and repeated malfunctioning, and decentralised infrastructure types. Using Nigeria as a case, this article aims to analyse historical water infrastructure development in Nigeria with a specific focus on dams and standpipes. Seven themes are discussed: infrastructure divisions; deprioritising water supply; political infrastructures; infrastructure failure and sustainability; infrastructure classification and typologies; optimal use of water resources and infrastructure; and a commentary on the future of water infrastructure development. The article concludes with policy and research suggestions for policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.

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“…For example, in Lilongwe, Water ATMs design out the requirement for kiosk attendants, a role typically fulfilled by women, thereby reducing opportunities for employment and involvement in water provision (Alda‐Vidal, Browne, & Rusca, In press). Using the case of digitally enhanced rural water systems in Africa, Komakech, Kwezi, and Ali (2020) explains that prepaid water technologies create an arena for new entrants, such as telephone providers, technology firms, community organizations and technology developers, to enter water market and, with the use of cloud computing and other IoT technologies, form new relational networks for the transmission of revenue outside of existing water systems. These networks can disrupt traditional water politics; however, they can also exacerbate problems that emerge in a commodified water system.…”

Section: Digital Water Politics and The Internet Of Things: The Chang...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Resocializing digital water transformations: Outlining social science perspectives on the digital water journey

et al. 2021

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Digital water transformation is often written about as though universally desirable and inevitable, capable of addressing the multifaceted socioecological challenges that water systems face. However, there is not widespread reflection on the complexities, tensions and unintended consequences of digital transformation, its social and political dimensions are often neglected. This article introduces case studies of digital water development, bringing examples of technological innovation into dialogue with literature and empirical research from across the social sciences. We examine how Big Data affects our observations of water in society to shape water management, how the Internet of Things becomes involved in reproducing unjust water politics, how digital platforms are entangled in the varied sociocultural landscape of everyday water use, and how opensource technologies provide new possibilities for participatory water governance. We also reflect on regulatory developments and the possible trajectories of innovation resulting from public‐private sector interactions. A socially and politically informed view of digital water is essential for just and sustainable development, and the gap between industry visions of digital water and research within the social sciences is inhibitive. Thus, the analysis presented in this article provides a novel, pluralistic perspective on digital water development and outlines what is required for more inclusive future scholarship, policy and practice. This article is categorized under: Human Water

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Why prepaid technologies are not a panacea for inclusive and sustainable rural water services in Tanzania?

Cited by 13 publications

References 22 publications

Rooted Water Collectives in a Modernist and Neoliberal Imaginary: Threats and Perspectives for Rural Water Commons

Rooted Water Collectives in a Modernist and Neoliberal Imaginary: Threats and Perspectives for Rural Water Commons

Water Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: Trend, Size, and Purpose

Resocializing digital water transformations: Outlining social science perspectives on the digital water journey

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