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biophysical-social conceptualization of groundwater systems (the coupled human–
water system) in drylands and their management, the fact that environmental and
socioeconomic processes are intrinsically inter-connected should be taken into
account, even when hydrological, ecological, meteorological or socioeconomic
aspects coexist in a contested area with multiple actors and interests, therefore in a
transdisciplinary way.
Drylands science and governance involves complex interactions of multiple drivers, and affects a plurality of SES and functions, often in complex, non-linear ways,
accompanied by multiple and often conflicting values, perspectives, attitudes and
underlying sources of knowledge, where public participation and social learning are
relevant (Bautista et al. 2017) (Whitfield and Reed 2012). This is important if countries are following the global model called integrated water resources management
(IWRM) (GWP 2000), through which administrative decentralization, public participation and democracy in decision-making and water utilities privatization promise to mitigate the problems associated with groundwater scarcity and pollution.
Aligned with IWRM, the integrated groundwater management (IGM) seeks to
incorporate the human and the water subsystems: issues of concern, management
options and governance arrangements, stakeholders, natural and human settings,
spatial and temporal scales, disciplines, methods, models, tools, data, sources and
types of uncertainty (Foster and Ait-Kadi 2012; Jakeman et al. 2016). Groundwater
management and governance, which comprises the enabling framework and guiding principles for collective management of groundwater for sustainability, equity
and efficiency, can be framed from a DSES perspective. This approach is useful to
acknowledge the complexity of the interactions between groundwater use and society (Rica et al. 2018).
A framework for analysing, comparing and diagnosing SES in agricultural drylands is proposed by McGinnis and Ostrom (2014). The main components of the
SES analytical framework can be adapted for groundwater governance taking into
account first and second-tier variables applied at local level (Table 5.1).
Groundwater Users’ Participation in Dryland Development
Even when international agreements demand more participatory processes or recognize public participation as an indirect driver of change (Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment 2005; UNCCD 2009; UN 2015), stakeholder participation in the evaluation of dryland restoration and sustainable dryland management is very scarce
(Bautista et al. 2017). However, the existing participatory and “integrated local and
scientific knowledge” methodologies have been conceived, tested and published in
an attempt to offer solutions to the challenges of conducting dryland research from
a socio-ecological perspective (Whitfield and Reed 2012).
First, different stakeholder perspectives must be identified and acknowledged
before any management decisions are made. Consequently, building relationships
with stakeholders requires an understanding of each other’s culture (Virapongse
et al. 2016), and it is a way to gain knowledge on how governance systems operate
M. Villada-Canela et al.
biophysical-social conceptualization of groundwater systems (the coupled human–
water system) in drylands and their management, the fact that environmental and
socioeconomic processes are intrinsically inter-connected should be taken into
account, even when hydrological, ecological, meteorological or socioeconomic
aspects coexist in a contested area with multiple actors and interests, therefore in a
transdisciplinary way.
Drylands science and governance involves complex interactions of multiple drivers, and affects a plurality of SES and functions, often in complex, non-linear ways,
accompanied by multiple and often conflicting values, perspectives, attitudes and
underlying sources of knowledge, where public participation and social learning are
relevant (Bautista et al. 2017) (Whitfield and Reed 2012). This is important if countries are following the global model called integrated water resources management
(IWRM) (GWP 2000), through which administrative decentralization, public participation and democracy in decision-making and water utilities privatization promise to mitigate the problems associated with groundwater scarcity and pollution.
Aligned with IWRM, the integrated groundwater management (IGM) seeks to
incorporate the human and the water subsystems: issues of concern, management
options and governance arrangements, stakeholders, natural and human settings,
spatial and temporal scales, disciplines, methods, models, tools, data, sources and
types of uncertainty (Foster and Ait-Kadi 2012; Jakeman et al. 2016). Groundwater
management and governance, which comprises the enabling framework and guiding principles for collective management of groundwater for sustainability, equity
and efficiency, can be framed from a DSES perspective. This approach is useful to
acknowledge the complexity of the interactions between groundwater use and society (Rica et al. 2018).
A framework for analysing, comparing and diagnosing SES in agricultural drylands is proposed by McGinnis and Ostrom (2014). The main components of the
SES analytical framework can be adapted for groundwater governance taking into
account first and second-tier variables applied at local level (Table 5.1).
Groundwater Users’ Participation in Dryland Development
Even when international agreements demand more participatory processes or recognize public participation as an indirect driver of change (Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment 2005; UNCCD 2009; UN 2015), stakeholder participation in the evaluation of dryland restoration and sustainable dryland management is very scarce
(Bautista et al. 2017). However, the existing participatory and “integrated local and
scientific knowledge” methodologies have been conceived, tested and published in
an attempt to offer solutions to the challenges of conducting dryland research from
a socio-ecological perspective (Whitfield and Reed 2012).
First, different stakeholder perspectives must be identified and acknowledged
before any management decisions are made. Consequently, building relationships
with stakeholders requires an understanding of each other’s culture (Virapongse
et al. 2016), and it is a way to gain knowledge on how governance systems operate
M. Villada-Canela et al.