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C. H. Vhumbunu
own traditional community-based water resource management systems being threatened by undue external interference and influence from political elites, Government
institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), et cetera.
Community-based Water Management is conceptually linked and related to
the concept of Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). CBDRM
has been used interchangeably with related concepts such as community-driven
disaster risk reduction (CBDRR), community-based disaster management (CBDM),
community-driven disaster risk management (CDDRR), community-based disaster
preparedness (CBDP), community-managed disaster risk reduction (CMDRR) (see
Lassa et al 2018). It has to be noted that, stricto sensu, these concepts may differ,
in the same manner, disaster risk management, disaster risk reduction, and disaster
preparedness both conceptually and operationally. CBDRM promotes the involvement of potentially affected communities in disaster risk management at the local
level by building their capacities to assess their vulnerability to natural disasters
and develop strategies necessary to mitigate the impact of these disasters (United
Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2009). At the core of these
concepts is the involvement of communities in making decisions and implementing
disaster risk management strategies, actions, and initiatives.
One of the most fundamental components of CBDRM is community contingency planning (CCP) which provides a holistic picture of disaster risk reduction
by adopting an approach that integrates natural disaster elements of risk, hazard,
and vulnerability (Surjan et al. 2016). To Yodmani (2001), CBDRM has objectives
of reducing vulnerabilities, increasing capacities of disaster-struck communities to
cope, minimizing loss and damage to people, property, and environment, and facilitating post-disaster recovery. As such, one has to understand that while CBDRM is
conceptually ‘local’, operationally it involves intergovernmental collaboration and
linkages for better delivery. Of late there has been more emphasis on the summoning
of indigenous knowledge systems to complement non-indigenous knowledge as part
of community-based strategies to mitigate the risk and impact natural disaster (see,
for instance, Dube and Munsaka 2018; Trogrli´ c et al. 2019; Balay-As et al. 2018;
Haque 2019; Mugambiwa 2018; Iloka 2016).
Thus, within the conceptual matrix, Community-based Water Management is
conceptually located within the ambit of the broader concept of Community-Based
Disaster Risk Management. The two make up a conceptual framework of elements
that are keys in minimizing vulnerabilities and disaster risks in communities and
dealing with adverse impacts of disasters. The assumption, and reality, as argued by
Enshassi and Shakalaih (2016), is that communities are no longer passive actors with
regards to disaster management. Rather, they now participate to complement efforts
toward disaster risk management and disaster risk reduction. Effectively, in times of
droughts, Community-based Water Management becomes a function and sub-set of
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management. Of course, both CBWM and CBDRM
will be guided by water governance structures in instances of drought as these determine the management and usage of water, that is, the ‘who gets what, when and
how?’ aspects of water resources in any community. Rogers and Hall (2003) aver
that water governance involves mediating behavior through values, policies, laws,
C. H. Vhumbunu
own traditional community-based water resource management systems being threatened by undue external interference and influence from political elites, Government
institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), et cetera.
Community-based Water Management is conceptually linked and related to
the concept of Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). CBDRM
has been used interchangeably with related concepts such as community-driven
disaster risk reduction (CBDRR), community-based disaster management (CBDM),
community-driven disaster risk management (CDDRR), community-based disaster
preparedness (CBDP), community-managed disaster risk reduction (CMDRR) (see
Lassa et al 2018). It has to be noted that, stricto sensu, these concepts may differ,
in the same manner, disaster risk management, disaster risk reduction, and disaster
preparedness both conceptually and operationally. CBDRM promotes the involvement of potentially affected communities in disaster risk management at the local
level by building their capacities to assess their vulnerability to natural disasters
and develop strategies necessary to mitigate the impact of these disasters (United
Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2009). At the core of these
concepts is the involvement of communities in making decisions and implementing
disaster risk management strategies, actions, and initiatives.
One of the most fundamental components of CBDRM is community contingency planning (CCP) which provides a holistic picture of disaster risk reduction
by adopting an approach that integrates natural disaster elements of risk, hazard,
and vulnerability (Surjan et al. 2016). To Yodmani (2001), CBDRM has objectives
of reducing vulnerabilities, increasing capacities of disaster-struck communities to
cope, minimizing loss and damage to people, property, and environment, and facilitating post-disaster recovery. As such, one has to understand that while CBDRM is
conceptually ‘local’, operationally it involves intergovernmental collaboration and
linkages for better delivery. Of late there has been more emphasis on the summoning
of indigenous knowledge systems to complement non-indigenous knowledge as part
of community-based strategies to mitigate the risk and impact natural disaster (see,
for instance, Dube and Munsaka 2018; Trogrli´ c et al. 2019; Balay-As et al. 2018;
Haque 2019; Mugambiwa 2018; Iloka 2016).
Thus, within the conceptual matrix, Community-based Water Management is
conceptually located within the ambit of the broader concept of Community-Based
Disaster Risk Management. The two make up a conceptual framework of elements
that are keys in minimizing vulnerabilities and disaster risks in communities and
dealing with adverse impacts of disasters. The assumption, and reality, as argued by
Enshassi and Shakalaih (2016), is that communities are no longer passive actors with
regards to disaster management. Rather, they now participate to complement efforts
toward disaster risk management and disaster risk reduction. Effectively, in times of
droughts, Community-based Water Management becomes a function and sub-set of
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management. Of course, both CBWM and CBDRM
will be guided by water governance structures in instances of drought as these determine the management and usage of water, that is, the ‘who gets what, when and
how?’ aspects of water resources in any community. Rogers and Hall (2003) aver
that water governance involves mediating behavior through values, policies, laws,