Hydrogeology in sub-Saharan Africa: training and employment...

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Hydrogeology in sub-Saharan Africa: training and employment opportunities. A survey conducted on behalf of the Burdon Network of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) Jude Cobbing Water Geosciences Consulting Gauteng, South Africa

Transcript of Hydrogeology in sub-Saharan Africa: training and employment...

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Hydrogeology in sub-Saharan Africa: training and employment opportunities. A survey conducted on behalf of the Burdon Network of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) Jude Cobbing Water Geosciences Consulting Gauteng, South Africa

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... ii Introduction....................................................................................................................... 1 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 2 Results ................................................................................................................................ 3

Question One .................................................................................................................. 3 Question Two.................................................................................................................. 3 Question Three................................................................................................................ 5 Question Four.................................................................................................................. 5 Question Five .................................................................................................................. 6 Question Six.................................................................................................................... 7 Question Seven ............................................................................................................... 8 Question Eight ................................................................................................................ 9

Discussion ........................................................................................................................ 10 Training facilities .......................................................................................................... 10 Status of the profession................................................................................................. 10 Proposed actions for the IAH and the Burdon Network ............................................... 12

Focus on South Africa .................................................................................................... 13 Conclusions...................................................................................................................... 15 Appendix A: Questionnaire ........................................................................................... 16 Appendix B: Questionnaire in French.......................................................................... 18 Appendix C: Names of Training Institutions ............................................................... 21 Appendix D: The BGR Study ........................................................................................ 23

Acknowledgements The author would like to sincerely thank all of the respondents to the survey for making their time available to answer the survey questions. Thanks are also due to the authors of the recent BGR/CAP-NET study on groundwater capacity building in Africa for assistance and advice.

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Introduction This study is an initiative by the Burdon Network of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH). The Burdon Network supports groundwater professionals working towards the Millennium Development Goals for water. More information on the Burdon Network and its activities can be found at http://burdon.wwgw.org/. The purpose of the study was to provide a snapshot of hydrogeological capacity and the “state of the profession” in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Areas of particular interest included the training opportunities available to hydrogeologists working in Africa, professional opportunities available to hydrogeologists, and whether the profession is growing to meet demand. This study has three main aims:

1. To broadly assess the demand for hydrogeologists, the available training opportunities, and the main technical challenges for professionals working in the region;

2. To assess perceptions of the profession, including career opportunities; 3. To support evidence-based discussion of these issues, and to contribute to further

dialogue. The study was postponed during 2006 to allow work coordinated by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) to be completed. The BGR research examined capacity needs for improved groundwater management in Western and Southern Africa. This informed several aspects of this study, and is described in more detail in appendix D. Improved use of groundwater resources is essential to progress towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals. The findings of this study will assist the Burdon Network and its partners to work more efficiently in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Methodology A survey questionnaire (appendix A) was emailed to more than one hundred and fifty professionals working in groundwater and related disciplines across sub-Saharan Africa in September and October 2007. A French translation (appendix B) was emailed to those requesting it. The questionnaire was kept deliberately brief in order to encourage a larger response, but allowed for considerable additional information. The sample was drawn from the following sources: the list of IAH members in sub-Saharan Africa; the coordinators of the BGR/CAP-NET research; and recipients of the Groundwater Forum Newsletter. They were encouraged to forward the questionnaire to other professionals. By December 2007 fifty completed questionnaires had been received, and this document summarises their answers. The survey is designed to provide an overview, rather than claim to examine the questions in any detail. It is further informed by discussions between hydrogeologists working in the region, and a review of previous work on this topic. This summary of the survey findings is intended to serve as a means of raising debate and soliciting further information on this critically important issue, which should be the subject of ongoing evaluation of capacity and institutional development.

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Results Fifty completed questionnaires have been returned to date, ranging from short one-word responses to the questions, to much more detailed discussions of the issues over several pages. The responses to each of the eight questions are summarised and reported below. Discussion of the results follows in the next section. Question One: Which African country do you work in, and what is your profession? Responses were received from groundwater professionals in the following seventeen African countries: Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The greatest number of responses came from Ghana (ten) and Nigeria (eight). All of the respondents are professionally involved in groundwater work, and include consulting hydrogeologists, university lecturers, hydrogeochemists, engineers, private consultants and researchers. Question Two: How many institutions offer post-graduate training in hydrogeology (if any) in your country, and roughly how many students do they train every year? (Please name any institutions that offer post-graduate training in hydrogeology in your country.) The survey responses suggest that eleven out of the forty-seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa offer postgraduate qualifications in hydrogeology, and between them produce approximately 180 graduates a year. More than a third of these are trained in Nigeria. Due to the nature of the sample, the character of the training in a number of countries is not known. Please refer to Table 1 for the results by country. There is no firm agreement as to what constitutes appropriate training for a hydrogeologist, or indeed the essentials which a post-graduate course in hydrogeology should have. The table also does not reflect research institutes such as the National Water Resources Institute in Kaduna, Nigeria, or the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria, South Africa, which may facilitate training by sending staff out of the country. It is important to note that the survey responses must be interpreted with some care, as many African institutions providing tertiary education offer a post-graduate qualification with some hydrogeological material, but not necessarily a dedicated hydrogeology programme. A review of course content at the institutions identified by respondents given in Appendix C will yield a more accurate assessment.

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Table 1: Training institutions per country in the region Country No. of institutions offering a postgraduate

qualification in hydrogeology Rough number of total annual graduates

Angola 0 Benin Not known Botswana 1 2 Burkina Faso 2 4 Burundi Not known Cameroon 4 10 Cape Verde Islands Not known Central African Republic Not known Chad 0 Comores Not known Congo (Brazzaville) Not known Congo (Dem. Rep.) Not known Cote d’Ivoire Not known Equatorial Guinea Not known Eritrea 0 Ethiopia 2 ± 20 Gabon Not known Gambia Not known Ghana 3 ± 30 Guinea Bissau 0 Guinea Conakry Not known Kenya 4 ± 10 Lesotho 0 Liberia 0 Madagascar Not known Malawi 0 Mali Not known Mauritania Not known Mauritius Not known Mozambique 0 Namibia 0 Niger Not known Nigeria ± 23 ± 70 Rwanda Not known Sao Tome Not known Senegal 1 5 Seychelles Not known Sierra Leone Not known Somalia Not known South Africa 4 30 - 40 Sudan 2 Not known Swaziland 0 Tanzania 0 Togo Not known Uganda 1 Not known Zambia 0 Zimbabwe 0

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Question Three: Is there a lack of trained groundwater professionals in your country? If there is a lack, what, in your opinion, is the cause? Thirty-four respondents stated that there was a lack of trained groundwater professionals in their country, whilst twelve said there was no lack (note that not all respondents answered every question, so totals do not always sum to fifty). Most of the latter of these responses were from Nigeria, where many respondents believed that trained groundwater professionals in that country were underutilised. However most of the respondents from other countries identified that there was a shortage of trained groundwater professionals and the main reasons that they identified for this, in decreasing order of frequency, were:

o The profession of hydrogeology is not well known, or not recognised, particularly compared to more established or prestigious professions such as engineering. Hydrogeology is still a “new” discipline. As a result, many students do not know about hydrogeology and do not consider it as an option. Some respondents also indicated that there is a shortage of candidates able to meet the entry criteria for these courses.

o A general lack of training facilities, and a lack of funding for training, although some countries (e.g. Nigeria) do appear to have adequate facilities. One respondent particularly mentioned the “lack of standard postgraduate hydrogeology programmes”. This is likely to be closely associated with a shortage of qualified staff for groundwater training.

o Official or government policy regarding hydrogeology and groundwater work is not adequate. This translates into limited job opportunities in the state sector, and can have the consequence that groundwater jobs are being done by engineers and others not specifically qualified in hydrogeology.

o Respondents from Kenya and Zimbabwe indicated that hydrogeologists are leaving those countries to work elsewhere, contributing to the shortage. This ‘brain drain’ is likely to be the case in several other countries too.

o Particularly in southern African countries (Namibia, South Africa), there seems to be an issue with retiring hydrogeologists not always being replaced, and a lack of “succession planning” generally.

Question Four: Are there sufficient jobs for skilled hydrogeologists, and who are the main employers? Twenty-five respondents stated that there are sufficient jobs for skilled hydrogeologists, and seventeen stated that there are not sufficient jobs. The supply of jobs appears to be

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more limited in West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon); whilst in southern Africa almost all respondents stated that there were sufficient jobs. This is broadly consistent with the answers to question three (above) – a lack of trained professionals equates to more job opportunities. Several respondents said that job opportunities were good, due to a general shortage of hydrogeologists, but it appears that hydrogeologists in the region need to be prepared to define their own job or work, since the profession is still not always universally or formally recognised. As one respondent commented: “It is not difficult to secure work – if the seeker is motivated”. The main employers are the public or state sector (including universities, research organisations and “parastatals” such as water boards), with the private sector (e.g. consultancies and drilling companies) a close second. Many respondents also stated that aid agencies and NGOs are also major employers (particularly in East and West Africa), and there is some indication of competition between the state sector and NGOs for skilled staff. In southern Africa there is strong demand for hydrogeologists from private consultancies, and indications are that experienced state employees migrate to the private sector, partly due to the higher wages offered. Question Five: Are hydrogeologists leaving the profession, and if so, why? Nineteen respondents stated that hydrogeologists are leaving the profession, and twenty-five stated that they are not leaving. There appears to be no obvious regional pattern to the responses to this question. The reasons given for hydrogeologists leaving the profession are listed below, with the first being by far the most common:

o Poor pay appears to be the main reason hydrogeologists leave the profession in Africa. This seems to be linked to better conditions in related professions such as mining geology.

o A number of reasons given indicate a general lack of recognition of the profession of hydrogeology. One respondent stated that there is “no systematic rise in the profession” and another mentioned a “lack of career possibilities”. Some respondents stated that employers and administrators did not understand the profession sufficiently. A lack of permanence/continuity of employment was also mentioned.

o Several respondents mentioned that, whilst hydrogeologists were not leaving the profession, they were migrating to other countries in search of better pay and

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“greener pastures” generally. This of course has the same affect on the country from which the hydrogeologists are departing.

o The retirement of experienced professionals appears to be a concern particularly in Namibia and South Africa.

o Some hydrogeologists effectively leave the profession by taking jobs in management – or “desk jobs” as one respondent called them.

o Some respondents mentioned hydrogeologists moving from the state sector to the private sector – although total numbers of hydrogeologists would not necessarily be affected.

o Only two respondents mentioned a simple lack of jobs as a reason for hydrogeologists leaving the profession.

HIV/AIDS is sometimes mentioned as a reason for a decline in the numbers of skilled workers across all professions in Africa. However, no mention of the epidemic was made by the respondents to this survey, and it is difficult to gauge at present how it may be affecting the profession of hydrogeology. Question Six: Is the situation regarding skilled hydrogeologists improving or getting worse? Please give your reasons if possible. Worryingly, twenty-five respondents stated that the situation is “getting worse”, compared with twelve who felt it was improving. Seven commented that they did not know, with one mentioning a need for statistics before an accurate picture can be drawn. The main reasons given for an improving situation were more jobs as economies grow, and more collaboration with foreign agencies and donors. The main reasons for a worsening situation are as follows:

o Several respondents noted that the profession is not adequately recognised or understood at the policy or decision making level. One mentioned a need for recognition or representation at a “higher level”.

o There is concern that other workers – not always professionals or qualified people – are doing the work of hydrogeologists. One respondent mentioned that there is “an urgent need to set up a regulatory body” to handle this problem. This issue is related to the lack of official or policy-maker recognition mentioned above.

o Migration of skilled workers to other countries appears to be a problem. o Two respondents mentioned a lack of transparency in the allocation of contracts,

or the “politicisation” of contracts.

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o Other reasons given for a decline in the situation included a perception that the quality of training is declining, poor pay and lack of jobs, and fewer foreign-trained hydrogeologists.

Question Seven: In your opinion, what is the biggest groundwater-related problem facing your country? Please add any comments you consider to be relevant, such as which types of groundwater training are most needed to address the problem. The main problems identified, in order of decreasing urgency, were the following:

o There is a general lack of available data (and collection of new data) on groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa, which translates to a comparative lack of knowledge of African groundwater systems. Data is either not collected, or it is not properly stored. This includes a general lack of monitoring of groundwater resources, and lack of common national or regional data policies. This problem is likely to be linked to many of the other identified problems. More than one respondent mentioned a tendency to rely on computers and models rather than field work and field data. African aquifers are acknowledged to be highly variable, and frequently complex to manage and protect.

o Pollution of groundwater resources and an inadequate understanding of groundwater vulnerability were identified as major problems. Urban groundwater resources, and those affected by mining, were mentioned in particular. Natural water quality problems (e.g. As, F, Fe, Mn, etc.) were also mentioned.

o Problems with the unsustainable abstraction of groundwater resources were identified. This is closely related to a perceived general lack of water resources in parts of the continent, mentioned by several respondents (i.e. there is simply not enough water available). Two respondents mentioned the need to take climate change into account when assessing groundwater sustainability.

o Numerous respondents mentioned a lack of recognition of both the importance of groundwater and the profession of hydrogeology by planners and officials. Better management efforts and better planning are called for. Respondents indicated that groundwater needed to be better integrated into water resource planning generally. There appears to be a lack of knowledge on the part of planners of the role of groundwater in human development generally, and one respondent summed up the situation by saying that groundwater remains the “ugly sister” of surface water.

o Related to the above point, is the fact that much groundwater work is done by non-hydrogeologists. Some respondents indicated a need for better regulation of the profession, including quality assurance of hydrogeologists.

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o Training facilities, and funds for training, appear to be inadequate. This includes basic training in the profession, as well as training in more specialist areas such as groundwater modelling or GIS software. Training in skills of particular importance to African groundwater, such as artificial recharge, were also requested.

Question Eight: Would you like to receive a copy of the final survey results, when they are ready? All respondents indicated that they wished to receive the results, and a copy of this report has been or will be emailed to all. It is hoped that further comments will be forthcoming, and that inaccuracies in this report will be reduced.

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Discussion

Training facilities In general, there does appear to be a shortage of post-graduate training facilities for hydrogeology in sub-Saharan Africa, although with important exceptions (e.g. countries such as Nigeria and South Africa offer adequate facilities). The situation is also likely to be more complex than a simple lack of facilities. Post-graduate courses need students, and there are indications of a general lack of knowledge and interest in the profession amongst students. Funding for the courses that do exist may also be inadequate, and opportunities to study outside of Africa appear to be limited, although in demand. There is also likely to be a shortage of suitably qualified academic staff to offer post-graduate training, probably compounded by the demand for experienced professionals from the private sector which in general offers better wages than universities. It is possible that training facilities and opportunities will grow “naturally” as demand for hydrogeologists, and recognition of the profession, grows in Africa.

Status of the profession It appears that hydrogeology still suffers from a general lack of recognition compared with professions such as engineering. This is likely to translate into poorer wages (mentioned by many respondents), poorly defined career trajectories, and an absence of adequate official policy relating to groundwater. It is also likely to mean that the best students do not choose hydrogeology as a career. Many respondents indicated that other qualified professionals such as engineers, or even unqualified individuals, were doing the jobs of hydrogeologists. More than one respondent also mentioned “quacks” in the field, and it is possible that hydrogeology, being concerned with a hidden and “mysterious” resource, attracts more than its fair share of pseudo-scientists. There also appears to be a necessity for hydrogeologists working in Africa to “define their own careers” and create their own job opportunities, since “official” jobs or advertised posts are relatively (and unjustifiably) scarce. This implies that hydrogeologists working in the private sector in Africa may need to be mobile, self-motivated and in possession of business and marketing skills, in addition to technical

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skills in hydrogeology. Organisations representing hydrogeologists will ideally be aware of these requirements. Several respondents pointed to the need for better professional organisation, including professional registration and quality assurance of hydrogeological work. It is likely that an organisation such as the IAH can play a major role here, in collaboration with national regulatory organisations and professional bodies. Respondents indicated that groundwater does seem to be under-represented in state and regional planning, including water resources management and human development schemes. This is translated into fewer jobs in the public sector for hydrogeologists, and lower emphasis on groundwater management and groundwater data handling. National and regional hydrogeological bodies should promote the science of hydrogeology, and help to ensure that it is adequately represented at the planning and executive levels of government. The general status of the profession is likely to be a major reason for fact that large numbers of respondents stated that hydrogeologists are leaving the profession, and a clear majority stated that the situation regarding skilled hydrogeologists is getting worse. Whilst there is no easy way of comparing hydrogeology with other professions in this regard, these observations are very worrying. Training of groundwater professionals is expensive and time-consuming, and obviously the loss of experienced staff should be prevented wherever possible.

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Proposed actions for the IAH and the Burdon Network

o Continue efforts to link African groundwater professionals with others in the field, both in Africa and elsewhere.

o Pursue a policy of engagement with national groundwater associations, with particular emphasis on efforts to regulate and raise the status of the profession.

o Continue to assist in the organisation of workshops and conferences in Africa, with particular emphasis on issues of concern to African hydrogeology, such as data collection standards, aquifer protection policy, and the integration of groundwater into national water resource planning.

o Pursue a policy of engagement with national and regional groundwater planning and regulatory bodies, such as the groundwater secretariat within SADC, and assist with technical support if necessary (e.g. external review role, etc.)

o Act as a conduit for support for postgraduate training in hydrogeology in Africa – possibly via scholarships to existing institutions.

o Examine in detail the needs of those institutions that currently train African groundwater professionals, and devise a support strategy.

o Examine the possibility of facilitating an exchange programme in which young hydrogeologists attached to an African geological survey or similar organisation would spend six months or a year attached to a counterpart on another continent, and vice versa.

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Focus on South Africa Changes in South African water laws following the first democratic elections in 1995 have led to recognition of groundwater as a common resource, critical to the environment as well as to people, and have triggered an increase in demand for hydrogeologists. There are now at least four universities offering Masters-level degrees in hydrogeology, after many years of the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein being the sole provider of postgraduate groundwater training. Several undergraduate degrees in geology also now contain hydrogeological content. There is a strong demand for hydrogeologists in both the public (state) and private sectors, with vacancies going unfilled. However, MSc course convenors still report difficulty in recruiting suitable students – possibly due to the low profile of the profession. In common with other countries, there is concern that retiring experienced hydrogeologists are not being adequately replaced. There is justification for viewing South Africa as a “sleeping giant” in Africa: considerable expertise and training opportunities exist in the country, but there is still great scope for better engagement with the rest of the continent. Isolation in the years leading up to 1995 has meant that South Africa has not fully participated in many of the regional and international technical and developmental debates around groundwater, and has both much to contribute to the rest of the continent, and much to learn. Nonetheless, South Africa has an advanced and established research capacity, via organisations such as the Water Research Commission, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Council for Geoscience, and the universities. South Africa’s history of development means that the country has an unusually broad range of groundwater problems, from those associated with industrial and post-industrial economies such as acid-mine drainage, DNAPL contamination and fears over endocrine disruptors, to issues related to basic hand-pump maintenance and community water supply in peri–urban and rural areas where people lack potable water. There is a tension between the progressive requirements of new South African laws relating to water, and the ability to implement these requirements. Technical matters such as data collection and storage, aquifer assessment, hydrogeological map production, drilling and pump technology, and specialist recharge estimation have a strong base in South Africa, and there is much the country can contribute to the continent. However, in matters of basic rural water supply, community management of groundwater resources, and the utilisation of groundwater as a

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developmental tool, South Africa stands to gain from her neighbours. The increased sharing of data and experiences across southern African borders is desirable, especially as it relates to regional challenges such as drought planning and the anticipation of climate change. It is likely that the next few years will see South African hydrogeologists playing a greater role in southern Africa, and further integration with the rest of the continent is expected. An increase in the numbers of students from other African countries studying at South African universities would greatly assist this process, but is currently hampered by lack of funds and unrealised national and regional policy.

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Conclusions This report is intended to contribute to an on-going debate, rather than provide definitive answers. Africa is a huge continent, with very diverse groundwater resources, and it is extremely difficult to generalise about either careers in hydrogeology, or the technical challenges, without making gross oversimplifications. However, international interest in African groundwater is increasing, and the resources available for groundwater development appear to be growing - particularly in the light of the approaching Millennium Development Goal “deadline” of 2015. If as Africans we do not contribute to the debate and the shaping of policy regarding our profession, we cannot complain if future initiatives are not to our liking. It is hoped that this report will solicit further inputs, and that a more complete version will follow. Finally, it is hoped that this work will help to draw African groundwater professionals closer together, and reduce the “isolation” that many experience.

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Appendix A: Questionnaire

AFRICAN HYDROGEOLOGICAL CAPACITY SURVEY Africa needs people with skills in groundwater and hydrogeology in order to develop and manage groundwater resources in the future. Groundwater resources in Africa are becoming more important as the Millennium Development Goals deadline get closer, and with the effects of climate change. However, in some African countries there is a shortage of skilled hydrogeologists, or a shortage of training opportunities, and as a result much important work does not get done. In other countries, there are few jobs for hydrogeologists even though their skills may be needed. In some cases, experienced hydrogeologists leave the profession to find work elsewhere, where they are better paid. There is very little information about the situation in Africa with regard to groundwater expertise. How many hydrogeologists are there in Africa? Are the numbers growing, or shrinking? How many new hydrogeologists are being trained? Do enough jobs exist for hydrogeologists, and do those jobs pay the same salaries as jobs in other sectors? This survey is being carried out by the IAH Burdon Network to try to answer some of these questions. In order to assist us, I would be very grateful if you could complete the short questionnaire below, and email it back to me before the end of October 2007. Of course, this survey will not be able to describe the hydrogeological training situation in Africa in detail, but it is a starting point, and will lead to further debate and discussion. All responses will be treated in confidence and will be anonymous; and contact details will not be shared with anyone else. If you would like to receive a copy of the results of the survey, please answer “yes” to the final question. Please also add any other relevant comments or suggestions. Thank you! Jude Cobbing (hydrogeologist) Suite 240 Private Bag X1 Menlo Park 0102 Gauteng South Africa Email: [email protected]

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SURVEY QUESTIONS

1. Which African country do you live and/or work in, and what is your profession?

2. How many institutions offer post-graduate training in hydrogeology (if any) in your country, and roughly how many students do they train every year? (Please name any institutions that offer post-graduate training in hydrogeology in your country.)

3. Is there a lack of trained groundwater professionals in your country? If there is a lack, what, in your opinion, is the cause?

4. Are there sufficient jobs for skilled hydrogeologists, and who are the main employers?

5. Are hydrogeologists leaving the profession, and if so, why?

6. Is the situation regarding skilled hydrogeologists improving or getting worse? Please give your reasons if possible.

7. In your opinion, what is the biggest groundwater-related problem facing your country? Please add any comments you consider to be relevant, such as which types of groundwater training are most needed to address the problem.

8. Would you like to receive a copy of the final survey results, when they are ready?

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Appendix B: Questionnaire in French ENQUETE SUR L’APTITUDE HYDROGEOLOGIQUE AFRICAINE L’ AFRIQUE A BESOIN D’UN PERSONNEL QUALIFIE DANS LE DOMAIN DE L’EXPLOITATION DE L’EAU SOUTERRAINE ET EN HYDROGEOLOGIE, DANS L’OPTIQUE DE DEVELOPPER ET SURTOUT GERER LES RESOURCES EN EAUX SOUTERRAINES DANS L’AVENIR. EN AFRIQUE CES RESOURCES DEVIENNENT DE PLUS EN PLUS IMPORTANTES ETANT DONNE QUE LES OBJECTIFS DE DEVELOPPEMENT POUR LE MILLENAIRE ARRIVENT A ECHEANCE, ET SURTOUT AVEC LES EFFETS DU CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE. TOUTE FOIS, DANS CERTAINS PAYS AFRICAIN, ON RENCONTRE UN DEFICT EN HYDROGEOLOGUES QUALIFIES, OU UNE CARENCE EN OPPORTUNITE POUR LEUR FORMATION, ET IL EN RESULTE QU’IL RESTE ENCORE BEAUCOUP DE TRAVAIL A FAIRE. DANS CERTAIN PAYS, IL YA TRES PEU D’EMPLOIS POUR LES HYDROGEOLOGUES MEME SI LEUR QUALIFICATION EST APPRECIEE. DANS CERTAINS CAS,DES HYDROGEOLOGUES EXPERIMENTES DELAISSENT LEUR PROFFESION POUR TROUVER UN AUTRE EMPLOI OU ILS SERONT MIEUX REMUNERES. IL YA TRES PEU DE DONNES AU SUJET DE L’EXPERTISE AFRICAINE DANS LE DOMAIN HYDROGOLOGUE. COMBIEN D’HYDROGEOLOGUES Y’ A T-IL EN AFRIQUE ? LE NOMBRE CROIT-IL OU DIMINUE? COMBIEN DE NOUVEAUX HYDROGEOLOGUES A T-ON FORME? Y’AT-IL ASSEZ D’EMPLOIS POUR EUX, ET SONT-ILS NEMUNERES AU MEME TITRE QUE D’AUTRES PROFESSIONNEL DANS D’AUTRES ACTIVITES. LA PRESENTE ENQUETE EST FAITE PAR IAH BURDON NETWORK POUR ESSAYER DE REPONDRE A CERTAINES DE CES QUESTIONS. DANS LE BUT DE NOUS ASSISTER, JE VOUS SERAIS TRES RECONNAISSANT SI VOUS POUVIEZ COMPLETER LE QUESTIONNAIRE CI-DESSOUS, ET ME LE RENVOYER SOUS FORME DE E-MAIL AVANT FIN NOVEMBRE 2007. EVIDEMMENT CETTE ENQUETE NE SAURAIT DECRIRE LA SITUATION DETAILLEE EN CE QUI CONCERNE LA FORMATION EN HYDROGEOLOGUE EN AFRIQUE, MAIS C’EST UN POINT DE DEPART QUI ENTRAINERA DE FUTURES DEBATS ET DISCUSSIONS. TOUTES LES REPONSES SERONT TRAITEES AVEC DISCRETION ET ANONYMAT, ET LES CONTACT NE SERONT PARTAGES AVEC PERSONNE

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D’AUTRES. AU CAS OU VOUS VOUDRIEZ RECEVOIR UNE COPIE DES RESULTATS DE CETTE ENQUETE , VEIILLEZ S’IL VOUS PLAIT REPONDRE “OUI” A LA QUESTION FINALE. VOS SUGGESTIONS ET COMMENTAIRES SERAIENT TOUT AUSSI LES BIENVENUES MERCI POUR VOTRE REPONSE. Jude Cobbing (Hydrogeologue) Suite 240 Private bag X1 Menlo Park 0102 Gauteng L’ Afrique du Sud Email: [email protected] QUESTIONAIRE D’ENQUETTE 1 DANS QUEL PAYS AFRICAIN RESIDEZ OU TRAUVAILLEZ VOUS? 2 QUEL EST VOTRE PROFESSION? 3 COMIEN D’INSTITUTIONS OFFRENT UN PROGRAMME DE FORMATION EN HYDROGEOLOGIE DANS VOTRE PAYS? 4 COMBIEN D’ETUDIANTS S’Y INSCRIVENT EN MOYENNE PAR AN. 5 PRECISER LES NOMS DES INSTITUTIONS. 6 Y’AT-IL UN DEFICIT DES PROFESSIONELS FORME EN HYDROGEOLOGIE DANS VOTRE PAYS? 7 SI OUI, A VOTRE AVIS, QUELS SONT LES RAISONS? 8 Y’AT-IL ASSEZ D’EMPLOIS POUR LES HYDROGEOLOGIES QUALIFIES DANS VOTRE PAYS. 9 QUEL SONT LES PRINCIPAUX EMPLOYEURS. 10 LES HYDROGEOLOGUES DANS VOTRE PAYS CHANGENT-ILS DE PROFESSION ? 11 SI OUI, POURQUOI ? 12 LA SITUATION DES HYDROGEOLOGIES QUALIFIES S’AMELIORE OU S’EMPIRE T’ELLE ?

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13 SI POSSIBLE, VEUILLEZ DONNER LES RAISONS. 14 A VOTRE AVIS, QUEL EST LE PROBLEM MAJEUR LIE A L’HYDROGEOLOGIE DANS VOTRE PAYS. 15 AJOUTER D’AUTRES COMMENTARES SUR LES TYPES DE FORMATION APPROPRIES POUR FAIRE FACE A CES PROBLEMES. 16 VOUDRIEZ VOUS RECEVOIR UNE COPIE FINALE DES RESULTATS DE CETTE ENQUETTE QUAND CEUX-CI SERONT PRETS?

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Appendix C: Names of Training Institutions Respondents indicated that the following institutions offer post-graduate training in hydrogeology: Nigeria: Abubakar Tafewa Balewa University, Bauchi Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Ahamdu Bello University, Zaria Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Delta State University, Abraka Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu Federal University of Technology, Akure Federal University of Technology, Minna Federal University of Technology, Owerri Federal University of Technology, Yola Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Olabisi Olabanjo University, Ago Iwoye Rivers State University of Science & Technology University of Ado-Ekiti, Ado Ekiti University of Benin, Benin University of Calabar, Calabar University of Ibadan, Ibadan University of Ilorin University of Jos University of Maiduguri University of Nigeria, Nsukka University of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Ghana: University of Ghana, Legon Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa Burkina Faso: University of Ougadougou Regional School of Engineering “2IE” (aka EIER)

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Cameroon: University of Buea University of Yaounde I University of Douala University of Ngaoundere Kenya: University of Nairobi (UoN) Egerton University Moi University Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricultural Technology South Africa: Institute for Groundwater Studies (UFS) in Bloemfontein – only post graduate University of the Western Cape – Earth Science Department – post and undergraduate University of Pretoria – Department of Geology – post and undergraduate University of Kwazulu Natal – post and undergraduate University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg – post and undergraduate Botswana: University of Botswana, Gaborone Uganda: Makerere University in Kampala Senegal: University of Cheikh Anta Diop Sudan: Khartoum University Omdruman Islamic University Ethiopia: Addis Ababa University Mekele University.

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Appendix D: The BGR Study A regional study to examine the capacity needs for improved groundwater management in West and Southern Africa was carried out in 2006 and 2007. The study was jointly done by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), CAP-NET (a UNDP programme for capacity building in Integrated Water Resources Management or IWRM), WA-NET and WaterNet (the West African and Southern African regional networks for capacity building in IWRM). The study took the form of a questionnaire sent to groundwater professionals in West and Southern Africa, follow-up workshops and studies by specialists on the two regions. Amongst the main outcomes of the BGR work, of relevance to this study, are as follows:

o Better monitoring and database systems are required in both West and Southern Africa

o A standard drilling form for data capture is desirable in Southern Africa o There appears to be a high turnover of staff from the public to the private sector in

both regions o In some cases, national database systems have all but collapsed o Existing legislation regarding groundwater is often not enforced.

In general, it was widely agreed that capacity development on groundwater management is urgently needed and is vital to strengthen human capacity and to enhance the necessary inclusion of groundwater into general water management. On the basis of the study, capacity building activities will be conducted. Courses are going to take place in Senegal and Nigeria. There was commitment from several institutions (e.g. UNESCO, IWMI) to collaborate in this capacity building initiative and to share experience more widely. The full report and further information are available online at: www.bgr.bund.de/EN/policyadvice-gw (---Groundwater in IWRM---Capacity Building for Groundwater Management)