Water conflicts

M. Shahjahan Mondal

Conflicts
Clash of interests of two or more parties
Occurs when at least one of the parties seeks to assert
its interests at the expense of another partys interests
Conflicts can arise between actors, sectors, locations
Conflicts can arise between different sectors due to the
differential impacts (sometimes even in opposite
direction) of water development interventions which
alter the hydrological regime of a natural system.
Conflict between agriculture and fishery due to FCD/FCDI
project

Analysis of conflicts
Analysis of conflicts requires
Identification of issues: What is it about?
Identification of actors: Who are involved & what
are their features?
History & distribution of the conflict
Level & intensity of the conflict
Underlying structures which contribute to the
conflict
Impact of the conflict on human security
(vulnerability & marginalization)

Conflict management tools

Conflict management tools can be classified
into three types:
Interventions for conflict management
Decision support tools: DIEM, WEAP
Tools for consensus building: Group model
building

A conflict management strategy involves a

combination of these tools

Conflict management tools (con)

Stakeholder analysis is an effective tool to reduce
conflict
The tool can be used to identify the key actors
and to assess their knowledge, interests,
positions, alliances and importance
Participatory impact assessment and
management (or participatory planning) is a
mechanism for conflict resolution
Stakeholder workshop (purpose, participants,
issues and findings) followed by multi-criteria
analysis

Stakeholder analysis
Stakeholder analysis is an approach for understanding a
system by identifying the key actors/stakeholders in the
system and assessing their respective interest &
involvement in that system
Institutional mapping may be relevant (interaction &
degree of interaction between actors)
Time line analysis may also be relevant
These usually precede stakeholder analysis
Should be done prior to the management of conflicts and
resolution of disputes
Identification: FGD, Interview
Prioritization: degree of influence and degree of
importance

Matrix for prioritizing key stakeholders

Degree of importance

Degree of influence

The stakeholders who have a power

over the project to control what
decisions are made, facilitate its
implementation, or exert influence
which affects the project and also
affects them.

Stakeholder analysis (con)

The analysis is performed in 3 steps
The role and involvement of the stakeholders may
differ from step to step
Each step of analysis focuses on a specific question that
leads to the answer for that step
Step 1: Planning/pre-project stage Roles of
stakeholders to identify initial stage of conflicts
Step 2: Post-project stage: Roles of water users to
identify water use conflicts
Step 3: Attempts to find a feasible platform for conflict
resolution

Stakeholder diagram
The results of the analysis are presented on a
stakeholder diagram, which help identify the
differences, similarities and relationships
among the stakeholders
On a stakeholder diagram, the stakeholders
are arranged in 3 tiers (co-operating, cothinking & co-knowing) and 4 quadrants
(expert, decision maker, implementer & user)

Stakeholder diagram
See Datta, M. (2012). Evaluation of institutional and
technical aspects of Barisal Irrigation Project in
relation to its performance, M.Sc. (WRD) thesis,
IWFM, BUET.
See Murshed, S.B. (2008). Management of conflicts
between irrigation and fisheries in a selected water
resources project, M.Sc. (WRD) thesis, IWFM, BUET.

Conflict management tools

Negotiation
Facilitation
Mediation
Adjudication
Arbitration
Litigation
Consensus building
Negotiated rule making

Requirements for successful conflict resolution

Willingness to participate
Opportunity for mutual gain
Opportunity for participation
Identification of interests
Developing options
Carrying out an agreement

Assignment 1
Group 1:
Identify the stakeholders in relation to the pollution of the rivers
surrounding Dhaka City
Prioritize the stakeholders in a matrix
Carry out stakeholder analysis using a stakeholder diagram (with
3 stages)

Group 2
Encroachment of the rivers

Group 3
Conversion of agricultural/wetland to non-agricultural purposes

Group 4
Encroachment of natural drainage channels/khals within the city

Submit a report

Individual cognitive/mind mapping

Identify key problems and challenges
Identify possible solutions and measures
Group model building: Turn -ve into +ve
Multi-stakeholder dialogue: Brahmaputra dialogue funded
by Asia Foundation
Position & Interests:

Party

Issue
Position ?
Interests ?
(Preferred) options ?

loser