The Water Research Commission (WRC)  initiated and funded a research project that developed the comprehensive water harvesting and conservation (WH & C) learning materials package over the period November 2007 to March 2011.

The project leader, Mr Jonathan Denison of Umhlaba Consulting proudly received the WRC Knowledge Tree Award on 26 September 2013 at the CSIR in Pretoria.  This award was specifically given to projects that have made an impact in community empowerment aimed at improving the lives of South African communities and helping them to thrive in the South African economy and also to equip them with the necessary water-related knowledge to adapt to future challenges, such as those brought on by climate change.

The learning materials were developed within a ‘training of trainers’ framework targeting three user groups, namely learners at training institutions (including agricultural extension officers and rural development facilitators); facilitators at training operations responsible for teaching the WH&C training course, and resource-poor gardeners and farmers who are the end users of the water conservation techniques.

While the first part of the package is focused specifically on the technical aspects of improving water availability in homesteads, gardens and fields WH&C; the second part aims to equip fieldworkers and extension officers with facilitation skills needed to transfer the knowledge of these techniques and practices. The latter part includes a technical module covering soils and WH&C methods, a facilitation module covering facilitation techniques, as well as a set of farmer handouts with illustrated steps on how to implement the methods.

The package has been structured as a 30–credit short course. The materials cover, not only rainwater harvesting techniques research by the WRC, but any WH&C method in the public domain that was found to be applicable in local circumstances.  Once they have completed this course, rural development fieldworkers and agricultural college graduates will be equipped with both the technical and facilitation skills to effectively take water harvesting and conservation technologies and approaches to farmers and food gardeners.

The material was developed in consultation with key stakeholders to ensure its relevance. According to the project team, there was a marked positive interest in water harvesting and general enthusiasm to have this new material embedded in the existing curricula at agricultural colleges and higher education institutions. The agricultural colleges expressed specific and immediate need, such that some are willing to use the draft material in their curricula.

During a pilot process lasting six months 14 learners received training at the University of KwaZulu–Natal’s Centre for Adult Education. In a spin-off from the project, 68 students from the Walter Sisulu University Fine Art’s Department were financially supported through fieldwork exposure and competition funding, to provide illustrations for the course material.

The learning materials package complies with both the Unit Standard and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations accreditation frameworks.

Materials available in a comprehensive Learning Package

Water Harvesting and Conservation Volume 1: Development of a comprehensive learning package for education and the application of water harvesting (Report No. TT 492/11)

Water harvesting and Conservation Volume 2, Part 1: Technical manual and farmer handouts (Report No.TT 493/11)

Water Harvesting and Conservation Volume 2, Part 2: Facilitation and assessment guide for the technical manual (Report No. TT 494/11)

Water Harvesting and Conservation Volume 2, Part 3: Facilitation manual (Report No.TT 495/11)

Water Harvesting and Conservation Volume 2, Part 4: Facilitation and assessment guide for the facilitation manual (Report No.TT 496/11)

These reports can freely be downloaded from the WRC website www.wrc.org.za  or ordered from Publications Email:  orders@wrc.org.za or Tel:012 330-0340