3. Developing options Developing options (5 months) Generate three different options for future institutional arrangements for the Mvoti Work up details of options (in terms of five assets) and initial appraisals Undertake detailed appraisals and select preferred option

Agreeing the best option (5 months) Agree proposal and constitution for consultation Finalise proposal and constitution and present to Minister for in principle approval Final amendments and approval 4. Agreeing the best option

Findings: Building effective multi-stakeholder dialogue in the Mvoti has been critical to finding an effective solution In this case the catchment was small enough to become the mediating object for the dialogue The dialogue was built on stakeholder terms (what might be the most appropriate institutional arrangements for the Mvoti?) rather than on DWAFs terms (how to transform the IBs?) Investing in the dialogue process (social learning takes time) has resulted in significant commitment from most stakeholder groups; the relationship with DWAF (which is multi-level) has proved to be one of the more challenging

1. Building the dialogue 2. Broadening the dialogue 3. Developing options 4. Agreeing the best option In a world of performance targets, this partially linear, partially non-linear model of project management helped to frame the dialogue

Case study 2: How to design a learning system for the DWAF KZN staff development programme: focusing on social learning for adaptive, integrated water resources managing

8 x 1 or 2-day workshops Sept 07 Dec 07 Feb 08 May 08 July 08 Sept 08 Nov 08 Feb 09

Framing adaptation through the metaphor of transition old system current system future system

Managing the transition… …requires a learning journey

Using an action learning approach… Real world work Personal toolkit Real world work Learning community Personal toolkit Learning community What is the real world issue or question I am struggling with? Others offer insights to questions to help me to clarify ways forward I experiment with new approaches (over a 2 month period) I make a plan to try out new approaches I review my plan with colleagues I review with colleagues what I did and how effective I was I adapt my personal toolkit and plan for further actions

How do we understand integration across a complex set of issues?

Social Environmental Infrastructure Is it possible to integrate these four themes using technical models? Economic

Social Environmental Infrastructure And how do you do this when you are trying to build understanding with different stakeholder groups? Economic

Infrastructure Social Environmental Many clever but complex technical models of integration exist… Economic

Infrastructure Social Environmental …but (how) will stakeholders understand them? Economic

Social Environmental Infrastructure So… how do you build understanding with different stakeholder groups? Economic

Social Environmental Infrastructure G-F-I* Economic Learning Watercourse approach: *Governance – facilitation - integration

Sustainable livelihoods approach Ecosystem services approach Facilitation skills Adaptive learning approach Economics Infrastructure IWRM approach

Findings: The transition metaphor proved critical in making sense of policy implementation, especially debates about blueprint guidance vs social learning The practice of action learning made sense in this context and participants found this practice invaluable, although difficult to square with a performance culture of delivery (ticking boxes) Participants valued social learning as an approach to building an IWRM toolkit, although after only 8 workshops not all participants would yet feel confident to put this approach into practice