Water and Sanitation

Introduction

DFID’s Central Research Department identified the need to provide sufficient and flexible resources over a long enough period to enable genuine development and the application of expertise and new thinking in the Water Sector. Through an external scoping and internal consultation process the theme of equity of access to water and sanitation services for the poor was prioritised.

The current five year Research Programme (RiPPLE) will advance evidence based learning on water supply and sanitation (WSS) financing, delivery and sustainability to improve equity of access for the poor. It will contribute to MDG objectives by providing new knowledge and skills at all levels to enhance sector financing approaches, improve targeting mechanisms and identify more effective governance arrangements and sustainable technologies. A key objective will be the dissemination of outputs targeted at policy makers, NGO’s and other organisations.

It will analyse how to increase the flow and efficiency of funds to the sector and how to ensure that strengthened capacity leads to more sustainable service provision, supporting pro poor growth and human security. It will determine how better financing can provide more sustainable water and sanitation for poor people, strengthening their human security and opportunities for pro poor growth in Ethiopia and the Nile region.

RiPPLE’s overall strategic objectives are:

• To create research structures and processes that enable effective collaboration across all partner institutions and with key stakeholders;
• To establish a set of research programme activities that lead to strengthened sector financing approaches and the delivery of WSS services that maximise opportunities for pro-poor growth;
• To build long-term approaches to training and capacity building that reinforce research capacity development in Ethiopia and the Nile region.

View the project record on Research4Development.

Project Director for RiPPLE is Alan Nichol: a.nicol@odi.org.uk