Suchergebnisse

Participatory research approaches have gained popularity within the natural resource management domain, particularly irrigation management since 1980s. Some of these methods allow the examination of values and emotions with regard to the management of natural resources and hence can supplement other ways of eliciting community responses to policy change. This article discusses the methodology and findings of an image-based participatory research project called PhotoStory. The project was conducted with members of stressed and conflicted irrigation communities in rural Australia. Participants were provided with cameras to record their views about different issues related to sustainable water management and conflicts and were also able to record their emotions and values on these topics. Findings of this project – PhotoStory – give a two-dimensional narration (visual and written) about complex issues related to water policy such as the creation of regional water allocation plans. This method answers how plans and a widespread drought have been experienced and interpreted by people living in two communities. The article concludes with some pros and cons of using this technique with an irrigation community and reflects on the use made of the work by the community and policy-makers.

AbstractFreshwater availability to meet the growing needs of humankind has raised serious concerns in the recent past. Two immediate responses to counter this challenge are efficient allocation of the scarce resources, and development and use of alternative sources of water. While 'water markets' are seen as a means to achieve efficient allocation of the scare resources, treated wastewater and low‐quality water are now considered as potential sources of water to supplement the freshwater supplies. However, the latter option, that is use of reclaimed water as an alternative, imposes concerns regarding its suitability to sustain development. This is because of various issues related to wastewater usage and application. At the same time, it is also true that a successful and well‐planned reuse scheme can help achieve sustainability as evidenced in some isolated cases around the world. In line with this, the current paper adopts a case‐study approach to demonstrate how a successful reuse scheme in Adelaide, South Australia, has contributed to the sustainable development of the region. The paper looks into the socio‐economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability and arrives at a conclusion that properly planned and managed reuse schemes backed with effective regulatory and policy measures can lead to sustainable development.