Development of a community based management protocol for diffuse pollution control in agro-rural watersheds

Abstract

Water quality management is a very serious problem in the rural areas of developing countries. The main contribution to pollution of water sources in these areas is from diffuse sources, notably from subsistence farming. It is evident that water quality management would only be effective by changing the practices that contribute to diffuse pollution. This paper is based on a project that employed a systematic approach to involve and mobilise rural communities in water quality control programmes. The aim of the project is to develop methodologies that could be employed in rural areas to control the generation of diffuse pollution. The investigation is based on a pilot project in an agro-rural sub-watershed in a developing country. Stakeholder participation and technical control options were concurrently investigated in the development of a community based diffuse pollution management protocol that could be applied in rural areas with poorly developed local government structures.

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