Urban water supply: potential of pro-poor water connection subsidies in Cambodia

After decades of conflict, Cambodian water planners are struggling to provide supplies to urban residents. Many households do not use water from a network connection. Instead they rely on dirty and unreliable sources. Getting poor householders connected is unlikely without subsidies and regulatory reform.

A new journal article [...] uses household data from a range of Cambodian urban settings to assess the demand for water and identify the main factors determining household access to network water.

[O]utside the capital {Phnom Penh] the urban [water] coverage rate is only 15 percent. Many people obtain their water from rivers, streams, tanks, wells or private vendors [who charge] prices that are usually about ten times higher than the official rate.

[...] An examination of 200 household variables and price data reveals that:

• Educational attainment levels are higher among connected households compared to non-connected ones.
• Members of an ethnic (mainly Chinese) minority are more likely to be connected compared to the majority Khmer group.
• Connected households have significantly greater assets than non-connected ones: a household with a telephone is 33 percent more likely to be connected than a household without a telephone.
• A one percent increase in the water connection fee reduces the probability of a household getting connected by about two-fifths.

The researchers advise policymakers – in Cambodia and other developing countries – to use targeted subsidies to encourage more poor households to connect. Once they are connected even the less well-off households may be able to afford a non-subsidised tariff. This advice is based on growing evidence that with targeted connection subsidies, the probability of excluding a deserving household is significantly smaller than with a general consumption subsidy. Poorer households are often willing to pay more for water and sanitation services than what they cost to operate and maintain.

The [article urges] the Cambodian authorities to:

• better manage existing resources aimed at the provision of safe water targeted at the poorest, which could then provide the financial resources for a connection subsidy programme
• discuss with donors and concession operators how to finance a connection subsidy programme
• in addition to connection subsidies, consider other factors to improve service access and provision, such as developing sound regulations for the sector
• give an autonomous regulator a clear remit to promote accountability, transparency and competition between the public and private sectors
• undertake research comparing the efficiency of the private and public sectors
• generate data regarding the welfare effects associated with connection to and use of a water system.

Full reference: [1] Basani, M., Isham, J. and Reilly, B. (2008), The determinants of water connection and water consumption : empirical evidence from a Cambodian household survey. World development ; vol. 36, no. 5 ; p. 953-96. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.04.021. Read the full article here.

Source: id21, 01 March 2009

Lessons for out-scaling and Up-scaling from DFID’s RNRRS Studies and Research

Key lessons for up-scaling and out-scaling of DFID research

Authors: W. Richards; Research Into Use Programme, DFID
Publisher: Department for International Development, UK, 2008

Full text of document

This report consists of a series of short syntheses which bring together key lessons for up-scaling and out-scaling research based on 19 key reviews, summaries and reports detailing DFID natural resources research. Each synthesis provides background information and key points, while the lessons learned are illustrated using examples and case studies.

Key lessons learned include:

• Start from what’s on the ground: most successes in spreading the uptake of research findings came about when the people involved understood  what was happening on the ground, including indigenous  knowledge on practices and processes, and worked with it. This is true at the local level, in communities, and at administrative and government levels.
• Understand the key players and build relationships: starting from what is on the ground leads to an understanding of who the key players and local champions  are, and how they operate. This mapping of institutions and understanding of their roles in a network are pre-requisites for deciding who we need to invite to join ‘coalitions’ (ie the groups of people and organisations who get
  together to out-scale or up-scale research findings). Understanding what they want and where they are coming from also helps build trust and relationships with them.
• Be realistic about what can be achieve: sometimes one has to face up to the fact that the conditions for uptake of research findings just aren’t  conducive. For example, experience shows that any innovation in developing countries where innovation frameworks and infrastructure are weak is tough. Outscaling and up-scaling research findings have a better chance of success where governments have encouraged
• Partner, communicate, advocate and build capacity strategically: an understanding of the local context, the key players and what can realistically be achieved will help develop clear strategies for ‘how’-partnering, communicating, advocating and building skills-out-scaling and up-scaling will be achieved. adoption of new technologies by, for example, supporting producer prices, subsidising inputs and credit for new technologies, and investing in irrigation, roads and marketing systems.
• Capture your own learning and learn from others: it is essential to capture  opportunities to learn and share learning with others. Learning what works and what does not is going to be vital in out-scaling and up-scaling. A good way to capture lessons learned is through a formal system of monitoring and evaluation that emphasises learning rather than accountability.

However, one size does not fit all. The lessons learned will be worked, reworked and adapted by practitioners to different  situations.

Source: ELDIS