Social Conflict and Lessons from North-East Tanzania

Access to, and control of, water provides the means for social and economic power. Where water is scarce and livelihoods diverse, competing interests can easily escalate into social conflict where marginalised and vulnerable people are the most affected. This paper does not intend to offer ready-made solutions to such issues. Rather it seeks to help practitioners and policy makers broaden their understanding of the complexities and implications of engaging in water projects in rural Africa. It particularly highlights the challenges which can face project implementers in arid and semi-arid regions, and identifies the experiences and lessons learnt from the WaterAid Kiteto partnership programme.