Are water and sanitation problems wicked?

Frances Cleaver Water for Africa Research Project SOAS

Wicked or just complex?

• ‘Truly complex’, ‘post-normal’ etc. • Technical/managerial solutions cannot be separated from equity and governance issues. • Plurality of perspectives on the nature of the problem. • No stopping point.

• Solutions not ‘true’ or ‘false’ but good or bad in particular social contexts.

The nature of the problem(s) • MDG perspective • Basic needs and health/hygiene problem? • Time/convenience/privacy problem?

• Complex livelihoods problem?

• Wider wellbeing problem?

• Environmental/resource management problem?

When is the problem solved?

• Targets for coverage/access (But are these sufficient in development terms?) • Solving the coverage/access problem leads to ongoing sustainability problem….

• Even at more ‘developed’ levels of service/coverage ongoing/newly arising problems.

Plural and partial solutions • Plurality of stakeholders, governance arrangements, uses of water …..

• Technology • Institutions • Financing • Unanticipated consequences of intended actions.

Implications • ‘We need to change our approach…(

to wicked problems)….

There are no experts on these problems, nor can there be. Instead we should establish and maintain a dialogue among the various interested parties.’ (Ludwig 2001) • Implications for development agencies? How do they need to change culture and style to facilitate resolution wicked problems?