Afrideltas 2014

The downstream part of river basins, where the main rivers flow into the ocean, are characterized by complex hydrosystems: lower floodplains and deltas. Considered the most productive ecosystems on the planet, natural floodplains and deltas support many human activities (recession agriculture, livestock keeping, fisheries, forestry…) that are essentially linked to the flooding rhythm of the river and are conducted according to complex and season-based resource use calendars.

All over the planet, but especially in Africa, floodplains and deltas are undergoing a rapid evolution. The conference will explore the contemporary evolution of African floodplains and deltas exposed to a range of hydro-climatic and socio-political drivers.

Current drivers of change include (but are not limited to) rising sea level and climate change, modification of the flooding pattern due to dam-building and increased water abstraction upstream, land-use changes in the catchment (deforestation and land degradation), transformation to large-scale irrigation or aquaculture systems. Their level of integration into the global economy and their demography also exert a major influence. How do these drivers affect the delivery of ecosystem services at multiple scales? Who are the winners and who are the losers of the transformations?

Policies on deltas and floodplains also differ: some coastal wetlands are simply converted into large-scale agricultural fields. Elsewhere, biodiversity values or the recognition of a strong cultural identity contribute to the maintenance of their specific wetland character under various protected area governance and management models (e.g. government controlled, conservation NGO dominated, Indigenous and Community Conserved areas etc.). How do these new management systems acknowledge complexity and maintain the characteristics while coping with all the drivers of change?

During the 4-day conference, researchers will seek to analyze and compare the current evolution of several African deltas (in Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern Africa) and will explore possible scenarios for the future. The conference’s scientific committee will favor field-based and comparative approaches and multidisciplinary research.
 

Programme:

Day 1: Session 1 - Recent evolution of flooding patterns

This session will focus on recent changes in flooding patterns and sediment supply due to climate change, increased abstraction, land use changes, dam-building, etc. or combinations of these.
 

Day 2: Session 2 - Sharing natural resources in a multi-user context

This session will focus on biodiversity values, natural resource governance and management practices and strategies of floodplain and delta users, including stakeholder solidarities and conflicts. Interactions between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being will be explored.
 

Day 3: Session 3 - The future of African floodplains and deltas

This session will focus on the potential of different governance models and management practices (from conservation to production) that can promote environmental, social and economic sustainability.
 

Day 4: Field excursion to Rufiji delta and floodplain Planning:

First call for abstracts: 25th October 2013
Deadline for receiving abstracts: 31st December 2013
Selection of abstracts and notification to authors: 5th February 2014
 
Organizing committee:
Dr. Stéphanie Duvail (IRD, Kenya), Prof. Amos Majule (IRA, Tanzania), Dr. Dorothy Wanja Nyingi (NMK-KENWEB, Kenya), Dr. Catherine Masao (IRA, Tanzania)

Call for abstracts:

submit an abstract at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
before December 31st 2013
 
Please indicate whether you are submitting an abstract for
an Oral or Poster presentation