Background Note
Introductory Background
Limitations of Water Resource Development (WRD) in the South Asia region - as in many developing countries- have been increasingly recognized off late. Fragmentation of water into its various existential forms finds its reflection in the fractured conceptualizing of development of water resources for domestic, agricultural, industrial and other uses. The predominantly technical approaches to WRD hitherto led to the creation of civil structures for storing, treating and delivering water for various uses. However the institutional mode of utilizing these structures for realizing the possible potential left much to be desired. The overall returns from such developments were far from commensurate with the investments made. Systems of maintenance of structures, adequacy of delivery mechanisms, sharing of water by multiple users, integrated exploitation of surface and sub surface water sources were some of the issues that became the bane of the WRD.

Decision making with respect to the above required going beyond the narrow confines of the technical disciplines of civil engineering and hydrology. It presupposed an acceptance of developmental goals of growth and equity and tailoring the technical inputs in the water sector to promoting these objectives - a recognition of the social embedded ness of water resource technology. 

This lack of congruence between the social and technical aspects in the recent history of WRD as it was practiced by the state sector, is now well acknowledged in the official circles as a problem to be addressed. Hence the widespread acceptance of the more integrated approaches to water resource development that are part and parcel of water discourse at the global level. Governments, donors, NGOs and private sector across the board appear to have endorsed the viewpoint. It is not accidental therefore that Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) has been adopted as the official approach by major global fora such as GWP and World Water Forums. 

Role of Networks (of Capacity Building (in water sector) organizations for interdisciplinary and integrated approaches to water): The foregoing points to a strong need for action to bring about change for reorientation of the thinking on water policy and practice at a more systemic level. Such a change can only happen if there is a demand from within the capacity building community for evolving to more integrated approaches. This demand generation can be realized if there is an initiative to raise awareness regarding the need for new forms of capacities, lobbying for policy support for enabling this shift in perspective, developing the capacities of resource persons and institutions who can be the 'carriers' of this paradigm switch and so on. It is at this juncture that networks of capacity building organizations and individuals assume critical significance. These networks provide the platforms to voice this demand in a concerted and focused way. Isolated and scattered efforts that are possibly being undertaken within the broader community - derive strength from linking up with wider networks through experience sharing on innovative practices for Water resource development and management (WRD & M). At the same time it facilitates voicing of demand for change on a loud and clear note. This consolidation of fragmented attempts through a common network also increases the probability of impact across board for greater effectiveness in bringing about a structural change in the nature and delivery of capacities for more holistic water resource development. 

Energy thus needs to be focused not only on the preparation of these capacities and their delivery but also on the advocacy and need identification/assessments for the same. This requires a variety of skills that is impossible to find in a single organization or individual. Such an initiative is therefore, greatly strengthened by the pooling together of variety of expertise that is immanent in the diverse institutions and resource persons but exists as disconnected and scattered across the region. 

Networks of Capacity Building institutions and resource persons provide such a common platform for coming together, complementing each other's expertise and growing together to collectively contribute to the flowing river of knowledge on water.

CapNet - Global and South Asia
The global initiative of Cap-net www.cap-net.org assumes particular significance in this context. As an Associated Program (AP) of Global Water Partnership (GWP) supported by UNDP - it works through facilitating the capacity building programs of its regional partners and through them - the country and zonal partners. Although initiated from the 'top' - the approach is committed to establishing mechanisms and governance structures that facilitate the issues, requirements and problems relating to capacity building for IWRM that are 'thrown up' from 'below'.The Regional Secretariat of CapNet SA is based in Hyderabad and Dr. Jasveen Jairath, is the Regional Coordinator. In that capacity, we have the responsibility of mediating the interaction between the region and global center of CapNet as well as with the network of Country CapNets.

Within the region - we have already decentralized into a network of Country CapNets based on groupings of concerned organizations and individuals that has emerged as a starter group. These units can also make proactive attempts to extend the outreach of these networks in their area for increasing inclusiveness. In particular for including the marginalized water voices of poor women and men - to work out the strategic plan for short and long term capacity creation for WRD in the respective countries through interdisciplinary approaches.