Proposed Community Consultation Brief and Methodology ; LESOTHO HIGHLANDS WATER PROJECT

Community Brief

(To be used at the pitso.)

§ The sequencing is designed to bring community members slowly to the topic. This is an important strategy in order to establish rapport and to demonstrate a certain degree of cultural competence on the part of the interviewers.

§ We do not repeat questions that were asked 3 years ago but try to take the relationship to our informants carefully to where we would like to have it - a state of trust and mutual understanding.

§ We would like to show respect by feeding back information to them. At the same time, previous data can be reconfirmed.

§ Informants need to be carefully prepared, especially in such a 'politicised' situation as that of the relationship between LHDA and the affected communities.

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Ladies and Gentlemen

§ We are from Sechaba Consultants, a company doing social research together with, and among, the people of Lesotho. We have been to this village (or ones nearby) many times before, doing different studies, including one two years ago of the river and how the people use it.

§ During our previous visits you helped us understand the difficulties and hardships, which you, the communities living in the Highlands face in your daily lives, such as the lack of employment opportunities, the remoteness of your villages, the lack of income to meet your daily needs, the situation concerning stock theft, as well as the problems related to agriculture and a declining natural resource base.

§ We would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your co-operation and hospitality. The information you shared has given LHDA a better understanding of your lives and the natural resources that you use. We would like to talk to you more about these matters, but before doing so please allow us to introduce ourselves.

Sechaba and LHDA representatives introduce themselves, mentioning from what village/chieftaincy they originate.

§ The main reason for our visit is to talk with you about the changes in the flow of the river and what these might mean to your life.

§ As you might know, the flow of the river is going to change because of the dams being built upstream. In places along the Malibamatso River just below Katse Dam, these changes have already been felt for a number of years. For those of you who have never seen the dams we would like to show you the following picture and explain a little how the dams work (this should be done by an LHDA representative). At this point an illustration/poster of the dams will be put on display.

§ These changes in river flow caused by the dams will be most clear along the banks of the river up to the high water mark (when the river is in view the participants will be asked to point out the high water mark). The change in flow will bring some benefits. For example, there will be fewer dangerous floods and it will be easier to cross the river. Some plants, such as reeds, will become more abundant. Other changes may not be so beneficial. Some important resources that many of you use on a daily basis are likely to slowly decline, although this may not be evident for up to 10 years and will not affect all areas. Later during this meeting, we will present a more detailed summary of the studies that were conducted as well as the changes that we expect will happen.

§ The Treaty between Lesotho and South Africa that is the basis for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, specifies that nobody should be worse off because of the project. It makes a provision for some water to be released, and there are plans to do this in the best possible manner to maintain the natural resources that are related to the river. However, recognising that some of your resources may still be less productive because of changed river flows caused by the dams, LHDA is prepared to work with you to see how any decline in productivity and your standard of living, which is caused by the dams, can be minimised and/or mitigated.

§ We would like to discuss with you your ideas regarding how best to prevent any decline in your standard of living, which is caused by the project. We would like to hear how you feel your human and natural resources can be used to do this and where you feel some assistance may be required.

§ LHDA is ready to discuss your ideas for projects linked to the resources that may be less productive in the future than they are now. At the same time LHDA and the Government of Lesotho would like to hear your long-term development priorities. At this stage, however, we stress that these discussions do not imply any binding commitment by LHDA or the Government of Lesotho to implementation.

Why have we come to visit you here?

§ What is specific about your community and why we have come to this village is that you live along one of the rivers that are or will be affected by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

§ As we said earlier, the dams will change the river because some of the river water is captured in the reservoirs and transferred to South Africa.

§ This means that the flow of the river will change at different times during the year. As we already mentioned, some of the resources that you currently use from the river and the riverbank will be positively or negatively affected by the reduced water flows in your river.

What do we want to do here?

§ We have come here in order to spend the coming three days in this village together with you, because we want to discuss the changing rivers in detail with you.

§ Some things we would like to discuss now during this pitso.

§ However, we would also like to discuss some things with you in smaller groups.

§ We suggest that this could happen today during the afternoon and tomorrow, or when it is most suitable for you.

§ The different groups and river users we would like to talk to are farmers/livestock owners, women, fishermen, shepherds, forest owners, block-makers/sand-miners and herbalists (all of the user groups may not be relevant in every village).

What we would like to talk about?

We would like to discuss with you the following three river-related topics:

The first topic is a feedback on the recent social studies that were done in relation to the river:

§ What have we learned about your river and what does the river mean to you?

§ How do you benefit from your river?

§ How can the river create problems for you?

The second topic is a briefing on the changes, which we expect will happen to your river:

§ How will the dam built upstream affect your river?

§ How do we expect the river is going to change?

§ How will these changes affect the ways you can benefit from the river?

The third topic is where we would like to learn about your concerns and suggestions for mitigation:

§ What changes have you already experienced in your natural resources?

§ How do you think you will live with these changes and what will they mean for your life?

§ How can you cope with these changes?

§ What have you already been doing to conserve (or improve) natural resources?

§ Where do you think assistance would be useful in order to help you cope with the changes in the river?

Sequencing of the Topics:

§ The first and second topic we would like to discuss during this pitso.

§ The third topic we would like to split up in groups in order to discuss.

§ Before we leave, we would like to meet again with all of you in order to discuss results.

Topic 1: What have we learned from you about the river?

To be illustrated with posters and/or handouts

§ During 1998 and 1999 we did a study along LHWP-affected rivers and learned about what the rivers mean to people living next to it. We thank all the communities who hosted us, who contributed to this study and who were willing to share their knowledge with us. However, we did not visit all villages along this river, but only some of them.

§ We learned that your river plays an important part in your daily life. You regularly harvest a number of important resources from the river or the riverbank. But the river can sometimes also make life difficult for you.

§ To begin with the water itself, many of you drink the water occasionally, when passing the river or while working down along the river. During dry seasons or droughts, your livestock might depend on being watered in the river. You may also wash your clothes in the river water. And other community members use the river for baptizing or just for leisure, such as swimming.

§ Many of you collect plant resources such as reeds, thatch grasses, leloli, wild vegetables and medicinal herbs. Some of these plants are collected very frequently while others are collected only occasionally.

§ One of the more important uses of the river is the collection of fuel-wood in the form of trees and shrubs. While there may be alternative areas for the collection of shrubs available on the mountain slopes or along smaller tributaries, the most and best trees usually come from the riverbank.

§ Some of the households catch fish such as chelefisi or trout in the river. Often, these fish are then given or sold to other people inside and outside of the community.

§ There might be a few field owners among you, whose field is located right next to the river. While their field is exposed to the risk of flooding, these field owners often told us that the field next to the river is of a higher quality due to better soil and the proximity to the water.

§ You also told us that you can get mud and sand from the river, which can be used for the plastering of houses or for producing cement blocs for sale.

§ Many of the people we interviewed were very concerned about the dangers of a flooded river, which makes crossing difficult and which endangers both humans and animals, as well as fields and trees next to the river.

§ Finally, one of your concerns is the river snake, which can hypnotize or drown people and which can become dangerous during times of a low water level in the river.

§ Of course, all these different meanings and ways to use the river vary from village to village according to what is there and how you use it.

At this stage we would like to briefly verify some of these finding from the last study. As mentioned before, back in 1998 and 1999 we visited some, but not all villages along this river. Now we would like to ask you about the situation in this particular village only:

§ Do you recognize the above-presented findings from your own experience?

§ Do you use the river in a similar manner?

§ What resources are particularly important to you in this village?

§ Which resources are not so important to you here in this village?

§ How do you use the river differently?

§ How has your use of the river changed since we came here last time?

§ What factors have effected this change?

§ How has the LHWP construction activities / impoundment process affected your way to use river resources?

§ What else do you have to say about your river?

Topic 2: In which ways will the river change?

To be illustrated with posters and/or handouts

§ We know that your river has already changed and that it will further change in the future. Many of these changes are a direct result of the completed and ongoing LHWP dam constructions.

§ The best experts available have looked at your river and have provided us with a range of changes that are likely to happen.

§ But we must bear in mind that natural resources are also dependent on other things such as the amount of rain, which we cannot predict. Therefore, we (LHDA) emphasise that we cannot be 100% certain as to how precisely the expected changes will happen in the future.

§ As for some changes, such as the lower flow levels in the river, we are 100% sure.

§ Other changes, such as those in the vegetation along the riverbank are difficult to predict and therefore we are not 100% sure.

§ Some changes have already materialized.

§ Some changes will materialize soon and perhaps within 2 years.

§ Other changes can first be noticed after 10 or even more years.

§ We will now provide you with a more detailed description of the changes we think will happen in the future.

Changes in the river and the riverbed which are expected (Matsoku):

§ The total amount of water flowing down the river will be significantly reduced. Less than half of the water will be left in the river. However, the water will primarily be taken out of the river during the summer.

§ This means that during the summer the water level will be significantly lower than before.

§ During the winter, the water level in the river will not be significantly affected and will remain more or less as it is now.

§ After ordinary rains, most of the water will be kept in the reservoir and transferred to the Katse reservoir. This means that the downstream water level will not increase significantly and not nearly as much as before the dam was built.

§ After very heavy and long-lasting rains, the water may spill over the dam wall. This means that the river may continue to flood as it used to before the dam construction.

§ The amount of sand in the riverbed will be significantly reduced.

§ There will be more mud in the riverbed.

§ The deep pools in the river may become smaller, shallow or disappear completely.

§ There will be more algae (bolele) in or along the river.

Changes in the river and the riverbed which are expected (Malibamatso & Senqunyane):

§ The total amount of water flowing down the river will be very significantly reduced. Less than 10% of the water will be left in the river. However, the water will primarily be taken out of the river during the summer.

§ This means that during the summer, the water level will be very significantly reduced.

§ During the winter, the water level in the river will not be significantly affected and remain more or less as it is now.

§ Even after heavy and long-lasting rains, the water will be kept in the reservoir. This means that the downstream water level will not increase after heavy rains.

§ Only after exceptionally heavy and long-lasting rains may the river become flooded.

§ The amount of sand in the riverbed will be significantly reduced.

§ There will be more mud in the riverbed.

§ The deep pools in the river may become smaller or disappear completely.

§ There will be more algae (bolele) in or along the river.

Expected changes in the water quality along the river (Matsoku & Malibamatso & Senqunyane):

§ Even before the dam construction, drinking the river water sometimes could result in diarrhoea, eye infections or skin rashes.

§ However, the risk of contracting diarrhoeal diseases, eye infections or skin rashes after contact with the river water will increase.

§ Therefore, drinking from the river and swimming in the river is not advised any longer, as it could result in gastro-enteritis, skin rashes or eye infections, especially among children.

Expected changes in the vegetation along the river (Matsoku & Malibamatso & Senqunyane):

§ Reeds (lehlaka) in the riverbed will increase slightly.

§ Thatch grasses (e.g. mohlomo) on the riverbank will increase slightly.

§ Lelodi close to the river may increase slightly.

§ Wild vegetables on the riverbank (e.g. papasane, serue, theepe, sepaile, qhela, selae, tenane, etc.) will decrease.

§ Medicinal plants on the riverbank (e.g. kuena, lengana, qobo, phonyoka, mosika noka, etc.) will decrease.

§ Shrubs close to the river (e.g. senoko-noko, cheche, kolitsane) will decrease.

§ Existing trees (e.g. moluane, popoliri, etc.) next to the river will become smaller and weaker.

§ Tree seedlings may not become established any more ion the future.

§ Crops on fields next to the river will probably not be affected.

Expected changes in the fishing opportunities (Matsoku & Malibamatso & Senqunyane):

§ All fish will be significantly reduced, most likely to a point where fishing is not worth doing any longer.

Expected changes concerning livestock (Matsoku & Malibamatso & Senqunyane):

§ The increased mud in the river channel may cause the bogging of animals.

§ The increased amounts of algae (bolele) may cause animal health problems if they drink the river water.

§ There will be a greater risk of animal diseases due to increased numbers of parasites, midges and black flies along the river.

§ There will be less tree and shrub forage for livestock along the river.

Expected changes in the wildlife along the river:

§ Most water-dependent animals and birds will not be as numerous as before.

Above, we have shown how we think the river and the riverbank is going to change. We would like to stress again that - in some aspects - LHDA is not 100% sure yet. In the future, LHDA will carefully monitor and record any change that occurs in and along your river.

At this stage, we would like to hear your opinions about what these changes will mean for your life.

§ Have you already experienced some of these changes? (IFR 2 & 3)

§ What have they meant for your ways to utilise river-related natural resources?

§ What have they meant for your life in general?

§ What do you expect these changes will mean for your life? (IFR 1 & 7)

More importantly, we would like to hear from you what you think could and should be done in order to mitigate the above-presented expected changes to your river. We would like to discuss each and every aspect of the expected changes with you, preferably, within smaller groups. On the morning of the last day, we will then bring together all findings and discuss them together at a pitso.

ANNEX A

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE

Instructions

Focus group discussions must be held for each of the natural resources/activities that have been identified as important during the introductory pitso.

Participants in the FGDs must be selected on the basis of their expertise, gender and social responsibility:

§ fuel-wood : women, children

§ wild vegetables : women, girls, herdboys

§ medicinal plants : herbalists, healers

§ livestock & grazing : men, herdboys

§ sand : sand-miners, men, women

§ fish : men, herdboys

§ water : all categories

Discussion Guide: Fuel-Wood (Shrubs & Trees)

(a) Discuss significance and availability of resource

Start the FGD by discussing with participants the importance of the resource to their livelihoods. Refer to the IFR handout.

· What significance does fuel-wood that you collect from the riverbank have for you in relation to fuel-wood sources located elsewhere? (Establish locations of other sources; probe for seasonal collection patterns.)

· Have you experienced a reduction in fuel-wood in the past? (Establish when and why reduction occurred.) If yes, how did you cope/react then in order to overcome the reduction?

· Is sufficient fuel-wood from the riverbank currently available or are you experiencing a reduction? If yes, why is the reduction occurring and what is being done to overcome it?

· What would happen if fuel-wood along the riverbank is significantly reduced?

(b) Confirm potential impact on resource and discuss possible solutions

Discuss the potential impact on the resource resulting from reduced river flows (refer to the IFR handout) and possible mitigation options to address the impact.

· Are there alternatives available that could mitigate the reduction of fuel-wood along the riverbank?

· If fuel-wood along the river bank is reduced, how could this best be mitigated? (Allow all participants to raise and discuss possible options, and examine the benefits and disadvantages of each option.)

o Please describe in detail what should be done and why it should be done.

o How should it be done?

o When should it be done?

o Where should it be done?

o Who should do it?

(c) Undertake ranking of potential mitigation options

Using PRA techniques rank each option with the participants. Explain that the results of the various ranking exercises will be presented and discussed at the concluding pitso to be held on the following day.

Discussion Guide: Wild Vegetables

(a) Discuss significance and availability of resource

Start the FGD by discussing with participants the importance of the resource to their livelihoods. Refer to the IFR handout.

· What significance does the collection of wild vegetables from the riverbank have for you? (Establish locations of other sources; probe for seasonal collection patterns.)

· Have you experienced a reduction in wild vegetables in the past? (Establish when and why reduction occurred.) If yes, how did you cope/react then in order to overcome the reduction?

· Are sufficient wild vegetables from the riverbank currently available or are you experiencing a reduction? If yes, why is the reduction occurring and what is being done to overcome it?

· What would happen if wild vegetables along the riverbank are significantly reduced?

(b) Confirm potential impact on resource and discuss possible solutions

Discuss the potential impact on the resource resulting from reduced river flows (refer to the IFR handout) and possible mitigation options to address the impact.

· Are there alternatives available that could mitigate the reduction of wild vegetables along the riverbank?

· If wild vegetables along the river bank are reduced, how could this best be mitigated? (Allow all participants to raise and discuss possible options, and examine the benefits and disadvantages of each option.)

o Please describe in detail what should be done and why it should be done.

o How should it be done?

o When should it be done?

o Where should it be done?

o Who should do it?

(c) Undertake ranking of potential mitigation options

Discussion Guide: Medicinal Plants

(a) Discuss significance and availability of resource

Start the FGD by discussing with participants the importance of the resource to their livelihoods. Refer to the IFR handout.

· What significance does the collection of medicinal plants from the riverbank have for you? (Establish locations of other sources; probe for seasonal collection patterns.)

· Have you experienced a reduction in medicinal plants in the past? (Establish when and why reduction occurred.) If yes, how did you cope/react then in order to overcome the reduction?

· Are sufficient medicinal plants from the riverbank currently available or are you experiencing a reduction? If yes, why is the reduction occurring and what is being done to overcome it?

· What would happen if medicinal plants along the riverbank is significantly reduced?

(b) Confirm potential impact on resource and discuss possible solutions

Discuss the potential impact on the resource resulting from reduced river flows (refer to the IFR handout) and possible mitigation options to address the impact.

· Are there alternatives available that could mitigate the reduction of medicinal plants along the riverbank?

· If medicinal plants along the river bank are reduced, how could this best be mitigated? (Allow all participants to raise and discuss possible options, and examine the benefits and disadvantages of each option.)

o Please describe in detail what should be done and why it should be done.

o How should it be done?

o When should it be done?

o Where should it be done?

o Who should do it?

(c) Undertake ranking of potential mitigation options

Discussion Guide: Livestock & Grazing

(a) Discuss significance and availability of resource

Start the FGD by discussing with participants the importance of the resource to their livelihoods. Refer to the IFR handout.

· What significance does the river have for your livestock?

· What would a river with more parasites and poorer water quality mean to you? Have you experienced such a situation before? If yes, how did you cope with that?

· Are you currently experiencing a problem with grazing along the riverbank? If yes, why is this occurring and what is being done to overcome it?

· What would happen if grazing along the riverbank is reduced?

(b) Confirm potential impact on resource and discuss possible solutions

Discuss the potential impact on the resource resulting from reduced river flows (refer to the IFR handout) and possible mitigation options to address the impact.

· Are there alternative grazing and watering areas available? (Establish seasonal grazing/watering patterns and locations of other watering/grazing areas.)

· If grazing along the riverbank is reduced, how could this best be mitigated? (Allow all participants to raise and discuss possible options, and examine the benefits and disadvantages of each option.)

o Please describe in detail what should be done and why it should be done.

o How should it be done?

o When should it be done?

o Where should it be done?

o Who should do it?

(c) Undertake ranking of potential mitigation options

Discussion Guide: Sand

(a) Discuss significance and availability of resource

Start the FGD by discussing with participants the importance of the resource to their livelihoods. Refer to the IFR handout.

· What significance does the mining of sand from the riverbed have for you? (Establish locations of other sources; probe for seasonal collection patterns.)

· Have you experienced a reduction in available sand in the past? (Establish when and why reduction occurred.) If yes, how did you cope/react then in order to overcome the reduction?

· Is sufficient sand from the riverbed currently available or are you experiencing a reduction? If yes, why is the reduction occurring and what is being done to overcome it?

· What would happen if sand within the riverbed is significantly reduced?

(b) Confirm potential impact on resource and discuss possible solutions

Discuss the potential impact on the resource resulting from reduced river flows (refer to the IFR handout) and possible mitigation options to address the impact.

· Are there alternatives available that could mitigate the reduction of sand within the riverbed?

· If sand within the riverbed is reduced, how could this best be mitigated? (Allow all participants to raise and discuss possible options, and examine the benefits and disadvantages of each option.)

o Please describe in detail what should be done and why it should be done.

o How should it be done?

o When should it be done?

o Where should it be done?

o Who should do it?

(c) Undertake ranking of potential mitigation options

Discussion Guide: Fish

(a) Discuss significance and availability of resource

Start the FGD by discussing with participants the importance of the resource to their livelihoods. Refer to the IFR handout.

· What significance does fish and the catching of fish from the river have for you? (Establish locations of other sources; probe for seasonal collection patterns.)

· Have you experienced a reduction of fish in the river in the past? (Establish when and why reduction occurred.) If yes, how did you cope/react then in order to overcome the reduction?

· Are sufficient fish currently available or are you experiencing a reduction? If yes, why is the reduction occurring and what is being done to overcome it?

· What would happen if fish in the river are significantly reduced?

(b) Confirm potential impact on resource and discuss possible solutions

Discuss the potential impact on the resource resulting from reduced river flows (refer to the IFR handout) and possible mitigation options to address the impact.

· Are there alternatives available that could mitigate the reduction of fish in the river?

· If fish in the river are reduced, how could this best be mitigated? (Allow all participants to raise and discuss possible options, and examine the benefits and disadvantages of each option.)

o Please describe in detail what should be done and why it should be done.

o How should it be done?

o When should it be done?

o Where should it be done?

o Who should do it?

KINGDOM OF LESOTHO

LESOTHO HIGHLANDS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

LESOTHO HIGHLANDS WATER PROJECT

Proposed Community Consultation Brief and Methodology

March 2002

Metsi Consultants

Metsi Consultants is a joint venture of SMEC International Pty Ltd (Australia) and Southern Waters Ecological Research & Consulting Pty Ltd (South Africa)

Community Brief

(To be used at the pitso.)

Why have we come to visit you here?

What do we want to do here?

What we would like to talk about?

To be illustrated with posters and/or handouts

Topic 2: In which ways will the river change?

To be illustrated with posters and/or handouts