The implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management remains insufficient in many cases. In addition to an inadequate institutional basis for governance and participation, it is often the lack of necessary competences, which lead to unsustainable activities. Existing knowledge concerning water must be continuously passed on, adapted and extended. This involves both the people who use the water as well as the organizations and companies supplying it. In the end, the determining factors are the surrounding social conditions. Therefore, improvements in water management can only succeed as part of a multi-level campaign. In this respect, the capacities of individuals, institutions and society as a whole to appraise, revise and implement the available options are of vital importance.
The process of extending existing competence, strengthening skills, learning from experience, generating new knowledge and then identifying and addressing water-related problems can only be tackled in a comprehensive manner. The generic term for all these facets is Capacity Development. (UNDP 2009, UFZ 2013)

Capacity Development plays a key role in target/problem-oriented research and the sustainable implementation of research results. Accompanying targeted, customized Capacity Development measures ensure that:

• local authorities and stakeholders receive all needed information, knowhow and training for decision making processes with regard to the meaningful deployment of the developed technologies and management tools.
• local capacity increases receiving further trainings in operation and maintenance of facilities or further training on academic level with regard to sustainability beyond project ends.
• local population is properly taken into account to enhance public awareness and change behavior with a view to future essential skills and abilities. (UFZ 2016)

For the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) the capacity development process consists of five steps that are embedded into a policy advisory analysis and programming process. These five steps are shown in the figure below.

By clicking below you can find the main principles, which have to be followed according to capacity development.

• 10 default principles for capacity development