Hydrology and water management in the humid tropics: proceedings ...

Second International Colloquium on
Hydrology and Water Management in the Humid Tropics
Certainly UNESCO, at the international level, must continue to assist. The
present Colloquium is an aspect of that contribution. The opportunity afforded here for
extensive discussion of some major issues of humid tropic countries hopefully ensures
against mistakes that might be caused by the dominance of a single point of view. The
results of your deliberations can also help to establish a pattern of consistency for a
research program, and to keep the overall objectives of a water resources research
program in view.
I remind you, however, that the subjects of this Colloquium have been preassigned,
and as experts in these areas you will no doubt be concentrating on those
subjects. But it is quite possible that you will also see the need for other areas of
research – don’t let them slip by.
One of the questions you should keep in mind as you discuss what specific
research is needed is why these efforts should be supported. While there is no doubt that
this is a difficult question to answer, it is clear that you must all continue to sell the value
of the research rationally. It is a particularly difficult task for scientists because too
often the most popular research areas (as viewed by decision-makers in the political
arena or in the funding agencies) are not the ones that individual researchers would
necessarily view as the most important. Furthermore, there are problems that are ‘ripe’
for solving at a given time. In thinking of this in your discussion, give some thought as
to the possibility that real progress can be made, and where it might be needed most.
And while it is certainly not possible for you at this time to be specific, it would be of
great interest to know your thoughts concerning the level of funding that would be
required.
And now let me add a brief comment on a subject that should never be left out of
a rational program of research if it is to be sustainable. An extremely important part
of any scientific research program should always be the consideration of knowledge
transfer – getting the results out to those who need them and will hopefully be able to
use them and actually solve the problems. It must be an integral part of any valid
research program, and should certainly be considered in your discussions. Notice that I
said knowledge transfer and not simply information dissemination, or projects. No, a
basic prerequisite for success is to determine what is needed, and then the careful
selection of packages of measures for getting the right information to the right people or
agencies in the right form such that will use it. And, because a good knowledge transfer
program is circular, those people should also be involved in establishing what the real
problems are.
In 1991 I discussed the problems involved in establishing a program of
knowledge transfer as it pertained to the Humid Tropics Programme of UNESCO. I will
repeat them here, and suggest that you discuss them:
“The concept knowledge and technology transfer requires three major directions
for establishing the programme’s effectiveness in its interaction with its potential
users:
First, it calls for a systematic identification and regular updating of information
on the audience.
Second, it calls for an assurance that potential audiences and appropriate
transfer and communication mechanisms are systematically considered at
project planning stage, within an overall conceptual framework.
And third, it requires the regularization of a number of mechanisms, some of
which are new, for a more effective and efficient effort.
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