Workshop Objectives and Outcomes

During the opening session, a background and introduction to the objectives, outcomes, and instruction of workshop methods were presented by Mr. Jorge Bonilla and Mr. Pablo Gonzalez. Mr. Victor Brodersohn, Representative of the OAS Secretary General in Costa Rica, presided over the initial proceedings.

Reflecting the objectives of the IS/DWC, the general objectives of this workshop were to “initiate a dialogue among the water users and administrators in the SJRB.” In order to accomplish this objective for the basin, the workshop was to review a recent meteorological and socio-economic description of the basin and identify the “best practices” used by its institutions and communities to adapt to problems created by climate variability. In addition, the staff of PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN wished that the workshop participants identified concrete actions that could form part of the SJRB Strategic Action Program, whilst the governments hoped to identify guidelines for local, regional, and national policies and strategies to confront the problems created by climate variability. Outcomes expected from the workshop, therefore, were

• A continuing dialogue between the stakeholders in the basin concerning water and climate;
• A set of “best practices” that could be used to confront problems brought on by climate variability;
• Potential concrete actions for the SJRB Strategic Action Program; and,
• Suggestions for local and national policies and strategies to confront the problems brought on by climate variability.

Workshop Methods

Mr. Jaime Valverde, the Costa Rican consultant for institutional arrangements to PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN, introduced the discussion on how the meetings were to proceed in order to meet the workshop objectives. This process included three different mechanisms: (a) Presentations, (b) Panel Discussions, and (c) Plenary Dialogues. The two presentations centered on a climatological and socio-economic description of the San Juan River Basin as they were related to the threats and impacts of extreme climatic events and included first, a “library” analysis of the basin and second, the results of preliminary interviews conducted in both the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan portions of the basin.

Panels were formed according to the nine major themes of the workshop. All panels included three to four individuals from each of the two countries who were to exchange general information regarding the panel theme, and describe both positive and negative experiences related to the coping strategies used (or needed) in the basin. Panels were designated according to the following themes: potable water distribution and storage; water and health; water management and municipal governments; water, agriculture and livestock production; disaster prevention/mitigation/preparedness; management of small watersheds; water and tourism; and the crosscutting themes of migration and gender. Each panel was moderated by a member of the technical unit of PROCUENCA-SAN JUAN who introduced the specific themes. Panels were to identify best practices, actions to be considered in the Strategic Action Program, and guidelines for those government policies specifically concerned with the problems of migration and the vulnerability of social-economic infrastructure.

Discussion of these topics continued in the plenary sessions using a question and answer format where workshop participants interacted with members of the panels. A synthesis of the preliminary conclusions and recommendations was then assembled by the panel moderator.