Ongoing Project/Grant - CSIR WATER The Water Research Institute (WRI) is one of the 13 institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It was formed in 1996 from the merger of the Institute of Aquatic Biology and the Water Resources Research Institute. WRI has a mandate to conduct research into water and related resources. WRI generates and provides scientific information, strategies and services toward the rational development, utilization and management of the water resources of Ghana in support of the socio–economic advancement of the country, especially in the agriculture, health, industry, energy, transportation, education and tourism sectors.

FUTUREDAMS: Design and Assessment of Resilient and Sustainable Interventions in Water-Energy-Food-Environment Mega-Systems

The FutureDAMS programme is a prestigious multidisciplinary initiative aimed at enhancing the design, selection, and operation of water-energy-food-environment systems, including dams, to maximize their economic, social, and environmental impacts. Funded by the UK Research Councils, this four-year programme (2017–2021) is being spearheaded by the Water Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-WRI) in Ghana in collaboration with the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and several other leading institutions across Europe, Africa, and Asia. By integrating expertise from the social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences, the programme fosters partnerships with academia, private organizations, and civil society to co-create impactful knowledge and build capacity for sustainable decision-making. Case studies have been implemented in the Volta Basin (West Africa), Nile Basin (East Africa), and Irrawaddy Basin (Asia), employing advanced methodologies such as multi-criteria decision-making models and political economy analysis to support progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

In Ghana, the programme was officially launched with a research symposium on 11th June 2018 at the ISSER Conference Hall, University of Ghana, Accra, followed by a stakeholder meeting on 12th June 2018 at the CSIR-STEPRI Conference Hall, Accra. These events brought together key stakeholders from the water, energy, food, and environment sectors, including representatives from the Volta River Authority, Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, and the Energy Commission of Ghana. The stakeholder engagement provided a platform to discuss how the outputs of FutureDAMS can support policymakers, planners, and managers in making informed decisions to enhance the sustainability and resilience of water-energy-food-environment systems. By building on the achievements of the WISE-UP programme, FutureDAMS seeks to strengthen its global impact while addressing regional challenges in the Volta Basin and beyond. Further information on the programme’s launch and stakeholder engagements can be found in media publications such as Graphic Online and MyJoyOnline.

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