Member States meet to review final E-flows framework and JBS outcomes

Summary

LIMCOM Environment Specialist, Mr. Zvikomborero Manyangadze, said the workshop will examine how changes in river health have affected the ecosystem, providing a management basis for improved sustainability across the basin and generate the scenarios needed to achieve greater environmental security in the basin

The Limpopo River Basin, like many other river systems in southern Africa faces significant pressures from land degradation, elevated sediment transport and competing water demands.

Two critical tools — Environmental Flows (Eflows) framework and a Joint Basin Survey (JBS) — together with other initiatives provide essential pathways for safeguarding the river’s ecological integrity for present and future generations.

LIMCOM, which manages the sustainable use and protection of the river on behalf of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe is actively adopting and employing both tools to manage its shared water resources.

Eflows define the quantity and quality of water needed to keep freshwater and estuarine ecosystems healthy, providing a framework that balances human consumption with ecological resilience.

On the other hand, a JBS is a coordinated scientific effort that provides critical water quality and ecosystem health data, offering insights into the state of a river system and informing policymaking on how to preserve and enhance the basin’s ecological, hydrological and socio‑economic well‑being.

These tools are, therefore, complementary, with the JBS generating the necessary data, while Eflows translate that information into actionable strategies and the implementation framework required to improve basin flow conditions.

LIMCOM undertook its first JBS between August 2024 and April 2025. Prior to this, studies were completed to identify the capacity needs of its Member States to strengthen joint environmental water management practices and co-develop a holistic Eflows framework for the basin.

To review and adopt the outcomes of both tools, LIMCOM Member States are convening in Gaborone, Botswana on 27-31 July 2026. The workshop brings together members of the LIMCOM Environmental Monitoring Task Team, LIMCOM Legal Team, Technical Task Teams and experts from the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

LIMCOM Environment Specialist, Mr. Zvikomborero Manyangadze, said the workshop will examine how changes in river health have affected the ecosystem, providing a management basis for improved sustainability across the basin and generate the scenarios needed to achieve greater environmental security in the basin

“The main objective of the workshop is for Member States to demonstrate ownership of the process by presenting their perspectives on the final Eflows and JBS outcomes and agree on the development, structure and content of the Eflows harmonization Agreement for shared implementation,” he said.

Development of a harmonized Eflows framework and JBS for the basin was conducted under the project, “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin.”