The rationale for use of decision support systems for water resources management in Uganda

Abstract

Water is a major factor in the socioeconomic development of the Ugandan society. The ever-increasing demand for water in Uganda requires that water-use efficiency should be improved. Management of water resources is a complex problem that typically involves the stakeholders' interests and a variety of fundamental environmental uncertainties. This calls for the application of an integrated approach to water-resource planning and management characterized by informed, fair, and equitable decision-making. There is a need to develop practical tools, and methodologies to underpin and support sustainable development and management of the country's water resources, in the form of comprehensive decision support systems (DSS) that integrate data and stakeholder development priorities. In spite of the rapidly advancing computer technology and the proliferation of software for decision support, relatively few DSSs have been developed, implemented, and evaluated in the field of water-resource management in Uganda. Tools should be tailored to the local conditions prevailing in the country and accommodate specific needs as identified by stakeholders in a participatory, bottom-up development framework. They should feature user interfaces that allow easy interaction, are simple enough to be used directly and mastered by local decision makers without the constant support of computer analysts, and present outputs in formats that are easy to interpret.