The GFES initiative aims to support the collaboration between users and researchers in the earlier stages of water science and promote the assimilation of local knowledge and users experiences into research design to develop ideas for future India-UK water research. GFES will take the form of multi-day events designed to expose scientists to issues faced by water stakeholders at the ground level (for example, local municipal authorities, small and medium-sized enterprises, farmer associations) so as to understand the actual utility of scientific and policy outputs.
The IUKWC will be holding three GFES during late July to early August 2018 and is looking to shortlist two sectoral leads (one each from India and UK) to help design and implement each one. Ideally for each GFES we seek one individual with stakeholder engagement/social science and one with compatible technical expertise. The selected GFES lead will be expected to contribute to the planning of the initiative based on their evidence and experience and will help run the events in the field for one particular sector. The IUKWC will cover all costs for the events.
Applicants must be members of the Open Network of India-UK Water Scientists, which is open to any Indian-based or UK-based water scientist to join. Your application will be to be a sectoral lead for one of the three GFES events in India. The initiatives are planned to be spread over the Gangetic Plain Region agro–climatic zone of India, specifically the state of West Bengal, a region with substantial water related challenges.
The three separate but interconnected GFES events focusing on the following topics:
1) Flood Risk Management;
2) Agricultural Water Demand;
3) Water Pollution.
The GFES leads will get an opportunity to develop new research ideas and establish stakeholder links in West Bengal as well as develop linkages with other Indian and UK scientists interested in similar interests. Apart from this the leads will also benefit by being the co-author of IUKWC publications for their respective GFES event.
For further information on the initiative visit: www.iukwc.org