USAID/Southern Africa, in collaboration with the Development Grants Program (DGP), awarded 2 million USD to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to support the three-year project: A Water Secure Future for Southern Africa: Applying the Ecosystem Approach in the Orange-Senqu Basin. Working with local NGOs based in the four basin countries of Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, USAID will support scientific analysis and pilot programs that balance ecosystem requirements with human development needs to ensure efficient and lasting water provisioning services in priority areas in the basin.

Awareness raising and capacity building activities for ORASECOM (Orange Senqu River Basin Commission) and other key stakeholders will also be supported to enhance an integrated water management approach. Complementary activities in the Basin will be supported by the EU and GEF. 64% of the 1 million square kilometer Basin occurs in South Africa (25% Namibia, 8% Botswana, 3% Lesotho), providing critical water for mining and manufacturing industries, agriculture, energy, tourism, residential services, and conservation.