Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA) for Strengthening Climate-Resilient Water Management in the Great Ruaha River Basin (Tanzania)

The Great Ruaha River Basin is one of Tanzania’s most important river systems, supporting agriculture, hydropower generation, tourism, ecosystem services, and domestic water supply for millions of people. Increasing water abstraction, rapid population growth, and climate variability place growing pressure on water resources throughout the basin. Declining river flows and recurrent droughts affect local livelihoods, energy production, and ecosystem health, including the internationally important Ruaha National Park.

This project introduces the Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA) framework to support water management under conditions of climate uncertainty. CRIDA combines climate projections, vulnerability assessments, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive planning approaches to identify robust and flexible strategies that can strengthen long-term water security.

A central component of the initiative is the involvement of local communities, water user associations, basin authorities, government institutions, researchers, and key sectoral actors in a shared planning process. Participatory workshops and stakeholder dialogues create opportunities to connect scientific evidence with local knowledge, explore future climate risks, and jointly identify adaptation pathways.

The project brings together Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Sokoine University of Agriculture, the Ministry of Water of Tanzania, the Rufiji Basin Water Board, TANESCO, and TANAPA. Through this collaboration, the initiative seeks to strengthen climate-resilient water governance, improve dialogue across sectors, and support adaptive water management in one of East Africa’s most important river basins.