Citizen Science for Water Security in a Changing Climate

Citizen Science for Water Security in a Changing Climate

Highlights from Our Nigeria–India–South Africa Collaboration

We recently completed a multi-country project exploring how climate change affects water security in low- and middle-income communities—and how local people can help shape the solutions.

Funded by the British Council and supported by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the project brought together researchers from Nigeria, India and South Africa alongside community partners, government representatives and public engagement teams.

‍

What We Did

Working in Ilaje (Nigeria), Nelvoi (India) and Nomathiya (South Africa), our team used participatory action research and citizen science to:

• map local water resources and risks
• document climate-related water challenges
• host workshops and dialogues with stakeholders
• co-create realistic, community-owned adaptation plans

In South Africa, the project was led by Dr Kingsley Orievulu, working in partnership with the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) Public Engagement Unit and the AHRI Community Advisory Board. Community volunteers played a key role, helping to map water points, identify hazards and build a shared understanding of local water insecurity.

Why It Matters

Across all three sites, climate change is intensifying water scarcity, affecting livelihoods, health and daily life. By involving communities directly, the project ensured that proposed solutions were relevant, practical and built on local knowledge—not imposed from outside.

Project Outputs

Our work produced a set of actionable resources:

• A comparative project report across all three countries
• An academic paper exploring cross-country insights
• Policy briefs and infographics for governments and decision-makers
• A practical community toolkit with simple, adaptable tools for citizen-led water monitoring and planning

The toolkit is designed for adults and children, easy to translate, and suitable for use in other LMIC settings.

ACU Climate Futures Event, Lagos (July 2025)

At the close of the project, researchers from 10 countries gathered at the University of Lagos for the ACU’s End-of-Project event. The three water-security teams presented their findings, connected with policymakers and academics, and helped launch a new collaborative initiative between the University of Warwick and the University of Lagos on localising water security solutions.

Key insights from Lagos included:

• Co-creation and community participation are essential for climate resilience
• Water security challenges demand interdisciplinary approaches
• Urban flooding and environmental degradation are growing concerns
• There is strong enthusiasm among LMIC researchers to drive climate solutions

Looking Ahead

This project demonstrated the power of citizen science and community collaboration in addressing climate-related water challenges. The relationships built, across continents and within communities, will continue to shape future research and action on water security.

‍