Dr Gilbert Siame has first hand experience of flooding in Lusaka – flooding that has occurred almost annually since 2009. As a Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Zambia in Lusaka, and Director of the Centre for Urban Research and Planning Dr Siame is heading up a team who are investigating this flooding in two flood prone areas of the city: Kalikiliki and Kanyama. In particular the team are interested in how solid waste management affects flooding. Their work is part of a START funded project, under the umbrella of the FRACTAL programme, and their focus has been on co-producing relevant knowledge and solutions by bringing together residents, researchers, municipal authorities and other stakeholders.
Dr Siame is convinced that stakeholder commitment is key to solving future flooding. In a recent article from START, he comments, “The ties that have been created between the Lusaka City Council, the University of Zambia and the communities are a precious asset that will last and may be useful to solve other challenges in the future.”
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