INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF LAND BASED ACTIVITIES
IN THE SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER BASIN PROJECT
GEF/ANA/OAS/UNEP

Activity 4.1 Public Participation in the Basin Integrated Management

Executive Summary of the Final Report
CREATION OF A WEBPAGE FOR THE
SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER BASIN COMMITTEE

Brasília DF

CREATION OF A WEBPAGE FOR THE
SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER BASIN COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION
Activity 4.1 (Public Participation in the Basin Integrated Management) is part of Component IV
(Formulation of the Integrated Management Program) of the Integrated Management of Land
Based Activities in the São Francisco River Basin Project (GEF/ANA/OAS/UNEP), the GEF São
Francisco project. Its main objective is to identify and harmonize the development initiatives in
the Basin and adjacent coastal zone, promoting its strategic and rational integration, aiming at the
sustainable development of the Region.
The São Francisco Basin is one of the most important in Brazil, with a 640.000 km² drainage
area, corresponding to 7.55 % of the Country's total surface. There are around 16.14 million
inhabitants in the Region (9.5% of the Country's population), with the highest populational
density concentrated in Upper and Middle Sub-Regions (80% of the total).
There are a number of conflicts regarding the management, use and restrictions in the utilization
of the water, specially regarding those related to multiple objective uses. The Basin presents
some significant challenges, among which the need for definition of strategies for solving the
conflicts among the many users and reduce the insufficiency of water, while implementing basic
sanitation systems (both industrial and domestic).
Information and popular participation stand out as instruments for making the society take part in
the decision process, aimed at the sustainable use of the water resources. Information, with the
proper reflection, allows the citizens' awareness about the use, preservation and conservation of
those resources, permitting the understanding of the actual dimension of the water problem.
A informação, com a devida reflexão, oportuniza a conscientização do cidadão sobre o uso,
preservação e conservação dos recursos hídricos, bem como a compreensão da verdadeira
dimensão da problemática hídrica. These issues must be spread out at all levels and forms. The
electronic page is an efficient carrier of information about the São Francisco Basin, making them
available to all the society.

1.
ANTECEDENTS AND OBJECTIVES
The Terms of Reference elaborated by ANA for the creation of a webpage for the Committee of
the São Francisco River Basin included recommendations of improvements on the existing page.
The Term anticipated the inclusion of technical information about the basin and the presentation
i

of practices aiming at the Region's sustainable development, in addition to accounts on the
Activities of the GEF São Francisco Project.
In order to meet all the imposed requests, implementation of the following activities was
necessary:
· Translation of the original version of the electronic page, into both Spanish and English
languages, while making the necessary changes in the updating Windows;
· Making available technical information (maps, texts and reports), besides basic
statistical and social-economical data; and
· Creating links and discussion forums related to the integrated management and
sustainable development of the basin.

2.
THE SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER BASIN COMMITTEE
With the objective of harmonizing development initiatives in the São Francisco Basin, while
promoting their strategic and rational integration, aiming at the sustainable regional development,
the Basin's Committee was\created. The collegiate organism is composed by representatives of
the Public Powers, of the water users and of the civil organizations operating in the Basin.
The São Francisco River Basin Committee was created by a Presidential Decree, in the 5th of
June of 2001. Its provisory Directory Board, nominated by the Governmental Decree number
367, of the President of the National Water Resources Council, on the 4th of October of 2001, is
composed by 19 members. This Board includes representatives of the Union, of State and
Municipal Public Powers (from all States within the Basin), of water users and of civil
organizations in the Region.

3. THE
WEBPAGE
The webpage is an extremely important tool for spreading out the works done by the Committee.
Being an user friendly tool which allows quick responses, the page was created and hosted in the
site www.cbhsaofrancisco.org.br. It is presented in three idioms (Portuguese, English and
Spanish), as shown in Figure 1.

3.1 SYSTEM
WINDOWS
The whole design of the page was conceptualized in a way to make its utilization easy for the
users, while exploring a harmonic window with an attractive visual impact.

ii

Figure 1. Homepage of the site of the São Francisco River Basin Committee.

3.2
TECHNICAL REQUISITES OF THE WEBPAGE
The main requisites used as guidelines for development of the webpage are as follows:

· Rationality of the organization and handling of the information With well organized
information, the access and understanding by the general public becomes easy and
joyful, promoting a more effective integration among them and the Committee;
· Development based on information processing logic compatible with the support to the
implemented activities. This procedure permitted a more efficient and functional data
feeding dynamics, for inputting information on the activities of the Committee.
· Creation of a dynamic feedback based environment The purpose of this requisite is to
allow the updating of the presented information and of a set of indicators. Social,
economic, financial and technical indicators are to be used as support in the decision
making processes, at all management levels, providing managers and users with clear
and precise prognostics.

3.3 NAVIGATION
MAP
The webpage of the Committee presents the following structure:

iii

1) São Francisco River Basin Committee Homepage
2) The São Francisco River Basin
3)
Legislation
4)
Installation Process
5)
Current Composition
6)
Internal Regulations
7)
Agenda
8)
Aid memoir of meetings
9)
Deliberations
10) Integration Accords
11) Sub-Basin Committees
12) Programs, Projects and the GEF
13) Discussion Forum
14) Links
15) Talk to us

4. DEVELOPED
SYSTEM
The system was developed in a web platform (Internet or Extranet). In addition to the concern
with esthetics and functionality of the system, to assure meeting the needs of the users and
allowing updating in a dynamic and easy way, safety aspects were observed.

5. ACCESS
STATISTICS
5.1 MOST SOLICITING COUNTRIES
From December of 2002 through February of 2003, there occurred an average of 1,460 monthly
visits to the page. Among those, 75% were originated in Brazil, 22% in the United States. These
statistics are presented in Charts 1, 2 and 3, ahead.

iv

Chart 1. Accesses to the São Francisco River Basin Committee, discriminated by Country,
in December of 2002.
Rank
Most frequent accesses
Nr of visits
%
1.
Brazil,BR
1.137
74.41%
2.
United States
373
24.41%
3.
Saudi Arabia
5
0.32%
4.
Mexico
4
0.26%
5.
Portugal
3
0.19%
6.
Danmark
1
0.06%
7.
Sweden
1
0.06%
8.
Italy
1
0.06%
9.
Peru
1
0.06%
10.
Colombia
1
0.06%
11.
Chile
1
0.06%

Total
1.528
100%

Chart 2. Accesses to the page in January of 2003.

Rank
Most frequent accesses
Nr of visits
%
1.
Brazil
1.296
75.52%
2.
United States
389
22.66%
3.
Mexico
7
0.4%
4.
Germany
7
0.4%
5.
Portugal
6
0.34%
6.
France
3
0.17%
7.
Austria
2
0.11%
8.
Switzerland
2
0.11%
9.
Belgium
1
0.05%
10.
United Kingdom
1
0.05%
11.
Netherlands
1
0.05%
12.
Norway
1
0.05%

Total
1.716
100%

Chart 3. Accesses to the page in February of 2003.

Rank
Most frequent accesses
Nr of visits
%
1.
Brazil
854
75.17%
2.
United States
258
22.71%
3.
Mexico
5
0.44%
4.
Portugal
4
0.35%
5.
Argentine
3
0.26%
6.
Canada
3
0.26%
7.
Chile
2
0.17%
8.
Spain
1
0.08%
9.
Israel
1
0.08%
10.
Uruguay
1
0.08%
11.
Japan
1
0.08%
12.
France
1
0.08%
13.
Colômbia.CO
1
0.08%
14.
AU
1
0.08%

Total
1.136
100%

v

5.2 SUMMARY OF OPERATION
It consists of a summary of log of activity of the Server, comparing the levels of activity on
weekdays and on weekends.

6. CONCLUSIONS
· Development of a homepage for the São Francisco River Basin Committee as an
alternative for passing the necessary information regarding the formation of institutional
instruments for management of the water resources. This page, still under construction,
allows a critical analysis of the Committee's provisory Directory and of the ANA's
technical team.
· It represents an innovation, both in the creation of a Committee with the scope and
importance of the São Francisco's and in the construction of an interactive electronic
page. This experience created the opportunity to criticize the process. The Committee's
election process and the inclusion of technical information by the GEF São Francisco
Project favored a dynamic development and improved work conditions.
· The statistics of accesses to the site in English and Spanish languages attest the
importance of the feature. There has been an average of 400 accesses by users from
other countries, interested in the Committee's dynamics, which might allow an exchange
of experiences in the water resources management.
· The implementation of this instrument contributes to several objectives of the
management system, such as:
Making available information about water in the Basin.
Allowing the transparency of the Committee's actions.
Promoting events and projects to be implemented or in operation.
The possibility of interaction with the local community, viewing the improvement of
the management process.
Augmenting the scientific knowledge and academic actions in the Basin.
Increasing the possibility of a democratic behavior in the management process.
Implementing actions aimed at the integrated management of the water resources.
Allowing inter-institutional articulations.

vi

· This page will provide instant pictures of situation of the water resources management in
the São Francisco Basin, which has become famous for the many studies and
developments, not necessarily coherent and convergent. The page will try, in the most
daring and practical way, to put together, in a vast library, all academic activities,
development projects, social movements and practices affecting the life of the Basin's
population.
· Implementation of the page will contribute to better institutional relations and interaction
with governmental programs, permitting the discussion and evaluation of activities
carried out in the context of the Committee.
· The website will be a dynamic, agile, transparent, democratic and, maybe, popular tool,
helping the Committee in the implementation of its attributions: harmonizing uses,
minimizing conflicts, planning the sustainable development, deliberating about
investments, supervising anthropic actions and discussing relevant issues in the Basin.
· This page will never be finished. There will always be new updates, for better serving
the dynamics of the processes in the Basin, being this the main objective of the works
here presented.

7. RECOMMENDATIONS
For the sustainability of a project with the scope of the Webpage of the São Francisco's
Committee, some important aspects must be observed, or it will become obsolete in a short time.
For establishing a flow of information, necessary for the new contributions and updates in the
electronic page, it is indispensable a communication channel for the Municipalities, Committees,
Sub-Committees, public institutions in general (and with ANA in particular), international
organisms and the society. The recommendations ahead are aimed at augmenting and making
more dynamic the utilization of electronic media (Internet), as an extremely important and
effective vehicle in the communication processes.

7.1 EXTRANET DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation of an Extranet is of great importance in the evolution of the advertisement
processes, as a way of cutting costs and improving communication, besides integrating in a more
dynamic way all the involved actors. It will allow an exchange of information in real time,
making possible, to everybody, the access to current information.
For structuring the Extranet, it is suggested a model linking the Municipalities to the Sub-
Committees, the Sub-Committees to the Committee, and so on. This way, information will flow
in both directions, serving the entire network of people involved and interested in the Basin's
development.

vii

7.2 STRUCTURE AND CAPACITATION
To build a structure of such dimension and reach, a significant volume of investment will be
required. A\critical issues regarding the development of the proposed alternative is the creation of
basic interconnection infrastructure (office, computer, required software applications and internet
connection). It will be necessary to qualify local personnel for operation and maintenance of the
system (data updating, information replacement, support and answers to users, etc.).

7.3 SUGGESTED
FEATURES
An extranet with such scope will be able to attend diverse purposes, among which we may
mention the following, for analysis and reflection:
· Exchange of general information: The Net may be used for fast , safe and economic
communication among the several actors involved
· Accountancy and presentation of projects: It will be useful, as a safe and audited
ambient, for presentation of projects, accounting for used funds and notification of
expected releases.
· Collection of information in real time: It may be used as a databank of general
information, which may be accessed by technicians, users and people with interests in
the basin..
· Forums and discussion lists: Also in a safe and audited ambient, discussions about topics
of regional interest may be amplified, obtaining greater involvement and participation of
the diverse segments of the society. Additionally, it would allow the creation of new
forums, to discuss specific matters.

With the Extranet integrating the diverse Municipalities in the Region, the possibilities of
Exchange of information becomes immensurable For the near future, it is suggested a clear
separation between the Internet (webpage) and the Extranet (safe, audited and private
communication network), in a way that information inputted in the latter shows in the electronic
page, strengthening the communication among the interested.
The implementation of an Extranet is justified by a number of reasons. Among those, the
following are presented for reflection:
· The system's operation and maintenance by local individuals/agents, who understand the
local reality and problems, contributes to the focus on current issues of the interest of the
local communities.
· A considerable gain in the quickness with which information is spread out and accessed.
· The reduced communications cost.

viii

· The greater control over processes and products.
· Spreading of regulations, public programs of the interest of the communities, of courses
and opportunities, as well as of new practices which may contribute to the sustainable
development.
The Extranet might attend other governmental needs, contributing to programs of national
interest, such as the "Zero Hunger".

7.4 STRUCTURE
Each Municipality will have a personalized homepage, with local information, such as
population, index of illiteracy, birth rate, infant death rate, social projects under way, situation of
the water, economy, location (maps and pictures) and activities related to the management of the
water resources.

7.5 INVESTIMENTOS
ESTIMADOS
After a brief analysis, it is believed that the investments, including structuring of the Extranet,
acquisition of equipment, creation of the personalized homepages, training and capacitation of
personnel (2 persons), will be around US$5,900 (fifty nine hundred dollars) per Municipality. It
was used the exchange rate of R$3.60 per dollar.

7.6 THE CURRENT WEBPAGE
In order to assure the continuity of the current webpage, the following simple actions are
suggested and recommended:
· Continuously presenting the news on the status of processes under deliberation by the
Committee;
· Implementing databanks of information on the projects and programs under way in the
Basin, through links with the RISF (São Francisco Information Network), a metadata
system developed with support from the GEF São Francisco Project;
· Implementing links with partners in the Basin;
· The encouragement for thematic discussions in the Forum, promoting consultations for
improvement and for subsidizing discussions in the Committee;

ix

· Incentive for implementing and updating the cadastration of water users, contributing to
the improvement of the system for concession of water rights;
· The advertisement all actions of the Committee and of its Technical Chambers;
· Linking this electronic page with the pages of the Sub-Basins` Committees; and
· Continuous changes in format and content of the page, in a way to maintain it
technologically updated and coherent with the requisites of a social divulgation
instrument.
The required investment for implementing the above recommendations and for maintaining the
system for the next 12 months is U$ 4,300 (forty three hundred dollars).
x