Water security research in Trinidad and Tobago

It's been a while since my last post. School has been incredibly hectic. However, much is being learned and not enough time to absorb it. A lot of information and courses and information intersect with each other which is incredibly helpful to getting a whole picture of how things are all interrelated. My program is a huge advocate of experiential learning, immersive learning, in the field, which, after teaching English overseas I can see the benefits of it. In fact, it's probably the best way to learn.

University of Waterloo had sent me and my class down to Trinidad Tobago to research and study the water insecurity issues on the island. There are several different aspects to supplying and accessing potable water. Surprisingly, they are very strict with their water and is WHO (World Health Organization) compliant, ie; you can drink straight from the tap... which I did.

One of the chaperones on this trip came with to help organize and document the trip from a 3rd party perspective had written an article about the trip. Reproduced with permission, this summarizes the whole trip.

Author: Uzair Jaffer

In the midst of the dry season in Trinidad and Tobago, seventeen graduate students from the Master of Development Practice (MDP) program engaged themselves in understanding the real-life challenges of water management on the islands.

Embarking on February 16th for a six day experiential learning experience, MDP and several Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) students enrolled in course INDEV608, Water and Security, had the chance to apply theory to practice while collecting data for research. The trip was led by course instructor, Marie Claire Brisbois and co-led by MDP alumnus, Uzair Jaffer.

In Trinidad, the students had an in-depth look at municipal water purification during a visit to a major treatment facility. Additionally, they examined the inner-workings of an innovative commercial aquaponics farm, toured an agricultural field research station and consulted experts at the Faculty of Food and Agriculture at the University of West Indies on their respective research topics.

While in Tobago during the latter half of the trip, students were exposed to island-specific challenges in water resource management at another treatment facility and at a local office of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. Lastly, students explored the intersection between water and tourism during an information session with the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association. Before and after each site visit, students reflected on what they had learned and critically analyzed observations.

Upon returning to Canada, participating students had a greater understanding of the following topics in relation to water in Trinidad and Tobago: sanitation and treatment, agriculture, sustainability, conservation, scarcity, tourism, and managing competing interests.

Field learning experiences like these are an integral part of the MDP program at the University of Waterloo, where students gain first-hand experience of integrated development approaches. To learn more, please visit the program’s official website.