Capacity building and institutional development: reflections on water

The article reviews ideas about capacity building which have been articulated for the water sector, looking both at its essential elements and at practical approaches. Capacity is contrasted with capability, and the article goes on to look at three components of capacity building—increasing capability, the enabling environment and institutional development. Examples from the water sector are given to illustrate the points. The article concludes that these components are indeed important contributions to capacity building, but their relative importance will vary from one situation to another. In particular, institutional development must not always be accepted uncritically as a necessary part of capacity building.