School of Geography and the Environment

Professor Rob Hope is Director of the Water Security Initiative at the School of Geography and the Environment and Director of the Water Programme at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. His research interests focus on water policy, poverty and economics, largely in Africa and Asia.

Rob is Director of the REACH programme, which is a £22m UK FCDO programme to improve water security for 10 million poor people between 2015-2024. His wider research has been funded by UKRI (ESRC, NERC), UNICEF, USAID, GIZ/BMZ and OECD.

In 2018, he was part of a research team with Engineering Science which won the inaugural University of Oxford's Vice Chancellor's Innovation Award. Between 2018 and 2022, he has served as an expert member of the ESRC International Development Expert Group for the GBP1 billion Global Challenges Research Programme, and between 2019-2021 as member of the UNICEF/WHO/World Bank global working group for Measuring and Monitoring Drinking Water Affordability for SDG6.

Rob has served as both the Academic Director and the Course Director for the MSc Water Science, Policy and Management (WSPM). He teaches and supervises students on WSPM and the MSc on Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment, and supervises a cohort of DPhil/PhD students.

Since 2016, Rob has been a Trustee of Water Services Maintenance Trust Fund in Kenya and, since 2020, a Trustee of the Uptime Catalyst Facility which has disbursed USD1 million for professional service providers providing reliable drinking water for 1.5 million people in 7 African countries.

• REACH - Improving Water Security for the Poor (FCDO, 2015-2024)
• NEWAVE - Water Governance (EU, 2019-2024)

• Armstrong, A., Dyer, E., Koehler, J. and Hope, R. (2022) Intra-seasonal rainfall and piped water revenue variability in rural Africa. Global Environmental Change, 76. 102592.
• Armstrong, A., Hope, R. and Koehler, J. (2022) Piped water revenue and investment strategies in rural Africa. Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 2. 035003.
• Chintalapati, P., Nyaga, C., Walters, J.P., Koehler, J., Javernick-Will, A., Hope, R. and Linden, K.G. (2022) Improving the Reliability of Water Service Delivery in Rural Kenya through Professionalized Maintenance: A System Dynamics Perspective. Environmental Science and Technology, 56(23): 17364-17374.
• Koehler, J., Nyaga, C., Hope, R., Kiamba, P., Gladstone, N., Thomas, M., Mumma, A. and Trevett, A. (2022) Water policy, politics, and practice: The case of Kitui County, Kenya. Frontiers in Water, 4.
• Sinha, R., Dadson, S., Hope, R. (2022) Does subjective well-being matter when assessing the impacts of irrigation infrastructure? Empirical evidence from Madhya Pradesh, India. Irrigation and Drainage.
• Armstrong, A., Hope, R. and Munday, C. (2021) Monitoring socio-climatic interactions to prioritise drinking water interventions in rural Africa. npj Clean Water, 4(10).
• Fischer, A., Hope, R., Thomson, P., Hoque, S.F., Alam, M., El Achi, N., Charles, K., Hakim, S., Islam, S.M., Nowicki, S., Salehin, M., Bradley, D., Ibrahim, M. and Chowdhury, E.H. (2021) Policy reform to deliver safely managed drinking water services for schools in rural Bangladesh. University of Oxford and UNICEF, Oxford, UK. REACH Working Paper 11.
• Grasham, C.F., Calow, R., Casey, V., Charles, K.J., de Wit, S., Dyer, E., Fullwood-Thomas, J., Hirons, M., Hope, R., Hoque, S.F., Jepson, W., Korzenevica, M., Murphy, R., Plastow, J., Ross, I., Ruiz-Apilánez, I., Schipper, E.L.F., Trevor, J., Walmsley, N. and Zaidi, H. (2021) Engaging with the politics of climate resilience towards clean water and sanitation for all. npj Clean Water, 4(42).
• Hope, R. and Ballon, P. (2021) Individual choices and universal rights for drinking water in rural Africa. PNAS, 118(40). e2105953118.
• Hope, R., Fischer, A., Hoque, S.F., Alam, M.M., Charles, K., Ibrahim, M., Chowdhury, E.H., Salehin, M., Mahmud, Z.H., Akhter, T., Thomson, P., Johnson, D., Hakim, S.A., Islam, M.S., Hall, J.W., Roman, O., Achi, N.E.and Bradley, D. (2021) Policy reform for safe drinking water service delivery in Bangladesh. University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. REACH Working Paper 9.
• Hoque, S., Peters, R., Whitehead, P., Hope, R. and Hossain, M.A. (2021) River pollution and social inequalities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Environmental Research Communications, 3(9). 095003.
• Hoque, S.F., Hope, R., Alam, M.M., Charles, K., Salehin, M., Mahmud, Z.H., Akter, T., Fischer, A., Johnson, D., Thomson, P., Zakaria, A., Hall, J., Garcia, O.R., Achi, N.E. and Jumlad, M. (2021) Drinking water services in coastal Bangladesh. University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. REACH Working Paper 10.
• McNicholl, D., Hope, R., Money, A., Lane, A., Armstrong, A., Dupuis, M., Harvey, A., Nyaga, C., Womble, S., Allen, J., Katuva, J., Barbotte, T., Lambert, L., Staub, M., Thomson, P. and Koehler, J. (2021) Delivering Global Rural Water Services through Results-Based Contracts. Uptime consortium Working Paper 3.
• Murgatroyd, A., Charles, K.J., Chautard, A., Dyer, E., Grasham, C., Hope, R., Hoque, S.F., Korzenevica, M., Munday, C., Alvarez-Sala, J., Dadson, S., Hall, J.W., Kebede, S., Nileshwar, A., Olago, D., Salehin, M., Ward, F., Washington, R., Yeo, D. and Zeleke, G. (2021) Water Security for Climate Resilience Report. University of Oxford: REACH, UK.
• Roman, O., Hoque, S.F., Ford, L., Salehin, M., Alam, M.M., Hope, R. and Hall, J.W. (2021) Optimizing rural drinking water supply infrastructure to account for spatial variations in groundwater quality and household poverty in coastal Bangladesh. Water Resources Research, 57(8). e2021WR029621.
• Sinha, R., Borgomeo, E., Fischer, C. and Hope, R. (2021) Do rehabilitated canals influence irrigation technology choices? Evidence from smallholders in Madhya Pradesh, India. Water Economics and Policy.
• Ferrer Ramos, N. Folch, A., Fernandez-Garcia, D., Lane, M., Thomas, M., Mwangi Gathenya, J., Wara, C., Thomson, P., Custodio, E. and Hope, R. (2020) Evidence of groundwater vulnerability to climate variability and economic growth in coastal Kenya. Journal of Hydrology, 586. 124920.
• Fischer, A., Hope, R., Manandhar, A., Hoque, S., Hakim, S.A., Foster, T., Islam, S. and Bradley, D. (2020) Risky responsibilities for rural drinking water institutions: the case of unregulated self-supply in Bangladesh. Global Environmental Change, 65. 102152.
• Hope, R., Thomson, P., Koehler, J. and Foster, T. (2020) Rethinking the economics of rural water in Africa. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 36(1): 171-190.
• Katuva, J., Hope, R., Foster, T., Koehler, J. and Thomson, P. (2020) Groundwater and welfare: A conceptual framework applied to coastal Kenya. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 10.
• Katuva, J., Hope, R., Foster, T., Koehler, J. and Thomson, P. (2020) Modelling Welfare Transitions to Prioritise Sustainable Development Interventions in Coastal Kenya. Sustainability, 12(17). 6943.
• Koehler, J., Thomson, P., Goodall, S., Katuva, J. and Hope, R. (2020) Institutional pluralism and water user behavior in rural Africa. World Development. 105231.
• Manandhar, A., Fischer, A., Bradley, D.J., Salehin, M., Islam, M.S., Hope, R. and Clifton, D.A. (2020) Machine Learning to Evaluate Impacts of Flood Protection in Bangladesh, 1983-2014. Water, 12(2).
• Manandhar, A., Greeff, H., Thomson, P., Hope, R. and Clifton, D. (2020) Shallow aquifer monitoring using handpump vibration data. Journal of Hydrology X, 8. 100057.
• Manandhar, A., Greeff, H., Thomson, P., Hope, R. and Clifton, D.A. (2020) Shallow aquifer monitoring using handpump vibration data. Journal of Hydrology X, 8. 100057.
• McNicholl, D., Hope, R., Money, A., Lane, A., Armstrong, A., Dupuis, M., Harvey, A., Nyaga, C., Womble, S., Allen, J., Katuva, J., Barbotte, T., Lambert, L., Staub, M., Thomson, P. and Koehler, J. (2020) Results-Based Contracts for Rural Water Services. Uptime consortium Working Paper 2.
• Ramos, N., Folch, A., Fernàndez-Garcia, D., Lane, M., Thomas, M., Gathenya, J., Wara, C., Thomson, P., Custodio, E. and Hope, R. (2020) Evidence of groundwater vulnerability to climate variability and economic growth in coastal Kenya. Journal of Hydrology, 586. 124920.
• Rampley, C.P.N., Whitehead, P.G., Softley, L., Hossain, M.A., Jin, L., David, J., Shawal, S., Das, P., Thompson, I.P., Huang, W.E., Peters, R., Holdship, P., Hope, R. and Alabaster, G. (2020) River toxicity assessment using molecular biosensors: Heavy metal contamination in the Turag-Balu-Buriganga river systems, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Science of The Total Environment, 703. 134760.
• Dadson, S.J., Garrick, D.E., Penning-Rowsell, E.C., Hall, J.W., Hope, R. and Hughes, J. (eds.) (2019) Water Science, Policy, and Management: A Global Challenge. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. ISBN: 9781119520603.
• Dadson, S.J., Penning-Rowsell, E.C., Garrick, D.E., Hope, R., Hall, J.W. and Hughes, J. (2019) Charting the World's Water Future? Chapter 20 in, Dadson, S.J., Garrick, D.E., Penning-Rowsell, E.C., Hall, J.W., Hope, R. and Hughes, J. (eds.) Water Science, Policy, and Management: A Global Challenge. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. pp. 363-366. ISBN: 9781119520603.
• Ferrer, N., Folch, A., Lane, M., Olago, D., Katuva, J., Thomson, P., Jou, S., Hope, R. and Custodio, E. (2019) How does water-reliant industry affect groundwater systems in coastal Kenya? Science of The Total Environment, 694.
• Hope, R. and Ballon, P. (2019) Global water policy and local payment choices in rural Africa. npj Clean Water, 2(21).
• Hope, R., Foster, T., Koehler, J. and Thomson, P. (2019) Rural Water Policy in Africa and Asia. Chapter 9 in, Dadson, S.J., Garrick, D.E., Penning-Rowsell, E.C., Hall, J.W., Hope, R. and Hughes, J. (eds.) Water Science, Policy and Management: A Global Challenge. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. pp. 159-179. ISBN: 9781119520603.
• Hoque, S. F. and Hope, R. (2019) Examining the economics of affordability through water diaries in coastal Bangladesh. Water Economics and Policy, 6(03).
• Hoque, S.F., Hope, R., Arif, S.T., Akhter, T., Naz, M. and Salehin, M. (2019) A social-ecological analysis of drinking water risks in coastal Bangladesh. Science of the Total Environment, 679: 23-34.
• McNicholl, D., Hope, R., Money, A., Lane, A., Armstrong, A., van der Wilk, N., Dupuis, M., Harvey, A., Nyaga, C., Womble, S., Favre, D., Allen, J., Katuva, J., Barbotte, T., Buhungiro, E., Thomson, P., and Koehler, J. (2019) Performance-based funding for reliable rural water services in Africa. Uptime consortium, Working Paper 1
• Sharma, P., Manandhar, A., Thomson, P., Katuva, J., Hope, R. and Clifton, D.A. (2019) Combining Multi-Modal Statistics for Welfare Prediction Using Deep Learning. Sustainability, 11(22). 6312.
• Thomson, P., Bradley, D., Katilu, A., Katuva, J., Lanzoni, M., Koehler, J. and Hope, R. (2019) Rainfall and groundwater use in rural Kenya. Science of The Total Environment, 649: 722-730.
• Whitehead, P.G., Bussi, G., Peters, R., Hossain, M.A., Softley, L., Shawal, S., Jin, L., Rampley, C.P.N., Holdship, P., Hope, R. and Alabaster, G. (2019) Modelling heavy metals in the Buriganga River system: Impacts of tannery pollution control. Science of the Total Environment, 697. 134090.
• Foster, T. and Hope, R. (2018) A critical mass analysis of community-based financing of water services in rural Kenya.
• Foster, T. and Hope, R. (2018) Evaluating waterpoint sustainability and access implications of revenue collection approaches in rural Kenya.
• Foster, T., Hope, R. (2018) A multi-decadal and social-ecological systems analysis of community waterpoint behaviours in rural Kenya.
• Foster, T., Willetts, J., Lane, M., Thomson, P., Katuva, J. and Hope, R. (2018) Risk factors associated with rural water supply failure: A 30-year retrospective study of handpumps on the south coast of Kenya. Science of The Total Environment, 626: 156-164.
• Hirpa, F.A., Dyer, E., Hope, R., Olago, D.O. and Dadson, S.J. (2018) Finding sustainable water futures in data-sparse regions under climate change: Insights from the Turkwel River basin, Kenya. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 19: 124-135.
• Hoque, S.F. and Hope, R. (2018) The water diary method – proof-of-concept and policy implications for monitoring water use behaviour in rural Kenya. Water Policy, 20(4): 725-743.
• Koehler, J., Rayner, S., Katuva, J., Thomson, P. and Hope, R. (2018) A cultural theory of drinking water risks, values and institutional change. Global Environmental Change, 50: 268-277.
• Shand, P., Darling, W.G., Smedley, P.L., Bath, A.H., Mather, J., Melo, T., Hinsby, K., Whitehead, P.G. and Hope, R. (2018) Professor W Mike Edmunds: a pioneer in applied hydrogeochemistry and champion of international collaboration. Hydrogeology Journal, 21(1): 351-356.
• Sinha, R., Gilmont, M., Hope, R. and Dadson, S. (2018) Understanding the effectiveness of investments in irrigation system modernization: evidence from Madhya Pradesh, India. International Journal of Water Resources Development.
• Whitehead, P.G., Bussi, G., Hossain, M.A., Dolk, M., Das, P., Comber, S., Peters, R., Charles, K.J., Hope, R., Hossain, S. (2018) Restoring water quality in the polluted Turag-Tongi-Balu river system, Dhaka: Modelling nutrient and total coliform intervention strategies. Science of The Total Environment, 631-632: 223-232.
• Colchester, F.E., Marais, H.G., Thomson, P., Hope, R. and Clifton, D.A. (2017) Accidental infrastructure for groundwater monitoring in Africa. Environmental Modelling and Software, 91: 241-250.
• Foster, T. and Hope, R. (2017) Evaluating waterpoint sustainability and access implications of revenue collection approaches in rural Kenya. Water Resources Research, 53(2): 1473-1490.
• Garrick, D.E., Hall, J.W., Dobson, A., Damania, R., Grafton, R.Q., Hope, R., Hepburn, C., Bark, R., Boltz, F., De Stefano, L., O'Donnell, E., Matthews, N. and Money, A. (2017) Valuing water for sustainable development. Science, 358(6366): 1003-1005.
• Hope, R. (2017) A poor choice? Public policy, social choice and the right to water. In, Langford, M. and Russell, A.F.S. (eds.) The Human Right to Water. Cambridge University Press. pp. 601-602. ISBN: 9780511862601.
• Foster, T. and Hope, R. (2016) A multi-decadal and social-ecological systems analysis of community waterpoint payment behaviours in rural Kenya. Journal of Rural Studies, 47(A): 85-96.
• Koehler, J., Thomson, P. and Hope, R. (2016) Mobilizing Payments for Water Service Sustainability. Chap. 6 in, Thomas, E.A. (ed.) Broken Pumps and Promises: Incentivizing Impact in Environmental Health. Springer International Publishing. pp. 57-76. ISBN: 978-3-319-28641-9.
• Kovacs, E.K., Kumar, C., Agarwal, C., Adams, W.M., Hope, R.A. and Vira, B. (2016) The politics of negotiation and implementation: a reciprocal water access agreement in the Himalayan foothills, India. Ecology and Society, 21(2): 37.
• Hope, R. (2015) Is community water management the community’s choice? Implications for water and development policy in Africa. Water Policy, 17(4): 664-678.
• Koehler, J., Thomson, P. and Hope, R. (2015) Pump-priming payments for sustainable water services in rural Africa. World Development, 74: 397-411.
• Colchester, F.E., Greeff, H., Thomson, P., Hope, R. and Clifton, D.A. (2014) Smart Handpumps: A Preliminary Data Analysis. IET Appropriate Healthcare Technologies (AHT), London.. 1-4.
• Hope, R. and Rouse, M. (2014) Risks and Responses to Universal Drinking Water Security. Ch. 39 in, Jägerskog, A., Swain, A. and Öjendal, J. (eds.) Water Security, Vol. 3: Water Security and Development. SAGE Publications Ltd. pp. 155-182. ISBN: 9781446293928. SAGE Library of International Security Series..
• Garrick, D. and Hope, R.A. (2013) Water security risk and response: the logic and limits of economic instruments. In, Lankford, B., Bakker, K., Zeitoun, M. and Conway, D. (eds.) Water Security - Principles, Perspectives and Practices. Routledge, London. 376 pp. ISBN: 978-0-415-53471-0.
• Hall, J., Grey, D., Garrick, D., Dadson, S. and Hope, R. (2013) Preface. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 371(2002): 1-2. This is one article from the Theme Issue ‘Water security, risk and society’.
• Hope, R. and Rouse, M. (2013) Risks and responses to universal drinking water security. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 371(2002): 1-23. This is one article from the Theme Issue ‘Water security, risk and society’..
• Foster, T., Hope, R., Thomas, M., Cohen, I., Krolikowski, A. and Nyaga, C. (2012) Impacts and implications of mobile water payments in East Africa. Water International, 37(7): 788-804.
• Hope, R., Foster, T. and Thomson, P. (2012) Reducing risks to rural water security in Africa. Ambio, 41(7): 773-776.
• Hope, R.A. (2012) Mobile Water for Development and Growth. Global Policy, Comment and Opinion Blog, Wiley-Blackwell.
• Hope, R.A., Foster, T., Money, A. and Rouse, M. (2012) Harnessing mobile communications innovations for water security. Global Policy, 3(4): 433-442.
• Thomson, P., Hope, R. and Foster, T. (2012) GSM-enabled remote monitoring of rural handpumps: a proof-of-concept study. Journal of Hydroinformatics, 14(4): 829-839.
• Thomson, P., Hope, R. and Foster, T. (2012) Is silence golden? Of mobiles, monitoring and rural water supplies. Waterlines, 31(4): 280-292.
• Vira, B., Adams, W., Agarwal, C., Badiger, S., Hope, R.A., Krishnaswamy, J. and Kumar, C. (2012) Negotiating trade-offs: making informed choices for ecosystem services. Economic and Political Weekly, XLVII(9): 67-75.
• Hope, R., Foster, T., Krolikowski, A. and Cohen, I. (2011) Mobile water payment innovations in urban Africa. School of Geography and the Environment and Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Saïd Business School, Oxford University, Oxford, UK. 35 pp.
• Hope, R., Foster, T., Money, A., Rouse, M., Money, N. and Thomas, M. (2011) Smart Water Systems. Oxford University, Oxford. 14 pp. Project report to UK DFID, April 2011.
• Edmunds, W.M. and Hope, R.A. (2010) Water sustainability and security in Africa. Chapter 7 in, Agyeman-Duah, I. (ed.) Pilgrims of the Night: Development challenges and opportunities in Africa. Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited. 224 pp. ISBN: 9780956240156.
• Hope, R.A., Borgoyary, M. and Agarwal, C. (2009) Incentives that work for farmers and wetlands. In, Kumar, P. and Muradian, R. (eds.) Payment for Ecosystem Services. Oxford University Press, Delhi. 324 pp. ISBN: 9780195698749.
• Hope, R.A., Frost, P.G.H., Gardiner, A. and Ghazoul, J. (2009) Experimental analysis of adoption of domestic mopane worm farming technology in Zimbabwe. Development Southern Africa, 26(1): 29-46.
• Mayers, J., Batchelor, C., Bond, I., Hope, R., Morrison, E. and Wheeler, B. (2009) Water ecosystem services and poverty under climate change: key issues and research priorities. International Institute for Environment and Development, London. 75 pp. ISBN: 978-1-84369-687-2. Natural Resource Issues, 17.
• Hope, R., Borgoyary, M. and Agarwal, C. (2008) Smallholder preferences for agri-environmental change at the Bhoj wetland, India. Development Policy Review, 26(5): 585-602.
• Hope, R.A., Jewitt, G.P.W. and Gowing, J.W. (2008) The contested future of irrigation in African rural livelihoods - analysis from a water scarce catchment in South Africa. Water Policy, 10(2): 173-192.
• Hope, R.A. (2007) Evaluating social impacts of watershed development in India. World Development, 35(8): 1436-1449.
• Hope, R.A., Porras, I., Borgoyary, M., Miranda, M., Agarwal, C., Tiwari, S. and Amezaga, J.M. (2007) Negotiating Watershed Services. International Institute for the Environment and Development, London. pp. 25. ISBN: 978-1-84369-677-3.
• Greiber, T., Hope, R.A. and Iza, A. (2006) Rules at work. In, IUCN (ed.) PAY - Establishing payments for watershed services. World Conservation Union, Gland.
• Hope, R.A. (2006) Evaluating water policy scenarios against the priorities of the rural poor. World Development, 34(1): 167-179.
• Hope, R.A. (2006) Water, workfare and poverty: the impact of the Working for Water Programme on rural poverty reduction. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 8: 139-156.
• Hope, R.A., Porras, I.T., Bergkamp, G. and Smith, M. (2006) Learning from experience in partnerships. In, IUCN (ed.) PAY - Establishing payments for watershed services. World Conservation Union, Gland.
• Hope, R.A., Porras, I.T., Bergkamp, G. and Smith, M. (2006) Learning from Partners and Experience. In, IUCN (ed.) PAY - A practitioners' guide for financing ecosystem services for water. World Conservation Union.
• Porras, I.T. and Hope, R.A. (2006) Roadmap towards agreement. In, IUCN (ed.) PAY - Establishing payments for watershed services. World Conservation Union, Gland.
• Hope, R.A., Porras, I.T., Miranda, M., Agarwal, C. and Amezaga, J. (2005) Are the poor benefiting from environmental service reward schemes? European Tropical Forestry Research Network, 45-46: 36-39.
• Hope, R.A. and Garrod, G.D. (2004) Household preferences to water policy interventions in rural South Africa. Water Policy, 6: 487-499.
• Hope, R.A., Jewitt, G.P.W. and Gowing, J.W. (2004) Linking the hydrological cycle and rural livelihoods: A case study in the Luvuvhu catchment, South Africa. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 29: 1209-1217.
• Hope, R.A. (2002) Wildlife harvesting, conservation and poverty: the economics of olive ridley egg exploitation. Environmental Conservation, 29(3): 375-384.