Search

In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Balcha, Y. (Comps.). Irrigation and water for sustainable development: proceedings of the Second Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15-16 December 2008. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Agriculture is the most significant contributor to Ethiopia’s economy. Most of the agricultural production is under rainfed conditions and thus extremely sensitive to rainfall variability. Irrigation development, including smallholder irrigation, is used by the Ethiopian Government to attempt to mitigate the effects of rainfall variability. In this study, we look at smallholder irrigation - modern and traditional irrigation systems. A detailed description of the cropping patterns is given. The stochastic frontier production function approach is used to estimate technical inefficiency, and constraints to production are analyzed. Since the traditional system is found to be efficient but on a lower production frontier, the study shows that significant gains can be made by raising the frontier of the traditional systems and increasing the efficiency of the modern systems. Among the production constraints studied were land preparation, soil fertility, weed control, pests and diseases, soil erosion, input access and moisture deficiency. The most significant constraints on the irrigated systems were input access and moisture deficiency.

It is the belief of many analysts that agrarian countries like Ethiopia that depend on rain-fed agriculture are significantly vulnerable to rainfall variability, the risk which tends to aggravate with global climate change. Consequently, it is believed that future increases in food supplies and economic prosperity depend heavily on effective agricultural water management. It is with this in mind that the use of low-cost technologies for rainwater and runoff control, storage, water lifting, conveyance and application have become more widespread in Ethiopia since the recent drought of 2002/2003. A range of technologies are currently used with varying levels of impacts. This paper outlines an inventory, characterization, suitability and upscaling aspects of Agricultural Water Management Technologies (AWMT) in Ethiopia. Particular characteristics of each of the technologies, their suitability for a given environment, and the necessary conditions for their successful adoption and scaling up are identified. Furthermore, a variety of combinations of technologies used for control or storage, lifting, conveyance and application of rainwater are documented. Suitability of a technology in a particular environment depends on many factors, such as, the nature of technical complexity, the existing institutional and individual capacity to implement, the costs and benefits, etc. Technical considerations include implementation (set up), operation and maintenance, affordability and environmental impact. The results of a ranking exercise of the technical complexity of a given technology are presented. Concerns related to waterborne and water-related diseases due to stagnation, water quality and possibility of mosquito breeding are discussed. Households in some parts of Ethiopia, who have practiced improved agricultural water management suitable to their local conditions, have managed to diversify their incomes through beekeeping, livestock, intercropping cash crops with food crops and setting up shops, hotels and flour mills in the nearby towns or villages. Therefore, AWMT at smallholder level meet the intended purpose, provided that they are suitable and adaptable to the local circumstances. The question is which of the technologies are suitable to which area under what socioeconomic conditions?, In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Balcha, Y. (Comps.). Irrigation and water for sustainable development: proceedings of the Second Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15-16 December 2008. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Lake Tana, located in the headwaters of the Blue Nile, is valuable for many people including the communities who live around the lakeshore and those who live immediately downstream. The area has been identified as a region for hydropower and irrigation development, vital for economic growth in Ethiopia. A multidisciplinary study was conducted to assess the possible impacts of this development. This study found that current development has benefited some local people but adversely affected others. Future development will exacerbate pressure on the lake. Hard choices must be made about how the water is best utilized. It is important that all stakeholders, including local people, are involved in the decision-making process.

Irrigation development is seen as one of the means to reduce poverty and promote economic growth. While a lot of effort is exerted towards irrigation development, little attempt is done to quantify the contribution of irrigation to national income in Ethiopia. This study is an attempt to quantify the actual and expected contribution of irrigation to the Ethiopian national economy for 2005/06 cropping season and 2009/10 using adjusted net gross margin analysis. Our results show that irrigation in the study sites generates an average income of about USD 323/ ha. This compares to the calculated gross margin for rainfed which is USD 147/ha. This indicates that after accounting for annual investment replacement cost net gross margin from irrigation is more than twice higher than gross margin from rainfed agriculture. On the contribution of irrigation to national economy, in 2005/06 smallholder irrigated agriculture contributed about 262.3 million USD. This accounts for about 4.46 percent of the agricultural GDP in 2005/2006 and 1.97 percent of the total overall GDP. The total income earned from large scale schemes is estimated to be about 74.0 million USD. This accounts for about 1.26 percent of the agricultural and 0.5 percent of the total GDP respectively. Overall, the contribution of irrigation to agricultural and total national GDP was about 5.7 and 2.5 percent during the 2005/06 cropping season. As a result of expansion, by the year 2009/2010 the expected contribution of smallholder managed irrigation to national economy, assuming that exiting cropping pattern, and the average gross margin values for different crop categories are still valid, is expected to increase from USD 262.3 million in 2005/2006 to about USD 414.2 million in 2009/2010, which accounts to about 5.5 percent of the agricultural GDP and 2.3 of the overall GDP for the same year. On the other hand, the contribution coming from the large scale sugar growing estates in 2009/2010 is estimated to be USD 217.5 million which amounts to 2.9 and 1.2 percent of the agricultural and overall GDP respectively. Similarly the contribution coming from large scale commercial farms growing crops other than sugar cane is expected to increase to USD 35.8 million in 2009/2010 which accounts to 0.4 and 0.2 percent of the agricultural and overall GDP respectively. This implies that large scale commercial farms will contribute about 3.3 and 1.4 of the agricultural and overall GDP respectively. In summary, our results indicate that under conservative estimates the future contribution of irrigation to agricultural and overall GDP will be about 9 and 3.7 percent respectively. When some of the assumptions related to cropping pattern, input and output prices, 128 and efficiency levels are relaxed, the contribution of smallholder managed irrigation to agricultural and overall GDP will vary between 4 to 6 and 1.8 to 1.9 percent respectively. Similarly, the contribution from large scale irrigation to agricultural and overall GDP will be in the range of 3 to 6 and 1.2 to 2.5 percent respectively. Overall, the future contribution of irrigation to agricultural GDP will be in the range of 7 to 12 percent while the contribution to overall GDP will be in the range of about 4 percent. To enhance the contribution of irrigation to national economy, besides increasing the presence of physical water infrastructure, however, there is a need to: i) improve provision of agricultural inputs, ii) promote high value crops through the extension system, iii) create good market conditions, and iv) increase the efficiency of small and large schemes., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

With its total area of about 200,000 square kilometers (km2), which is 20% of the country’s land mass, and accommodating 25% of the population, the Upper Blue Nile Basin (Abbay) is one of the most important river basins in Ethiopia. About 40% of agricultural products and 45% of the surface water of the country are contributed by this basin. However, the characteristic-intensive biophysical variation, rapid population growth, land degradation, climatic fluctuation and resultant low agricultural productivity and poverty are posing daunting challenges to sustainability of agricultural production systems in the basin. This calls for technological interventions that not only enhance productivity and livelihoods in the basin, but also bring about positive spillover effects on downstream water users. In this study, the farming systems in the basin have been stratified and characterized; and promising agricultural water management technologies, which may upgrade the productivity of smallholder rainfed agriculture while improving downstream water quality, have been identified. As a consequence, supplementary and full irrigation using rainwater and drainage of waterlogged soils are recognized as being among the promising agricultural water management technologies that can be easily scaled-up in the basin. The magnitude of the impacts of these technologies on the productivity of the upstream farming systems and the concomitant effects on the downstream water flow and quality are under investigation, assuming an assortment of scenarios., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Fernando, Ashra (Comps.). Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian highlands: its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile. Intermediate Results Dissemination Workshop held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 5-6 February 2009. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

The riparian countries of the Nile have agreed to collaborate in the development of its water resources for sustainable socioeconomic growth. Currently there is significant potential for expansion of hydropower and irrigation in the Blue Nile River in both Ethiopia and Sudan. However, the likely consequences of upstream development on downstream flows have not been fully assessed and the water resource implications of development in both countries are unclear. Against this background, the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) model was used to provide an assessment of both the current situation and a future (2015) scenario. The future scenario incorporated new irrigation and hydropower schemes on the main stem of the Nile and its principal tributaries. Data for all existing and planned schemes were obtained from the basin master plans as well as from scheme feasibility studies. Water use was simulated over a 32-year period of varying rainfall and flow. Preliminary results indicate that currently irrigation demand in Sudan is approximately 8.5 Bm3y-1 for 1.16 million hectares (mha). This compares to a total irrigation demand in Ethiopia of just 0.2 Bm3y-1. By 2015, with many existing schemes being extended in Sudan and new schemes being developed in both countries, irrigation demand is estimated to increase to 13.4 Bm3y-1 for 2.13 mha in Sudan and 1.1 Bm3y-1 for 210 thousand hectares (tha) in Ethiopia. The flow of the Blue Nile is estimated to decline from an average of 46.9 Bm3y-1 to 44.8 Bm3y-1 at the Ethiopia-Sudan border and from a current average of 43.2 Bm3y-1 to 36.2 Bm3y-1 at Khartoum (including evaporation from all reservoirs). Although total flows are reduced, greater regulation results in higher dry season flows at both locations., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Fernando, Ashra (Comps.). Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian highlands: its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile. Intermediate Results Dissemination Workshop held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 5-6 February 2009. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Transboundary water resource governance is premised on equitable water and water-related benefit sharing. Using the case of the Blue Nile (Ethiopia and Sudan), we explore the conceptual issues that need consideration in the crafting of cross-border cooperation within the water sector. First, drawing on global experiences with transboundary water management, we evaluate how upstream and downstream concerns are addressed by transboundary water management institutions. Second, we explore the kinds of institutional design and the issues which need to be considered to result in ‘win-win’ scenarios for both upstream and downstream users, as well as the mechanisms of benefit sharing negotiated amongst different stakeholders. Third, we examine ways of addressing equity and livelihoods in transboundary institutional arrangements. Finally, we attempt to assess how transboundary institutions can address broader historical, political and economic issues and their implications for sustainable transboundary water governance. This paper raises key issues that need to be addressed in establishing transboundary governance institutions., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Fernando, Ashra (Comps.). Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian highlands: its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile. Intermediate Results Dissemination Workshop held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 5-6 February 2009. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Land and water institutions play a vital role in managing and sustaining land and water resources as well as enhancing economic development and poverty alleviation efforts. While a lot has been done in terms of understanding the micro-determinants of farmers’ decisions in land and water conservation, there is little attempt to understand the broad macro-institutional and organizational issues that influence land and water management decisions. The objective of the study was to assess institutional arrangements and challenges for improved land and water management in the Ethiopian part of the Blue Nile Basin (Tana and Beles subbasins). Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were held in Amhara and Benishangul Gumuz regions with important stakeholders such as the bureaus of Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources Development, Environmental Protection and Land Use Administration (EPLUA), National Agricultural Research Systems, and important NGOs, operating in the area of land and water management, and selected community members. As the major findings in this study, we outlined major land and water-related institutional arrangements that are currently in place and their design features, in order to identify those institutions related to superior performance. We highlighted major institutional and policy gaps and actions that are required to respond to emerging issues of environmental degradation, upstream/downstream linkages and climate change. Such analysis of institutions and their design features provides useful insights and contributes to the debate on institutional reform for improved land and water management in the Blue Nile Basin, in general. By doing so, it identifies the gaps in institutional arrangements and policies and potential remedies., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Fernando, Ashra (Comps.). Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian highlands: its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile. Intermediate Results Dissemination Workshop held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 5-6 February 2009. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

The study examined the extent and nature of market oriented production in irrigated compared to rainfed systems in Ethiopia. By doing so the paper identifies the role of irrigation in market-oriented production, while at the same time highlighting the main constraints to market oriented development. Our results indicate that irrigation contributes significantly to increases in market participation, volume of marketed produce and, hence, income, by inducing shifts in farmers’ cropping mix. The impact of commercialization of production on household food security is not direct and immediate mainly because of failures in the food market. While irrigation enhances market production, there are series of factors that pose serious constraints to market production. Land size, oxen holding, access to market and means of transport were found to be important determinants of market oriented production calling for policy interventions in land markets, access to productive assets and infrastructure development and policy measures to improve the performance of agricultural markets. The study also found education has market promoting effect in terms of increasing the probability of participation and volume of sale. Increased support to education can, thus, help in the long-term to transform traditional subsistence agriculture into more market-oriented agriculture. Finally there are unobserved site specific effects, related to location and other covariates, which influence market participation and volume decisions., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Through rapid assessment of existing literature and review of policy and other official documents, the report synthesizes the existing knowledge and gaps on policies and institutions and identifies key research issues that need in-depth study. The report provides an overview of the range of key livelihoods and production systems in the Blue Nile Basin (BNB) and highlights their relative dependence on, and vulnerability to, water resources and water-related ecosystem services. It also makes an inventory of current water and land related policies and institutions in the BNB, their organizational arrangements, dynamics and linkages and key policy premises. It highlights the major problems in institutional arrangements and policy gaps and makes suggestions for an in-depth Policy and Institutional Studies to be done as part of the Upstream-Downstream Research project.

Recently, there has been very little irrigation development in sub-Saharan Africa. The main reasons cited for this lack of interest in developing irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa is that irrigation projects are expensive and perform poorly compared to projects from other regions. However, when classified into success and failure projects, the sub-Saharan Africa success projects’ investment costs are not significantly higher than from other regions. African countries like Ethiopia, which has embarked on an agricultural led development program, aspire to use irrigation as a development strategy with small scale irrigation playing a key role in rural development. This study evaluates the financial performance of small scale irrigation using O & M and investment recovery, and the ability to replicate the investments. It is concluded that the systems are financially viable and provide a low cost development option for rural areas., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

This paper introduces and highlights some results of a multi-institutional collaborative research project under implementation related to “Improved water and land management in the Ethiopian highlands and its impact on downstream stakeholders dependent on the Blue Nile”. In the Nile Basin, water from the Ethiopian highlands, particularly from the Blue Nile (Abay), has in the past benefited downstream people in Sudan and Egypt in different ways – agriculture, livestock, industry and electrical power. However, such free benefits are now threatened due to dramatically changing land, water and livestock management practices upstream. High population pressure, lack of alternative livelihood opportunities and the slow pace of rural development are inducing deforestation, overgrazing, land degradation and declining agricultural productivity. Poor water and land management upstream reduces both potential runoff yields and the quality of water reaching downstream. The result is a vicious cycle of poverty and food insecurity for millions in the upstream; and poor water quality, heavy siltation, flooding, and poor temporal water distribution in the downstream threatening livelihood and economies in the downstream. It is widely recognized that improved water management in the Abay Basin will significantly increase water availability for various stakeholders within the basin. Key research questions raised in the project include: What are the successful interventions that help improve productivity and reverse degradation? What are the impacts downstream? What are the opportunities and constraints enhancing rural livelihoods and food security? Focusing around these questions, intermediate results related to meteorological, hydrological and physical based basin characterization, methodologies for erosion and sediment modelling, water availability and access for various production systems are presented. Synergies and complementarities with Nile Basin shared vision and subsidiary action projects, particularly with the Eastern Nile are also highlighted., Paper presented at the Ethiopia National Nile Development Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 20-21 March 2008, Conference Chapters/ Papers

High population pressure, inappropriate agricultural policies, improper land-use planning, over-dependency on agriculture as source of livelihood and extreme dependence on natural resources are inducing deforestation, overgrazing, expansion of agriculture to marginal lands and steep slopes, declining agricultural productivity and resource-use conflicts in many parts of Blue Nile. Increased land degradation from poor agricultural practices and erosion results in increased siltation and the reduced water quality in the river basin. The rainfall, runoff and sediment are highly variable both in time and space. Poor water and land management upstream severely affect runoff characteristics and the quality of water reaching downstream. The result is a downward spiral of poverty and food insecurity for millions of people both within the upper catchment and downstream across international borders. Quantification of the erosion, sedimentation processes and evaluation of impacts of interventions are difficult tasks. This paper schematizes the Blue Nile Basin (BNB) at various spatial levels as micro watershed, watershed, sub-basin to basin. It considers a particular watershed to model runoff, sediment and impact of watershed intervention. The result shows that runoff can be reasonably simulated with calibration of R2=0.87 and validation of result of 0.82, and comparable sediment modelling results. The study also demonstrates, by undertaking spatial analysis using topographic, soil and land use parameters it is possible to identify the high sediment risk sub-watersheds. Impact of typical watershed intervention using various widths of vegetative filter and application on high erosion risk watersheds show reduction of sediment yield from 52% to 74%, Paper presented at the Second International Forum on Water and Food, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 10-13 November 2008

The purpose of the undertaken study was to evaluate the impact that the modern Hare river irrigation scheme had on household food security as well as on lifestyle changes of the population in the study site Chano Chalba. This was done on the basis of the FAO food security pillars access to food, availability of food, utilization of food and the overall factor of food stability. RRA tools were used to conduct a before-after comparison, considering a ten years period. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and/or Excel and simple statistical measures such as cross tabulations, frequencies, percentages and means gave a visible overview of the outcomes. The modern irrigation scheme did not affect the livelihood and food situation directly but indirectly through other modernizations that came with and after the construction of the modern main canal, e.g. road, merchants, agricultural office, health centre, drinking water points, school, electricity etc. The major trigger was the introduction of a new banana type so that farmers changed from food crops to cash crops to earn a higher income. Following, the wealth situation of the population ameliorated but less food crops are produced and people become more dependent on the local market. The infrastructure of the study site developed in a positive way but still education, especially on food issues, are needed to have a sustainable repercussion and to secure people’s health and food situation. Further positive changes on the food situation could be able if the higher income was utilized more efficiently and if the construction of the modern irrigation scheme had been more appropriate and by incorporating the farmer’s requests., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is faced with deep rooted poverty, malnutrition and inadequate food production. Key contributory factors include high population growth, low agricultural productivity, high natural and man-made tragedies such as climatic variability and change, conflicts and war. About 70% of SSA's economy is dependent on agriculture and the majority of the population is engaged in agriculture. This paper focuses on challenges and opportunities related to the development of physical capital, with special emphasis on the development of agriculture and water infrastructure in SSA. It also summarizes aspects with respect to communication, road infrastructure etc. Key challenges in relation to water supply and sanitation, agricultural productivity and its gap, influence of climate variability, water scarcity, and inadequate infrastructure are discussed. The paper further examines the potential and opportunities for infrastructure development to contribute to improving land and water productivity in agriculture. It points out that while SSA has adequate natural capital, productivity enhancement is constrained by relatively low levels of development of physical, human, financial and social capita; hence, the need for investment to improve access to domestic and agricultural water, energy generation, communication, road infrastructure, etc. It concludes that it is possible to achieve a green revolution in Africa, if through a judicious mix of expansion and intensification in agriculture through investments for improving agricultural water management, access to high yielding varieties and improved soil fertility management combined with policy and coping mechanisms against factors such as shocks associated with climate variability and climate change., Paper presented at the First African Water Week, “Accelerating Water Security for Socio-Economic Development of Africa”, Tunis, Tunisia, 26-28 March 2008

Ethiopia is an agrarian society in a land of drought and floods. Agricultural production, which is the source of livelihood for eight out of ten Ethiopians, is extremely vulnerable to climatic conditions. The causes of rural poverty are many including wide fluctuations in agricultural production as a result of drought, ineffective and inefficient agricultural marketing system, under developed transport and communication networks, underdeveloped production technologies, limited access of rural households to support services, environmental degradation and lack of participation by rural poor people in decisions that affect their livelihoods. However, the persistent fluctuation in the amount and distribution of rainfall is considered as a major factor in rural poverty. Cognizant of this reality the successive Ethiopian governments and farmers have made investments in small scale irrigation schemes. This paper aims to assess the efficacy of these investments in reducing poverty based on data obtained from a survey of 1024 farmers drawn from four major regional states of Ethiopia. The Foster, Greer and Thorbecke poverty measures were used to compare the incidence, depth and severity of poverty among groups of farmers defined by relevant policy variables including access to irrigation. In order to explore the correlates of rural poverty and their quantitative significance, logistic regression model was estimated. The main conclusion of the study is that the incidence, depth and severity of poverty is affected more by the intensity of irrigation use (as measured by the size of irrigated area) than mere access to irrigation. Alternatively, there seems to be an economy of scale in the poverty irrigation relationship., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Farmers in rural Ethiopia live in a climate-related shock-prone environment. The major source of climate shock is the persistent variation in the amount and distribution of rainfall. The dependence on unreliable rainfall increases farmers’ vulnerability to shocks while also constraining farmers’ decisions to use yieldenhancing modern inputs, exacerbating the vulnerability of households to poverty and food insecurity. As a response, the Government of Ethiopia has embarked on massive investment in low-cost agricultural water management technologies (AWMTs). Despite these huge investments, their impact remains hardly understood. The main focus of this paper was to explore whether access to selected AWMTs, such as deep and shallow wells, ponds, river diversions and small dams, has led to a significant reduction in poverty and, if they did so, to identify which technologies have higher impacts. The study also calculated the net present value of the selected AWMT, to assess which of the AWMTs are worth investing in given that they have the promise of reducing poverty. In measuring impact we followed different approaches: mean separation tests, propensity score matching and poverty analysis. The study used a unique dataset from a representative sample of 1,517 households from 29 Peasant Associations (Kebeles) in four regions of Ethiopia. Findings indicated that the estimated average treatment effect on per capita income was significant and amounted to USD 82. Moreover, there was 22% less poverty incidence among users of AWMTs compared to nonusers. The poverty impact of AWMT was also found to differ by technology type. Accordingly, deep wells, river diversions and micro-dams have led to 50, 32 and 25%, respectively, reduction in poverty incidence compared to the reference, i.e., rain-fed systems. Although, the selected AWMTs were found to contribute to poverty reduction, we found that ponds, deep wells and small dams were not attractive from a social cost-benefit analysis perspective, implying that choices need to be made considering their relative financial viability and poverty reduction impacts compared to other available options that could improve rain-fed agriculture. Finally, our study identified the most important determinants of poverty, on the basis of which we made policy recommendations: i) build assets (AWMT, livestock, etc.); ii) human resources development; and iii) improve the functioning of labor markets and access to these (input or output) markets for enhanced impact of AWMT on poverty., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Balcha, Y. (Comps.). Irrigation and water for sustainable development: proceedings of the Second Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15-16 December 2008. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Within the project “Impact of Irrigation Development on Rural Poverty and the Environment” emphasis was given to the rural development of communities performing irrigation. Main goal was to analyze the potential of irrigation development, which should be performed in an environmentally sound way to ensure good living conditions for future generations. Environmentally sound means to maintain soil fertility, water quality, to be concerned about health impacts and maintaining biodiversity. The starting point for this review is an irrigation database, a classification of irrigation schemes in Ethiopia and the resulting selection of case studies of irrigation schemes. The study aims to support the clarification of environmental factors and processes related to irrigation development. The socioeconomic implications of environmental impacts of irrigation investments such as links to poverty, health and policies and institutions will also be treated. The methods used include field measurements and observations, laboratory analyses, structured questionnaire surveys and PRA. The investigated field studies performed under the project’s specific task “Assessment of generic environmental and health issues as related to irrigated agricultural development” are presented. The collected material is compiled and made accessible through a database. The case studies results are critically reviewed and conclusions for future field investigation are drawn., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

This paper examines the institutional arrangements that facilitate irrigation management and the present state of irrigation management and establishes where problems have occurred in the operation of Gibe-Lemu and Gambela-Terre Small-scale irrigation systems. The study employed the case study approach to tackle the research. Key informant and expert interview, desk review of different documents produced about the projects, group discussion, direct observation and structured interview schedule were used to collect data. The study proved the proposition that the government has uncritically supported the irrigation systems. Enabling legal system of land and water rights, strong woreda level state irrigation agency, support services (irrigation extension) and wellestablished water users associations through which purposes of irrigation are achieved were not adequately planned and put in place. These shortcomings undermined irrigation management, ultimately risked feasibility and sustainability of irrigated agriculture. Findings revealed poor record of accomplishment, in spite of the difference between the two systems, in managing water distribution in terms of the three most important performance indicators: adequacy, reliability and equity in water distribution. Water related conflicts are rampant but not settled yet. In addition, results indicated that irrigation had positively impacted irrigators’ livelihoods in terms of diversification and intensification of crop production, household income, housing and employment generation and this social effect of irrigation was significantly different between irrigation systems (due to difference in the institutional and socioeconomic context of the two irrigation systems) and locations within irrigation systems. Nonetheless, many irrigators did not maintain these positive changes for long. The constraints were scarcity and unreliability of water and management and socioeconomic problems. These, in turn, were mediated by lack of: a) clearly defined and well enforced institutions of land and water rights; b) technical problems in design and construction; c) inadequate institutional capacity of the local state irrigation agency to coordinate and support decentralized management of irrigation; d) policy related problems; e) inadequate organization of users for self management; and f) problematic social relation of power among water users. Finally, the paper draws a number of conclusions, using the theoretical notions like context, social requirement for use, social effects and social construction, about policy options and requirements in the readjustment of the surveyed irrigation systems and in the design of irrigation projects of these types., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

This article presents the finding of a study undertaken to assess the status-quo and significant environmental impacts of two selected large-scale irrigation on natural resources in Ethiopia. Main focus is on the environmental impacts of irrigation on natural resources with special emphasis on soil quality, water quality and downstream impacts, hydrology and potential interference with ecosystems. For this purpose two schemes were selected. Wonji/Shoa Sugar Plantation is located in the Upper Awash Basin and Finchaa Valley Sugar Estate located in the Blue Nile Basin. It is well known that irrigation projects can have several adverse environmental impacts that may threaten the sustainable production of agricultural goods, which is of major importance and interest in Ethiopia since it contributes 44 percent to Ethiopia’s GDP, employs 80 percent of the labor force, and provides a livelihood to 85 percent of the nearly 80 million population (Awulachew, 2006, Government of Ethiopia, 2006, UNDP, 2006). Irrigation projects inter alia can have potential impacts on the hydrological characteristics of aquifers, quality of downstream water bodies, quality of soils and ecosystems. The most prominent results and environmental impacts of the selected case study sites could be summarized as follows. In general the irrigation water is of good quality, but the electric conductivity is unfavorable to the adjusted sodium ratio, which leads in some instances to soil crusting and has a negative impact on infiltration rate. In Wonji/Shoa the groundwater table has risen due to improper irrigation management and seepage of reservoirs. In Fincha a valuable ecosystem has been destroyed due to the establishment of the scheme and increased migration., In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Loulseged, Makonnen; Yilma, Aster Denekew (Comps.). Impact of irrigation on poverty and environment in Ethiopia: draft proceedings of the symposium and exhibition, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-29 November 2007. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Paper presented at Lake Abaya-Chamo Research Symposium, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia, 7-11 May 2007

In van Koppen, Barbara; Giordano, Mark; Butterworth, J. (Eds.). Community-based water law and water resource management reform in developing countries. Wallingford, UK: CABI.

In van Koppen, Barbara; Butterworth, J.; Juma, I. (Eds.). African Water Laws: Plural Legislative Frameworks for Rural Water Management in Africa: An International Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26-28 January 2005. pp.29-1/29-13