Unlocking livestock development potential through science, influence and capacity

development ILRI APM, Addis Ababa, 15-17 May 2013

Developing capacity Influencing decisions

Water harvesting and spring development to adapt to climate change in Kabe watershed, Ethiopia

This document is licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Licence May 2013

Strategic lessons:

Community groups formulated bye-laws to sustainably use improved springs.

Credit for dam construction and rope and washer pump installation enabled uptake.

Kindu Mekonnen, Alan Duncan (ILRI) and Tilahun Amede (ICRISAT)

Delivering science

Benefits maximized when crop types matched with irrigation method and frequency of the harvested water.

Introduction

Rainfall is highly variable in Kabe watershed and the surrounding areas, and this variability makes agricultural production challenging. There is also poor quality and quantity of water within and outside the watershed. Spring development and water harvesting schemes were initiated to enhance the capacity of communities to adapt to climate variability.

Methodology

Results

Plate 1. Improved spring Plate 2. Water harvesting facilities (a) dam and Rope and washer pump fitted on hand dug well

Partners: ILRI, UNEP, Wollo University, ARARI (SARC) and Woreilu woreda Office of Agriculture.

213 farm households benefited from the two improved springs (Plate 1). Three hand dug wells, and one water harvesting dam were constructed (Plates 2 and 3). Water volume of the dam was 64,000 litres. The hand dug wells can irrigate 0.13 -0.5 ha of land. The discharge rate for hand dug wells and improved springs are 0.35-2.75 and 3.67-9.63 litres/min. Communities are protected from water-borne diseases and have access to clean drinking water.

(a) (b)

Plate 3. Veg produced with harvested water

Engagement exercises with the communities. Water harvesting dam, spring development and hand dug wells established. Water harvesting interventions integrated with forage development and home-garden initiatives.

Acknowledgment: We thank researchers, extension staff and farmers who contributed to this piece of work.