INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALLHOLDER WATER SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCTIVE USE

摘要

Despite having good ground and surface water resources, Ethiopia’s farmers still depend heavily on rainwater, making them vulnerable to frequent dry spells and the uneven distribution of rainfall. This research, supported by Oxfam America in Ethiopia, was conducted to examine the institutional sustainability of smallholder water systems. Oxfam America provides fi nancial and coordinating support for interventions that enhance smallholder access to water for irrigation, while the partners provide the technical expertise required to implement the interventions. The intervention has aimed at helping farmers to set-up Water Users Associations install irrigation infrastructures, ad hoc trainings on cultivation techniques and effi cient water management, and purchase of productive inputs such as seeds, fertilizer and equipment. Researchers gathered information directly from Water User Associations (WUAs) in Tigray (two) and in Oromia (eight) Regional States. The associations were purposively selected to represent both challenging and successful interventions, newer and older associations, small and large associations, and by types of irrigated water sources (ground water, river-diversion, lake-fed). A variety of methods was used to engage farmers in discussing their associations, including focus groups, individual interviews, short and long form survey in a group setting. The research looked at fi ve categories of sustainability: Technical Capacity, Financial Management, Governance, Farm Profi tability and Land and Water Resources. Short form surveys asked respondents how they would allocate a sum of money towards reducing risk across a number of scenarios that might enhance the sustainability of their smallholder water systems.