This document discusses setting up innovation platforms to improve rainwater management in local communities. It proposes that the platforms would bring together various stakeholders including researchers, NGOs, government departments, farmers, and the private sector. The platforms would work to jointly identify issues around rainwater management, develop action strategies to address them, and create rolling action plans updated regularly. They would aim to showcase some quick wins to build credibility and work in sub-groups between main meetings to advance specific actions. Key questions are raised around facilitating the platforms, resourcing proposed actions, and managing power dynamics between actors.

1. Action-oriented innovation platforms to improve rainwater management - what mechanisms do we foresee? Alan Duncan Nile Basin Development ChallengeScience and Reflection WorkshopAddis Ababa, 4-6 May 2011

2. Local Research NBDC NGO Champion farmers Woreda admin Private sector Woreda water Woreda extension What does an innovation platform look like?

3. What will happen in innovation platforms? Getting everyone on the same page re what we mean by rainwater management Joint identification of issues and constraints Co-development of action strategies Rolling action plans updated at regular intervals “Quick wins” to build credibility

4. Practicalities When and where? One in each site (Fogera, Jeldu, Diga). Would meet based on necessity (maybe 3 or 4 times per year?) Format/action? Sub-groups would work on identified actions on an informal basis between meetings.

5. actors National research Knowledge sources Local Research NBDC research outputs – e.g. Proposed RMS developed by researchers NBDC NGO Indigenous knowledge Champion farmers Woreda admin Government line depts Business ideas Private sector Woreda water Woreda extension

6. Some principles Some pilot activities could be resourced from NBDC (if we have resources!) but impetus should come from IP Need to build links with actors who have resources to invest – if not present, need to bring them in.

7. Action 2 National research Local Research NBDC research outputs – e.g. Proposed RMS developed by researchers NBDC NGO Indigenous knowledge Champion farmers Woreda admin Government line depts Action 3 Action 1 Business ideas Private sector Woreda water Woreda extension

8. Translating talk to action Action 1 e.g. Collective action to limit free grazing during the dry season.... Action 2 e.g. Enhancing participatory planning of SWC structures.... Establish working groups to work on each action or perhaps set of actions. Progress reports at quarterly IP meetings

9. Key questions Who should facilitate such platforms? Where will resources for any proposed actions come from? Should we set out to establish IP’s around different themes e.g. “markets”, “NRM” etc Or should we look at strategies to MAKE the link between NRM and markets at the local innovation platform? How do you manage difference in power between different actors?

10. Yr4 Yr3 Yr1 Yr2 National/ International N5 2.3 Policy Forums N4 1.3 N5 2.1 Policy systems analysis + Mediation Over view of actors/ Policies. Database Limited analysis N2 2.3 2.4 Policy analysis N2 2.3 2.4 Drivers/incentives; Change process N2/N5 N 2 2.1 Hypotheses developed for platform formation Political economy; analysis Gender/Wealth Livelihoods Socio-economic status N2 2.2 Baseline-actor interaction, institution, Actor inventory Platforms N2 1.1 N2 1.2, 1.3, 1.4.22 Biophysical baseline Monitoring & lessons learned N2 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 RMS -Crops -Livestock -Trees Key Local/ site N2 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 Innovation research Biophysical/M&E Pilot interventions Crops Animals Trees SWC