The document discusses water development in pastoral areas of Ethiopia. It notes that historically, pastoralists adapted mobile lifestyles and water management practices in response to climate variability. However, external development in recent decades has encouraged more permanent settlement through large ponds and infrastructure. This has led to overgrazing and health issues as herds became more sedentary. Currently, water development is a major policy priority but questions remain about how to integrate it with sustainable rangeland management and whether development decisions sufficiently consider livestock mobility and seasonal recovery needs. The document raises issues for discussion around balancing water access and pastoralist knowledge with rangeland health.

1. Water Development in Rangelands
Particular Emphasis of Pastoral Areas of
Ethiopia
Daniel Temesgen (PhD) & Alemayehu Mengistu
Ethiopian society of Animal production
Rangeland management Platform Feb 21 2015
EIAR Addis Ababa

2. Background
• Customary water management practices are adapted to a mobile livelihood
system, which is a response to climate variability of dry land environment in
time and space.
• Pastoralists use water management as a means to manage the wider
rangelands, and availability of water affect access to surrounding pasture and
grazing areas.
• Mobility itself is a sophisticated response to ensure that pastures can recover
seasonally, allowing the pastoral livelihood to remain sustainable.

3. • Within the past 40 years, inspired especially by the 1970 drought,
external water development actors, (government programs, and
NGOs) have joined in contributing to water development with both
positive and negative consequences.
• Experiences in water development provided a valuable opportunity
for practitioners and researchers to learn what works and what
does not in the pastoral context.
Background

4. • The construction of large ponds, for example, made water available
year-round, encouraging permanent settlement and perennial grazing
in areas which were previously used only seasonally.
• Overgrazing and erosion were frequently observed around these
water points, and increasingly sedentary herds amplified the incidence
of human and livestock health problems.
Background

5. The current situation
• Pastoral production remains the dominant production system in lowlands,
and constitute 61% of the country’s geographical area.
• Mobility still being adaptation to avoid risk, respond to variable climatic
conditions and ensure healthy livestock and rangelands.
• Agro-pastoralists with some degree of mobility coming up with crop
cultivation.
• Irrigation expansion continues to be pursued in Ethiopia’s pastoral regions
• Huge improvement in access to water infrastructure in pastoral areas even if
still a lot to do
• Water cented approach is the current drive of the policy
• More than any time in history emphasis has been given to water
development in pastoral areas
• Huge resource being allocated by all parties (GO,NGOs and development
partners)
• The question is How can we maximize this benefit from these policy
environment?? What are the gaps??

6. The water development program/ projects in pastoral areas
• Development and management of water infrastructure for livestock watering points,
irrigation infrastructures
• River basin development
• Water Centered Development approach /Voluntary/ Resettlement Programme
Water development actors
• MOA under State ministry of MDG in Afar and Somali regions,
• PCDP
• DRSLP( Drought resilience sustainable livelihood program under (MOA)
• Regional governments under different programs are implementing water
development.
• The development partners are also implement water development projects in
pastoralist areas. (NGOs and Development agencies)
• The question here is how to integrate water development with rangeland
improvement?? To achieve the value from the rangelands?
The current Situation

7. Issues for discussion
• Are Water development decisions made with sufficient consideration of
the need for livestock mobility and seasonal recovery of rangelands??
• Is Water development form an integral part of broader rangelands
resources management ?? For instance is water development part of a
participatory rangeland management process??
• Are Water points altering patterns of pasture usage , and harming the
rangeland quality??
• Are Pastoralists themselves have an important role to play in the water
development process, especially given their detailed knowledge of the
rangelands??
• How Can we explore opportunity of integration between irrigation and
the range land development ?? For instance sugar industries?