Addis Ababa: A joint integrated watershed management project designed to improve water resource management, livelihood of communities, and resilience to climate risks on the Abay (Blue Nile), Awash, and Tekeze river basins was officially launched today.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the project will be implemented by the Water and Land Resource Center, a research and development institution, in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Energy. Water and Energy State Minister Abraha Adugna highlighted that the BRIGHT (Basin Management Support for Resilient, Inclusive Growth and Harmonized Transformation) project aims to enhance the livelihood of communities within the project areas and optimize water resource management.
The project is poised to strengthen institutional capacity and the implementation of integrated climate-smart water resource management solutions. This initiative is expected to benefit millions of people and support efforts towards achieving sustainable development goals. Additionally, it will promote integrated water resource management practices by enhancing the technical, institutional, and infrastructural capacities of the ministry, its regional bureaus, basin administrative offices, and other key stakeholders.
Water and Land Resource Center Director-General Gete Zeleke stated that the project will establish a comprehensive basin information system. This system is intended to improve the availability, accessibility, and use of water resource data crucial for evidence-based decision-making related to efficient and sustainable water resource management.
The project consists of six main work packages and nine sub-packages that cover critical areas such as policy and regulatory development, capacity building, infrastructure improvement, and the creation of knowledge-sharing platforms. These elements will lay a robust foundation for the long-term sustainable management of Ethiopia’s water resources.
With a budget of 45 million Euros over five years, financed by the Netherlands and the EU, the project also includes the Rift Valley Lakes and Omo-Gibe basins, in addition to the Abay, Awash, and Tekeze basins.