Introduction to the Baseline Study November 2010 – February 2011 Purpose, key questions and components

Purpose of the baseline This baseline study relates to Changes 1, 2 and 3 of the project: 1: Wereda, Regional, and/or NGO planners active in study site landscapes are using more effective tools for planning for RMS at landscape scale: (1) Evidence-based (2) Tailored to different social and ecological niches (3) Cross-sectoral (4) Participatory 2: Those implementing water resource and other agricultural development plans (Wereda and NGO staff) are more effectively implementing RWM plans. 3: Increased collective action and institutions for uptake of RMS at farm and community levels, and these supported by Wereda, DAs and NGO actors

Purpose of the baseline The baseline aims to do three things: Provide a baseline for monitoring progress on the 3 changes, i.e. a snapshot of the current situation in the study sites in terms of planning, implementation and innovation of RWM. Identify actors to involve in woreda learning platforms Scope out key issues, barriers and opportunities to improve planning, implementation and innovation in RWM, to inform the next phase of in-depth action research.

Key questions - Planning Who is involved in planning rainwater management (which sectors, which levels, government and non-government)? How is planning coordinated among these actors? What tools and approaches are currently used for planning? How are decisions made about rainwater management, e.g. – Which technologies and land management practices to implement – Where to site interventions – How to share costs and benefits What say do farmers have? Are upstream/downstream linkages considered in planning? What barriers prevent more effective planning?

Key questions - Implementation Who is responsible for implementing rainwater management at different levels? How do different actors coordinate their implementation? What level of knowledge and understanding do implementers have? What is currently being implemented in the sites? Does current implementation meet farmers’ needs? What support do implementers receive? What monitoring / learning / research takes place on rainwater management? What barriers prevent better implementation?

Key questions - Innovation Who is currently innovating in RWM? What support do they receive? What networks currently exist and how do they function? What is the scope for organisations to collaborate for more innovation? What enables successful innovation? What barriers constrain innovation?

Components of the Baseline Stakeholder analysis (national, regional and woreda) Document collection and analysis Interviews with key informants at woreda and kebele level Focus group discussions with farmers Analysis workshop (Feb 2011) Report (by April 2011)