1. MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction
MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Preapared by FAO’s Land and Water Division in collaboration with IWMI
ETHIOPIA
1. Introduction
The first phase of the GCP/INT/167/IWM project aimed to conduct a needs assessment analysis that allowed the identification of needs, relevance, potential and opportunities for improving the impact and effectiveness of agricultural water management interventions in terms of:
research technical assistance training policy support
The methodology followed was structured in five main steps: (1) stakeholders’ analysis; (2) inception workshop; (3) interviews and field visits; (4) discussion with country team on the preliminary results; and (5) a validation workshop. All these steps culminated in the preparation of the needs assessment report. This brief presents the main findings of such report.
2. Methodology
Stakeholders consulted August 2015
Ministry of agriculture
Awlalo Woreda Bureau of Agriculture
May Quha District
Oromia Region Bureau of Agriculture
Water Works Design and Supervision Enterprise
Oromia Irrigation Development Authority (OIDA
Water Works Construction Enterprise
Kersa Woreda Bureau of Agriculture, Oromia
Arba Minch University
Oromia Irrigation Development authority (OIDA)
Agricultural Transformation Agency, ATA
Small Scale - Micro Irrigation Support Project (SMIS)
Bruh Tesfa Irrigation and Water Technology PLC
Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, MoWIE
May Quha Project
Semira project
Inception workshop August 2015
It gathered 18 stakeholders from some of the organizations listed in point #1. The following activities were completed: i) project was presented l ii) the stakeholders to interview were defined l iii) challenges, priorities and means of improvement of AWM investments were identified.
3. Interviews and field visits September 2015
Overview of the 34 people interviewed
Two IFAD supported projects were visited:
May Quha irrigation scheme
Tigray region
15 wells in 30 ha
Semira irrigation scheme Project
West Arsi, Oromia region
River diversion scheme
4. Validation workshop November 2015
It gathered 12 stakeholders from some of the organizations listed in point #1.

2. According to the graph, the three most relevant technologies are:
MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
ETHIOPIA
3. Identified relevant AWM interventions in the country
The criteria used to define most relevant technologies was their contribution to poverty reduction. The following graph based on the consultations/interviews held within this project.
According to the graph, the three most relevant technologies are:
Shallow and deep wells
Treadle pumps, rope and washer pumps, diesel engine pumps, etc. are commonly used. These are suitable for individual holdings since they are available and affordable.
Diversion schemes
These are constructed along perennial rivers. Schemes are usually implemented with the assistance of the government, NGO’s, development partners, etc and have rigid water diversion structures.
Water harvesting
In-situ water conservation practices (small basins, pits, bunds/ridges) and runoff- based systems (catchment and/or storage).
More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction

3. Views from stakeholders at national level
MAIN FINDINGS OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
ETHIOPIA
4. Stakeholder priorities for improving AWM interventions
Views from stakeholders at national level
Views from farmers
Micro irrigation technologies (water saving and lifting technologies and their supply chain)
Small-scale (communal) irrigation systems development
Capacity development (planning and implementation, on-farm irrigation, O&M, monitoring and evaluation, research, etc.)
Water lifting devices
Rainwater harvesting
Irrigation infrastructure improvement.
Capacity development.
Rainwater harvesting.
Micro irrigation technologies.
Supply of inputs and market chains.
5. Identified areas with potential to contribute to better AWM management
Field of action
Proposed improvements
Research
Water management under deficit irrigation.
Comparative advantages and disadvantages of alternative household AWM technologies, adaptability to local conditions, and opportunities for scaling-up.
Markets and socio-economic research.
Technical assistance
Improving the supply chain of AWM technologies for SSI and MI (including water lifting, saving and seepage sealing technologies) and their services.
Capacity development
Training farmers and development workers on AWM and irrigation scheduling particularly at field levels.
Capacity building on sustainable O&M planning and execution, irrigation infrastructure asset management, and service oriented irrigation systems management.
Training on post-harvest technology for perishable products.
Policy support
Policy dialogue to improve the impacts of AWM interventions in the country.
[to clarify and make coherent] mandates and responsibilities of different actors in the AWM sector and integration of the interventions.
Support in implementation of bylaws for water users associations and development of internal regulations.
More Effective and Sustainable Investments in Water for Poverty Reduction