The Socio-Economic and Institutional Dynamics of Integrated Watershed Management. The case of Kanat and Magera Micro-Watersheds, Amhara National Regional State.
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A host oj socio-economic, institutional, environmental and cultural Jactors are
responsible Jor either the success or Jailure oj a particular watershed management
program, In spite oj the growing interest in the literature on watershed management,
there is limited affention given to the socio-economic and institutional dynamics behind
the success or Jailure oj watershed management interventions, The aim oj this study is,
thereJore to explore this new fi'ontier oj research in watershed management by taking two
contrasting micro-watersheds, Kanat and Magera, in the Blue Nile Basin To this end,
such issues as the major stakeholders involved in the watershed intervention and their
respective roles; the differences in ' institutional arrangements and stakeholders'
participation; and the root causes oj success and Jailure oj the watershed intervention in
the study sites were scrutinized The study involved both quantitative and qualitative data
collection methods including, household survey, Jocus group discussions, key inJormant
interviews, personal observation, and review oj some secondary data, A mix oj Agrawal 's synthesis oj 'Facililating conditions' Jor eJfective governance oj
Common Pool Resources (CP Rs) and determinants oj 1I successJul watershed
management identified by different scholars are used as all analyticalfi'ameworkJor this
study,
The results oj the study have shown that there are clear differences between the two
integrated watershed interventions in: level of participation oJ the beneficiaries in the
program; evolution and strength oJloati institutions to manage the resource and the
appropriation oj benefits; and the level oj commitment oj the donor and government
bodies, Accordingly, a synergy oj aClive roles oj the Kebele administration, high
commitment and participation oJ the beneficiaries, strong commitment oj a donor agency
Le, GTZ, good leadership and coordinating skill oj the watershed management
committee, and the active role oj government bodies in creating enabling environment
were the most important Jactors that contributed to the success oJ the watershed
intervention in Kana!' On the other hand, weakness oj Kebele Administration, lack oj
Jollow-up by the concerned government bodies, lack oj strong local institutions including
by-laws, and GTZ's Jailure to consul! the cornmunity beJore the intervention were the
most important reasons behind the Jailure a/the watershed intervention in Magera
watershed
These results have important implications Jar the design oj successJul integrated
watershed management programs, Es{(rblishment oj appropriate management
arrangement should be given equal emphasis to that oj implementation oj the program.
All important actors and their reopective role should be clearly identified prior to any
integrated watershed intervention. Clear chain oj linkage/co-operation should be
established among and within the upper level institutions and the local level actors. Since
community's particrjJCrtion highly depends on the level of awareness, awareness raising
should be in the center 0/ any integrated watershed management program.ยท Presence oj
clearly defined boundaries of the resource oncl the resource users per se based on the
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Keywords
Socio-Economic