Presentations from Ethiopia

Improving Outcomes of Agricultural Water Management Investments: Research Results, Lessons Learned, and Innovative New Opportunities

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 16 November 2012

 

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has implemented several recent projects aimed at identifying what are the major constraints, issues and problems facing small-scale agricultural water management (AWM) investment programs, what are the best ways to address these problems, and what kinds of new opportunities can be proposed for future investment programs.  IFAD is supporting two of these research programs: “Improving Sustainability of IFAD Supported Agricultural Water Management Interventions in Challenging Contexts” (“CC”), and “Improved Management of Agricultural Water in Eastern and Southern Africa” (IMAWESA).  The CC project has completed field research on IFAD AWM projects in five Asian and African countries (including Ethiopia); IMAWESA is a knowledge sharing and capacity building program for IFAD’s Eastern and Southern Africa region.  In addition, IWMI has recently completed the “AgWater Solutions Project” supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and aimed at identifying new AWM investment opportunities and developing generic business plans.

The purpose of this workshop is to share the major results from these programs and identify how IFAD can benefit from these results.  It is a one-day event combining presentations of results and group discussions of key issues as a way to ensure full engagement of all participants.   The participants are expected to include: IFAD regional and country program managers and country officers; members of existing IFAD Project Management Units; government officials and policy makers participating in the ESA regional consultations; and consultants regularly used by IFAD.

A preliminary outline of the agenda is as follows; it will be elaborated in more detail as the planning proceeds:

Session 1 [1.5 hours]:

a) Introductions, overview of the program; expected outcomes

b) Presentation by IWMI of key findings from research in five countries and community engagement training in two countries under the CC project, integrated with findings of other studies commissioned by IFAD

c) Presentation by IWMI of experiences and lessons from IMAWESA

Coffee/tea [30 minutes]

Session 2 [1.5 hours]:

Group exercise to rank the challenges and issues we have identified, including adding any that we have failed to mention, and report back.

 

Lunch [1 hour]

Session 3 [1 hour]:

a)      Presentation by IWMI on innovative new AWM investment opportunities

b)      Presentation by Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF)

Session 4 [1.5 hours]: 

Group discussions and brainstorming on solutions to challenges facing IFAD AWM programs, and feasibility of innovative new investment opportunities

Coffee/tea [served to groups as they work]

Session 5 [1 hour]:

Report back and discussion, consolidation, and development of conclusions and recommendations of workshop.  Participants assess the workshop’s usefulness.

Session 6 [30 minutes]:

Closing

Venue and timing:

The workshop will be held at the ILRI campus, Addis Ababa.  Coffee/tea and registration will begin at 8:15 AM and the first session will begin at sharp 9:00 AM.