The study pertains to livestock management practices & their implications on Livestock Water Productivity (LWP) in the rain-fed crop-livestock systems in the Blue Nile Basin (BNB). Seven farming systems (Rice- Pulse & Teff-Millet from Fogera), (Barley-Potato, Teff-Wheat & Sorghum farming systems from Jeldu) & (Teff-Millet & Sorghum farming systems from Diga districts) were selected & a total of 220 sample Household (HH) heads were involved. Cattle were the major livestock species accounting for 83% of the total Tropical Livestock Unit.

Agricultural water management (AWM) interventions in the Nile Basin are a key to improve agricultural production and productivity. AWM interventions can be categorized based on spatial scales, sources of water and type of technologies for water management in control, lifting, conveyance and application. Various combinations of these interventions are available in the Nile Basin. Successful application of AWM interventions should consider the full continuum of technologies in water control, conveyance and field applications.

Background

Excessive rainwater during the rainy season and lack of water in the dry season have been challenging the agricultural productivity and food security for rural communities in southern Mali. Various soil and water conservation practices were implemented in the past to improve crop yields and income, and reverse the effect of land degradation. However, none of these efforts looked into the potential use of shallow wells at a spatial scale to improve the agricultural productivity and hence the food security in the region.

Results

Logframes are fundamental to contemporary development. However, there are ongoing debates about their efficacy. This paper pinpoints the limitations of the logframe approach in a water project in Central Asia. Issues surrounding logframes are identified. These include addressing internal risks; the use of baseline studies for the accuracy of assumptions; the ability to adapt under an inflexible budget; and linking the logframe and contract. Findings show that rigid planning may constrain effective project implementation.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, there is paucity of information on the potential of groundwater resources. The limited available information paints a pessimistic view about groundwater resources. Due to its perceived inadequate availability, groundwater associated with domestic use and the potential for using it for agriculture are not well reflected in the national irrigation polices. Contrary to official pessimism, farmers do use groundwater for agriculture in many countries of Sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana.

People living in arid areas with highly variable rainfall, experience droughts and floods and often have insecure livelihoods. Small multi-purpose reservoirs are a widely used form of infrastructure for the provision of water. They supply water for domestic use, livestock watering, small scale irrigation, and other beneficial uses. The reservoirs are hydrologically linked by the streams that have been dammed.

In the literature on the implementation of national policies there is an assumption that these get implemented uniformly within one country. Here, with a focus on the implementation of national policy on shifting from administrative to hydrological/ hydrographic principles of water management in the Zerafshan Valley and the Ferghana Valley in Uzbekistan, this assumption is questioned. The case study demonstrates that national policies are resisted by lower-level bureaucrats, leading to diverse, even contradictory, outcomes of the same policy.