BY WAKUMAN KUDAMA
The Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands stated that it has been working to introduce environmentally friendly water saving technologies in all its irrigation projects through learning from experiences of other countries and working in collaboration with organizations engaged in the sector.
Speaking on a Pan-African Conference organized by Water Witness International, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Industrial Parks Development Corporation, and held recently with the theme “Putting water to work for Africa: accelerating water stewardship for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economic growth,” Irrigation and Lowlands State Minister Birhanu Lenjiso (PhD) said that Africa is endowed with tremendous opportunities that enables it develop agricultural potential and sustainably increase food production; to harness these marvelous opportunities, a comprehensive approach to developing and managing water resources is essential. “Water is a key resource in everything we do as a ministry. Our ministry follows a water-centered development approach to build resilience, increase agricultural productivity, and ensure food security,” added Birhanu.
The State Minister said that sustainable management of water is not only key for sustainable development of a given country but also very critical for its sovereignty; his ministry needs to follow a more crops per drop policy. “Due to the current alarming rate of climate change and weather variability, rain fed agriculture is becoming a risky livelihood option that exposes millions to food insecurity and poverty. Hence, adaptation mechanisms are becoming mandatory to make agriculture resilient to climate change and to improve our food self-sufficiency,” said Dr. Birhanu adding, “The government of Ethiopia has recently reaffirmed its commitment to irrigation development as a key policy both to improve climate resilience and food security. The establishment of the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands can be taken as one sign of this commitment.”
Esayas Samuel, Regional Program Manager at Water Witness International, said that water is indisputably vital to sustain life; it is crucial for sanitation, health, agriculture, ecosystem integrity, industry, energy and food production and the economic vitality of any community. “Unfortunately, different countries are struggling with problems related to water like flood, drought and conflicts,” added Esayas, stating, “This Pan-African Conference will enable us to carefully identify the root cause of the problems and discuss ways to accelerate water stewardship for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economic growth. It also helps us to learn from experiences of other countries and establish strategic priorities essential in water management and environmental protection.”
According to Esayas, water stewardship is essential as it promotes proper utilization and management of this treasurable resource. “Engaging water stewards in such meaningful discussions and actions will encourage inclusive, equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial management of water,” the manager said.
Prof. Seifu Kebede is a researcher and lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Presenting the findings of his research related to “Water Security Risks: Situation Analysis and Alternative Scenarios”, Prof. Seifu said that unlike the widely held legend which states that Ethiopia is referred as a water tower of Africa, the water resources of the country resulted in negative impact on the nation’s economy due to their perplexing hydrology. “Rivers in Ethiopia are untamed resources due to their challenging hydrology. Because of their unmanageable features, they are becoming sources of conflicts, drought and poverty,” stated Seifu adding, “Recently, some African countries are also found themselves in an extreme water crisis situation as a result of lack of water management, severe drought, little governmental funding and assistance and the like.”
According to Prof. Seifu, water is not given; it is a resource ought to be managed carefully. “When we encourage foreign investors to invest in the country, we often focus on the availability of adequate land without giving due attention to the management of water resources since we believe that water is freely given. Any investment like agriculture is unthinkable without land and water. Productivity and production of this sector can only increase when it gets sufficient water at the right time,” he elaborated.
He added that in order to ensure sustainable development, there must be a reliable supply of water management systems; therefore, the community, investors and other stakeholders should be stewards of water management.
The two-day event carried out from May 9 to 10, 2023 brought together water stewardship leaders from different countries in Africa and Europe, and UK, representing business, finance, civil society, the scientific community, and government to share the lessons learned and to forge a new collaborative strategy to establish accountable water stewardship as the business norm across Africa, and so realize the full potential of the continent’s water for people, nature and the economy. The event was a showcase Ethiopia’s commitment to green sustainable and inclusive development.
The Ethiopian Herald May 11/2023
