Livelihoods

In this presentation attention is drawn to the outcomes of the Gates funded study on Multiple Use Water Services for the Poor: Assessing the State of Knowledge. The incremental costs for upgrading a system to climb the MUS service ladder were compared with the incremental benefits.

In three districts of Tigray, northern part of Ethiopia, namely: Hintalo Wajerate, Kilte Awulaelo,
Atsbi Wonberta, a study was conducted to assess the role of household ponds on the expansion of
homegarden and to evaluate the water productivity of household ponds. The methods that were
employed for the study were semi structured questionnaire, field observation, tree inventory, tree
growth measurement and analysis of water productivity of ponds by using water balance models
and water use efficiency indicators. Accordingly, the result of the study indicated that the
construction of household ponds has a great contribution on the expansion of homegardens. The
survival and growth of trees has improved by 15 % and 22 % respectively and the diversity of trees
planted has shown a significant increase. Furthermore, the water productivity result indicated that
the unit crop production per unit supplementary irrigation applied was 75% lower than the
maximum potential water productivity; and the average economic productivity of the pond was
estimated to be 3.8 ETB per cubic meter of water. The study reveals that among the reasons for low
water productivity were inefficient water application and withdrawal method, poor knowledge of
irrigation scheduling, poor selection of crop type and cropping calendar. It was also tried to
quantify some problems in relation to design and implementation approach. Accordingly, because
of the poor design (Trapezoidal shape) the average evaporation loss directly from the ponds was 13
% of the harvested water and the space occupied by the ponds is about 40 % of the land available in
their backyard. Hence, household ponds are more effective and productive when they are
constructed near homesteads for better management. To minimize the direct evaporation loss and
space occupied by trapezoidal ponds other alternatives design needs to be considered. Moreover, in
order to improve the water productivity, introduction of simple family drip irrigation system and
acquainting farmers with scientific irrigation water management system could be among the better
options.

Sustained access to water in low- and middle-income countries is crucial for domestic use (drinking, personal hygiene, etc.) and is also an imperative for people's livelihoods, income-generating activities and small-scale enterprise (e.g. livestock, horticulture, irrigation, fisheries, brickmaking, and othes). Overall, this book exposes the detrimental effects and impacts of approaching water services in isolated ways -- where the continued practise of separating community water services between domestic use and livelihoods have done little in alleviating poverty.

Noting that the design and management of most water services fail to reflect the 'real-life' use of water, the essay contributions to this book suggest a multiple-use water services (MUS) approach in meeting people's dual water needs. The contributions to this book are drawn from an action research project that explores water systems in eight countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa, Thailand and Zimbabwe). Known as the action research project ‘ Models for implementing multiple-use water supply systems for enhanced land and water productivity, rural livelihoods and gender equity’, the findings of the research study is a collective product of engagement amongst 150 institutions worldwide.

This book shows how livelihoods act as the main driver for water services and how access to water is determined by sustainable water resources, appropriate technologies and equitable ways of managing communal systems.

Climbing the water ladder requires a small fraction of total water resources, yet has the potential to help people climb out of poverty. Local government can be the pivot to make this happen. But, it needs support to implement its mandate to meet multiple-use demand and to become more accountable to people in communities.

This book is a joint publication by IWMI, CPWF and IRC.

Below is a link to the PDF version or you order a hard-copy version here.

Powerpoint presentation by Zemede Abebe [and others], RIPPLE MUS Research Team, given at the World Water Forum in Turkey, 2009.