Groundwater governance policy tools and opportunities in Ethiopia

On 18 December 2024, the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains, in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy, and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), hosted an online workshop on groundwater governance. The workshop shared results from recent international research on groundwater governance and discussed opportunities for improving groundwater governance policy and practice in Ethiopia.

The event aimed to improve understanding of the capabilities and limitations of groundwater governance tools, including a conceptual framework and approach to help choose and combine policy tools to fit contexts; specific lessons and possible next steps concerning groundwater games and related tools; and strategies for strengthening nexus governance for water, energy, food, and ecosystems. Discussions helped to identify and clarify priorities and methods for how policy could support effective groundwater governance, such as roles and cooperation among stakeholders; multiple use of shallow groundwater; enhancing aquifer recharge; and linkages between groundwater and surface water.

A recording of the workshop and associated presentations are available below.

Workshop recording

Presentations

Governing groundwater with knowledge, motivation, and agency – Ruth Meinzen-Dick

Groundwater games in Ethiopia: Lessons from the field – Hagar ElDidi and Fekadu Gelaw

Groundwater governance policy tools and opportunities in Ethiopia – Bryan Bruns

This work was carried out under the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains, which is grateful for the support of CGIAR Trust Fund contributors: staging.cgiar.org/funders

Header image: Debre Berhan, central Ethiopia. Photo by CIAT.