Watershed Management

This report is thus the summary of the key finding of the entire consultancy assignment (as per the task indicated on number five above) highlighting the summary of findings in each of the tasks. The report is structured in different sections; i. the biophysical and socioeconomic impact Assessment of the Eastern Nile pilot Watershed Interventions for scaling up, ii. Assessment of Institutional /Capacity Building Impacts, iii. Identification and Selection of Best Practices for scaling up, iv. Regional Watershed Management M&E system and, v. the last section deals with summary of the consultative review workshop findings.

Integrated watershed management has been receiving priority attention in the Eastern Nile Basin Countries because of serious natural resources degradation that also damaged the livelihood of the resident communities. It continues to be critical for rehabilitation of the natural resources not only for reducing environmental degradation, but also for tapping its full potential and improve the living condition of the communities in these areas. Accordingly, two pilot watershed management projects in Ethiopia and Sudan have been implemented. This report thus focuses on the impact assessment of the two-pilot watershed management projects in the two countries; Tana Belese Integrated Watershed Management Project (TBIWSMP) in Ethiopia and Community Watershed Management (CWM) Project in Sudan. The assessment of the pilot EN watershed management projects assembled number of facts that brought visible impacts in different dimensions that have the potential for scaling up adapted to the specific agroecological/environmental and socioeconomic framework. The impact assessment result is indicated for each of the three sections (biophysical, socioeconomic and institutional capacity impacts assessments) that will be discussed in the results section of this report.

The ultimate purpose of the watershed management M&E system is to provide stakeholders with a standard watershed management M&E system across the EN countries including planning and reporting tools. The system will also help to harmonize the planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation approaches in the Eastern Nile countries. Once operational, the planning process, the reporting procedures, the M&E system and its indicator framework can be adapted to each watershed that are going to be implemented in these countries. Uniformity and consistency of monitoring of the watershed management projects across the EN countries is essential in order to provide a reliable and accurate source of information. All watershed management projects in each of the EN countries should be monitored and evaluated using similar criteria with slightly differences according to their specific arrangements and components. The M&E system is designed with the concept of the results based approach where the main focus is being in the delivery of results rather than focusing on the inputs, processes and activities.

The purpose of the training material is to promote a better understanding of the key concepts of Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation and related project planning and management concepts and tools in relation to the whole project cycle management that 2 Training Manual on Result Based Watershed Management Monitoring and Evaluation help trainees build their knowledge on Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME) for better management of their watershed project. In addition to promoting results based watershed management planning, monitoring and evaluation concepts in the EN countries, the training material is prepared for the technical staff to help understand key project management concepts, processes, results & indicators, building of results based M&E systems, how to apply them in the project design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project results. It is purely prepared to further develop the different tools presented in the watershed management system prepared for these countries.