Learning Watersheds
One of the objectives of the WLRC is to establish model ‘Learning Watersheds’ in the Abay Basin (Blue Nile) in Phase-I and undertake research-supported participatory integrated watershed development activities. Eventually, it is also aimed at designing an up-scaling strategy based on the lessons learnt from the learning watersheds to the national level. To this end, the resource centre has established six learning watersheds and has started applying research-supported watershed development interventions to improve water and land management and people’s livelihoods in the watersheds. As an integral part of the components a comprehensive baseline survey, preparation of integrated watershed development plans including ‘Technology Shopping’ plans by the research system, development of an-inbuilt exit strategy, awareness creation workshops and formulation of sustainable land use bylaws were undertaken. The resource centre was able to bring together researchers, development actors and land users in a single learning watershed to play their own role for the transformation of the watershed in an integrated way and that demonstrated exemplary interplays within and among each other. The main purposes of establishing these learning watersheds is mainly to establish live learning platforms and up-scale and extrapolate the lessons on research-supported sustainable land management interventions from these six nuclei watersheds to the country and if possible to the Eastern Nile Basin.