Institutional Functionality in Participatory Integrated Watershed Development of Tana Sub-Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract

Sustaining watersheds that were developed through community mobilization are a major challenge in Ethiopia despite significant efforts to promote soil and water conservation technologies and approaches. This paper investigates the hypothesis that institutional rationality and functionality play an important role in developing enduring watersheds by comparing the good performing Model research watersheds and adjacent watersheds developed through extensively promoted community mobilization. A semi-qualitative research method was used by applying a multi-stage purposive sampling technique for selecting sample respondents. Based on the new institutional economic theory, twelve effective institutional indicators were devised for the evaluation. Questionnaires were designed and tested to solicit respondents’ perceptions on these indicators. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. The results showed that significant differences were observed between the two watershed groups in relation to good interaction (p = 0.03) and technical rationality (p = 0.04). Most of the institutional characteristics and rationalities that led to better performance in the case of the Model research watershed were lacking in the community watersheds. In the Model watersheds, effective institutional characteristics and rationalities contributed to enhanced natural resource conservation, increased incomes, improved household food security, and provided additional social benefits. The most important lesson is that close follow-up and informed engagement leads to a speedy recovery and the sustainability of Community watersheds from implementing modest re-orientation of the existing institutional arrangements.

Analyzing Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Land Management Practices in Mecha Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia

“…However, members of natural resource conservation committees do not enforce community regulations, resulting in the unsustainable nature of the established land management practices. Tesfaye et al [22], in agreement with this finding, addressed how the lack of robust enforcement from watershed committees contributed to the ineffectiveness of watershed management strategies. Participants in the focus group discussion and key informants also revealed that there is a gap in successfully enforcing community regulations because the community is sometimes uncooperative.…”

“…Various soil and water conservation practices, such as the use of stone terraces, soil bunds and area closures, which are implemented with the support of external aids and donors, are limited to bring the expected results on land resources and the livelihoods of people [20]. According to Sileshi et al [21] and Tesfaye et al [22], though there were various efforts towards improving land management practices, the problem of land degradation remains a serious challenge. Land management practices mostly comprised seasonal campaigns, and the measure of success was more in terms of area coverage than the quality of measures to bring about the intended benefits, and this made the practices unsustainable [19,23].…”

The role of local indigenous institutions in enhancing social capital for adoption of agricultural innovations: A special emphasis in Ethiopia

“…Watershed groups: Rural community organized in groups through community mobilization to promote soil and water conservation technologies and approaches [112]. Groups are organized in village based on their daily interaction in the village, and peoples who are settled in one area organized into the same groups [113].…”