Capacity of Local Public Institutions in Lake Management: Case of Lake Hawassa

Abstract

Lake Hawassa is fresh water and located within the Ethiopian Rift Valley. It has social and economic significance to the City of Hawassa and community within the catchment. For effective management of this lake, the local public institutional aspect which play significant role in the overall management of lake needs to be understood. Local government institutions that direct management actions, coordinates stakeholders in the management and implements rules and regulations are increasingly considered as the solution for natural resource management. Within this context, the aim of the study was to assess capacity of local public institutions to manage Lake Hawassa. Specifically the study has aimed for the analysis of institutional and legal framework, resource capacity, to probe stakeholder integrations in the management of the lake, and to look out mechanisms of public awareness and education programs, using qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the view of answering research questions the researcher employed both descriptive and explanatory research. Through the use of questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion, document review and observations local public institutional capacity in lake management were identified. The findings of the study revealed that present local public institutional structure and their capacity were weak to effectively manage Lake Hawassa. There is limited enforcement of the legislative provisions such as river basin organization and water regulation proclamations. The study has also found out that there is also absence of regionally established EIA, pollution control and investment proclamations to manage natural resources. The findings of the study also indicated weak linkage of stakeholders, limited public awareness and constraints of environmental education program as other institutional problems for sustainable management of the lake. It is evident from this study that local public institution has limited in their framework and capacity for sustainable management of the lake. Thus, creating institutional structure and building their human, financial and technological capacity are necessary for effective management of the lake. It is also significant to promote strong inter- sectoral and multi-stakeholders integration in the management of Lake Hawassa.