Central Rift Valley Of Ethiopia Research Articles

Maize (Zea Mays L.) Response to Deficit Irrigation Levels at Different Growth Stages on its Yield and Water Use Efficiency at Koka, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Water scarcity is among the major limitations for crop production. Improving water use efficiency of irrigated crops through water management options is crucial in water scarce areas. Field experiment was carried out at Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center Koka Research site, to investigate the effect of water stress at different growth stage on yield and water use efficiency of maize. one optimum irrigation and eight growth stage based deficit levels(100% ETC at all growth stages, 75% ETC at all growth stages, 50% ETC at all growth stages, 75% ETC at development growth stage, 50% ETC at development growth stage, 75% ETC at mid growth stage, 50% ETC at mid growth stage, 75% ETC at late growth stage and 50% ETC at late growth stage) were imposed on maize (Zea mays L.) variety Melkassa II as a treatment and laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results indicated that the different levels of growth stage based deficit levels had significant (p<0.01) effect on crop yield, harvest index and water use efficiency. Grain yield reduced with increased stress, whereas water use efficiency was increased with stress level increased. The highest grain yield of 6.4 t/ha and WUE of 1.01 kg/m3 were obtained at 100% ETC and 50% ETC at all growth stages, respectively. Also, 75% ETC at development stage and late stage treatments showed no significant variation with 100% ETC in grain yield. Water use efficiency observed at 75% ETC all growth stages treatment was statistically similar with that of 50% ETC at all growth stages treatment. Grain yield obtained from 50% ETC at mid growth stage was similar with 50% ETC at all growth stages, and water use efficiency was the least and this shows that maize was sensitive to moisture stress at mid growth stage than development and late growth stages. Therefore, maize could be irrigated at 75% ETC at all growth stages and by stressing development or late growth stages up to 50% ETC to increase water use efficiency with a small grain yield reduction for stressed scenario and for non stressed scenario with 100% ETC at all growth stages.

Effects of Mela Organics' New Liquid Fertilizer on Tomato Yield in Semi-Arid Areas of Ethiopia

Soil organic matter depletion is mainly caused by crop residue removal, and low or no application of organic fertilizers often results in nutrient exhaustion and low crop yields. This challenge requires the evaluation of different organic fertilizer resources to provide new alternative fertilizer products to an Ethiopian production system. Based on this fact, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of mela organic fertilizer as a supplementary fertilizer to improve the yield of tomatoes under irrigation in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia from 2020 to 2021. The experiment consisted of eight treatments (Control, 100% recommended fertilizer, 100% recommended fertilizer + 30 L/ha Mela, 100% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela, 75% recommended fertilizer +30 L/ha Mela, 75% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela, 50% recommended fertilizer +30 L/ha Mela and 50% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela) laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that the highest agronomic yield was obtained by applying the 100% recommended fertilizer + 30 L/ha Mela. However, based on the partial budget analysis, the highest marginal rate of return was obtained from 50% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela. Thus, it can be concluded that the application of Mela Organics up to 45 L/ha, integrated with chemical fertilizer applications, can increase tomatoes' economic yields and reduce fertilizer costs.

Growth and Yield of Onion (<i>Allium cepa</i> L.) as Affected by Variable Rates of Poultry Manure and Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizer at Alage, Central Rift Valley Ethiopia

Onion is one of the important vegetable crops produced in many home gardens and in some extent commercially in different parts of Ethiopia. Therefore, this experiment was conducted at Alage Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia with the objectives of assessing the growth, yield, and quality response of onion to the variable rates of poultry manure and mineral nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment comprising of three nitrogen levels (0, 46, and 92 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) and four levels of poultry manure (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The result indicated that leaf length, leaf number, days to maturity, bulb length, and bulb dry matter content were significantly influenced by main factors. Application of poultry manure at the rate of 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> recorded the highest total bulb yield (63.33 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) and marketable bulb yield (62.52 t ha<sup>-1</sup>), but statistically, there was no significant difference between 15t ha<sup>-1</sup> and 10t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application. The results of the partial budget analysis showed that 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application gave the highest marginal rate of returns. Since the highest bulb yield and maximum marginal rate of returns are obtained at 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application, this rate can be recommended for onion production in the researched area, and areas having similar agro-ecologies. However, as the research is conducted for a single season and location, repeating the experiment over location and year will be required to give a conclusive recommendation.

Understanding Water Governance in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia: Governance Framework, Coherence and Practices.

Water governance demands multi-sector participation beyond the state; and, appropriate laws, policies, regulations, and institutions need to be developed and put in place for sustainable use of water resources. A good water policy, a critical and integral instrument of water governance, guides water use schemes and ensures equitable water distribution among users. The Ethiopian Central Rift Valley (CRV) is rich in water resources, but these water resources are currently under severe strain owing to an imbalance in human-water interactions. This study examined the state of water resources governance framework, policy coherence, actors' engagement and transparency, accountability, and participation in irrigation water supply in the CRV of Ethiopia. Key informant interviews (KII), focused group discussions, and document reviews were used to gather data for the study. The NVivo 11 program was used to organize, code, and analyze the data. The results revealed that water resources governance practices such as water allocation and apportionment, water resources protection, and conservation activities were inappropriately exercised. Water resources management policy mechanisms were not fully put in place. Lack of coherence in water policy implementation, absence of clear roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, absence of transparency and accountability in irrigation water service delivery, and lack of meaningful participation of key actors in water governance decision-making were observed. As a result, over-abstraction, deterioration of buffer zone areas, and chemical erosion from surrounding farming are attributed to the reduction in water volume and quality in the CRV. These challenges have influenced aquatic ecosystem services and threaten the livelihoods of the surrounding communities. Hence, reforms relating to policy coherence and enforcement, stakeholder engagement, water distribution strategies, and the implementation of water governance principles must be given adequate emphasis.

The role and interplay of institutions in water governance in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia.

Institutions can play a key role in coordinating how natural resources are effectively managed and used without over-exploitation. Institutions are laws, policies, and organizational arrangements that permit, forbid or regulate human action. This study aimed to look into the roles of formal and informal institutions, and their interactions in water resources governance in the Central Rift Valley (CRV), Ethiopia. Key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and secondary data sources were employed to collect relevant data. The result of the study indicated that the influence of informal institutions on formal institutions or vice versa was insignificant, and unable to change the actions of water users in the CRV. Other limitations observed in water resources governance in the CRV include a lack of actors' clear roles and responsibilities, absence of meaningful decentralization, limited engagement of key actors in policy development, lack of synergy between the institutions, and absence of enforcement mechanisms. Considering the local contexts and community's traditional knowledge of water governance in water-related policy, rules, and regulations, and enhancing the capacity of local-level institutions, strong interplay among all institutions involved in water governance, and meaningful actors' engagement were recommended to advance the role of institutions in water resources governance in the CRV and in the country. Hence, a mechanism that enables to harmonize formal and informal institutions in water management system can enhance the governance of water resources in the study area and elsewhere in the country.

Modeling performances of maize cultivars under current and future climate scenarios in southern central Ethiopian rift valley

BackgroundIn southern central rift valley of Ethiopia, maize is an important crop because of its adaptation to wider agro-ecologies and higher yield potential. However, most cultivars were not parameterized to include in the database of Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT). As a result simulation of growth and yield of those cultivars was not possible under changing climate.MethodsTwo set of independent crop, management and soil data were used for calibration and validation of genetic coefficients of maize cultivars (BH-540, BH-546, BH-547, Shala and Shone) under condition of historic weather (1990–2020). Later, we simulated the growth and yield of maize using twenty multimodel climate ensembles across RCP 4.5 and 8.5 during early, medium and late century across Shamana, Bilate, Hawassa and Dilla clusters using DSSATv4.8 model.ResultsCultivars BH-540, BH-546, BH-547, Shala and Shone produced yields of 5.7, 5.4, 5.2, 6.9 and 7.4 t ha−1 with the corresponding error percentage of − 0.1, − 0.8, − 1.0, − 6.1 and 2.6%. The results of normalized root mean square were 1.14–4.2 and 3.0–3.9%, for grain yield during calibration and validation, respectively showing an excellent rating. The simulation experiment produced 5.4–9.2 t ha−1 for grain yield of maize cultivars across the study areas, which is likely to fall close to 63.3% by 2070 if right adaptation options are not introduced necessitating switch in cultivars and production areas.ConclusionsThere is critical need for reduction of GHGs emissions, generation of innovative adaptation strategies, and development of drought and heat stress tolerant maize cultivars. Hence, researchers and policy makers shall act with utmost urgency to embark with breeding programs that target climate change adaptation traits in maize crop.

Ecological Study of the Vegetation in the Loka Abaya National Park, Ethiopia

An ecological study of the vegetation in the Loka Abaya National Park, in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, was conducted. Vegetation data and some environmental variables including physical and chemical properties of the soil, altitude, slope, and ecological disturbance were collected and subjected to the agglomerative hierarchical classification and ordination with the canonical correspondence analysis. For each of the community groups, the mean and standard errors were calculated from the environmental parameters to characterize the community types and quantitative relationships between environmental variables were analyzed by calculating Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient using the SAS computer software programme. A total of 198 plant species representing 79 families and 139 genera were collected and documented. Seven plant community types, namely, Vachellia brevispica Harms–Rhus natalensis Krauss, Ficus sur Forssk.–Vachellia albida (Del.) A. Chev., Panicum subalbidum Kunth–Cyperus latifolius Poir, Dodonaea angustifolia L. f.–Ximenia americana L., Combretum molle R.Br ex. G.Don–Combretum collinum Fresen., Ilex mitis (L.) Radlk–Olea europaea L. subsp. cuspidata, and Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn, were identified. Ilex mitis–Olea europaea L. subsp. cuspidata community had the highest species richness, whereas the least species richness was recorded for the Panicum subalbidum–Cyperus latifolius community. The results of vegetation-environment relationships indicated that the measured environmental variables explained 74.99% of the total variation in floristic data. The results of the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of community-environment relationships indicated that among measured environmental variables, altitude (r2 0.0548, P<0.01), slope (r2 = 0.0241, P<0.01), pH (r2 = 0.01855, P<0.01), sodium (r2 = 0.01316, P<0.04), CEC (r2 = 0.01424, P<0.03), magnesium (r2 = 0.01282, P<0.04), potassium (r2 = 0.0152, P<0.02), and soil moisture content (SMC) (r2 = 0.01537, P<0.05) significantly explained the variation in species composition of the communities and their distribution. Therefore, ecosystem-oriented biodiversity conservation and restoration strategies will be implemented by considering these significant environmental variables.

Assessment of Water Governance Practices in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia: Transparency, Accountability and Participation

Assessment of Water Governance Practices in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia: Transparency, Accountability and Participation

Effects of land use/land cover change on hydrological responses of a watershed in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Abstract The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impacts of LULC changes on the hydrological components of a watershed using multivariate statistics, and hydrological modeling approaches. The study analyzed the LULC distributions, and changes corresponding to the years 2000, 2010, and 2020. The SWAT model was then applied to assess the hydrological impacts of these changes in the studied watershed. Finally, changes in LULC types were correlated with the water balance components using a Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) method. The result showed a continuous expansion of barren, built-up, and cropland areas, while forests, shrubs, and grassland decreased by about 67.12, 41, and 36.88%, respectively. The modeling result showed that surface runoff, water yield, and evapotranspiration decreased by 16.1, 2.9, and 9.3%, respectively. In contrast, base flow, soil water storage, and lateral flow of the watershed increased by up to 19.1%, 55.9%, and 150.4%, respectively, due to LULC changes. The PLSR model identified the cropland, forest, and shrub LULC types as the major factors affecting the water resource components. The study results provide useful information for policymakers and planners in the implementation of sustainable water resource planning and management in the context of environmental change.

Climate and human activities impact on runoff and sediment yield in the central rift valley of Ethiopia

Climate and human activities impact on runoff and sediment yield in the central rift valley of Ethiopia

Performance Evaluation of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Varieties for Yield and Related Traits in North-Western Ethiopia

Cotton is one of the most important cash crops in Ethiopia and plays a significant role in the agricultural and textile industrial development of the country’s economy. However, the progress in cotton production and productivity in rain-fed environments has been impeded by the absence of improved varieties and inadequate management practices. Presently, there are no recommended cotton varieties specifically tailored for rain-fed environments in northwestern Ethiopia, an area that is largely conducive to cotton cultivation. Interestingly, some investors have chosen to cultivate genotypes that have been recommended for irrigation purposes, particularly within the central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. In the current investigation, an assessment was conducted on various cotton varieties in order to determine their quantitative traits during the primary cultivation period of 2017/2018 at Pawe Agricultural Research Centre. The objective of the experiment was to assess seven cotton genotypes using a randomized complete block design, with the aim of identifying genotypes that are highly adaptable and possess high-yielding characteristics. The statistical analysis of variance demonstrated a significant distinction among the traits that were examined. Within this study, the most productive genotypes were identified as Werer-05 and Candia, with yields of 1722.19 kg/ha and 1617.41 kg/ha, respectively. The observed variations in the characteristics of the various cotton varieties indicate the presence of diversity, which holds significant implications for future cotton breeding.

Growth, Yield and Economic Advantage of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties in Response to NPSB Fertilizer and Planting Pattern

Haphazard and low soil fertility, low yielding verities and poor agronomic practices are among the major factors constraining onion production in the central rift valley of Ethiopia. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in East Showa Zone of Adami Tulu Jido Combolcha district in central rift valley areas at ziway from October 2021 to April 2022 to identify appropriate rate of NPSB fertilizer and planting pattern of onion varieties. The experiment was laid out in split plot design of factorial arrangement in three replications. The main effect of NPSB blended fertilizer rates and varieties (red coach and red king) significantly (p<0.01) influenced plant height, leaf length, leaf diameter, leaf number and fresh leaf weight, shoot dry matter per plant, and harvest index. Total dry biomass, bulb diameter, neck diameter, average fresh bulb weight, bulb dry matter, marketable bulb yield, and total bulb yield were significantly (p<0.01) influenced only by the main effect of NPSB blended fertilizer rates. In addition, unmarketable bulb yield was statistically significantly affected (p≥0.05) by the blended fertilizer rates and planting pattern. Moreover, days to 90% maturity of onion was affected by the main factor of NPSB fertilizer rate, variety and planting pattern. The non-fertilized plants in the control treatment were inferior in all parameters except unmarketable bulb yield and harvest index. Significantly higher marketable bulb yield (41 t ha-1) and total bulb yield (41.33 t ha-1) was recorded from 300 kg ha-1 NPSB blended fertilizer rate applied. Double row planting method and hybrid red coach onion variety had also gave higher growth and yields. The study revealed that the highest net benefit of Birr, 878,894 with lest cost of Birr 148,006 by the combinations of 150 kg blended NPSB ha-1 with double row planting method (40cm*20cm*7cm) and red coach variety which can be recommendable for higher marketable bulb yield and economic return of hybrid onion for small scale farmers in the study area. Also, for resource full producers (investors), highest net benefit of Birr 1,205,372 with higher cost (159,628 Birr) by application of 300 kg NPSB ha-1 is recommended as a second option. However, the research should be replicated both in season and areas to more verify the recommendations.

Dynamics of Spatiotemporal Variation of Groundwater Arsenic in Central Rift Vally of Ethiopia: A Serial Cross-Sectional Study.

Arsenic is a well-known, highly poisonous metalloid that affects human health and ecosystems and is widely distributed in the environment. Nevertheless, data on the spatiotemporal distribution of arsenic in groundwater sources in Ethiopia are scarce. The principal aim of this study was to assess the extent of arsenic in groundwater sources and analyze the spatiotemporal variations in the central rift valley of Ethiopia. The study employed a serial cross-sectional study design and census sampling methods. The concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater samples were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) at the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority laboratory. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 29 software. Additionally, ArcGIS software was utilized to map the spatiotemporal distribution of arsenic. Furthermore, Minitab statistical software version 21.4 was employed to assess the correlation between spatiotemporal variations of arsenic concentrations in groundwater sources. The mean values of arsenic in the groundwater samples were 11.2 µg/L during the dry season and 10.7 µg/L during the rainy season. The study results showed that 18 wells (42.2%) and 22 wells (48.8%) had higher arsenic concentrations (>10 µg/L) during the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. Thus, arsenic levels in 42.2% and 48.8% of the samples exceeded the maximum threshold limit set by WHO, USEPA, and Ethiopian standards (10 µg/L), respectively, during the dry and rainy seasons. Furthermore, our analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between arsenic in groundwater and well depth (r = .75, P < .001), indicating a strong association between higher arsenic concentrations and deeper wells. Similarly, we observed a substantial positive correlation between arsenic concentration in groundwater and season (r = .9, P < .001), suggesting notable variations in arsenic levels between dry and rainy seasons. The majority of the groundwater sources in the studied area are unfit for human consumption because they contain high amounts of arsenic, which poses a significant risk to human health. Moreover, the arsenic concentration varied spatially and temporally. Therefore, special attention is needed to reduce arsenic exposure and associated health risks.

Decadal limnological changes in Lake Beseka, central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

AbstractLake Beseka (Metahara), formerly, an alkaline soda lake in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia is recently undergoing unprecedented changes. The objective of this study was to investigate the current status on the plankton composition of Lake Beseka, in relation to the lake's environmental parameters. Samples for physicochemical and biological parameters were taken twice a year during both the rainy and dry seasons at two different sites (open and shore). Temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, salinity, ammonia, silica and soluble reactive phosphate showed significant variation (p &lt; .05) between wet and dry seasons. The physicochemical parameters recorded during this study shows decreasing trend than the previous studies indicating the lakes ecosystem undergone fundamental changes over time. A total of 25 phytoplankton and 13 zooplankton genera were identified. The phytoplankton community of Lake Beseka had previously been dominated by Arthrospira fusiformis, but this time it was completely missing, and diatoms substituted for it. The decrease in pH and salinity of the lake's water could be responsible for these changes. In addition, cyclopoid copepods now predominate over zooplankton in Branchionus dimidiatus during periods of high salinity. Redundancy analysis showed that SRP, ammonia, nitrate and turbidity are important environmental factors that significantly influenced plankton abundance. This study provides new baseline information on the plankton composition of Lake Beseka, in relation to the lake's environmental parameters, which can be used to evaluate future community structure.

Drought susceptibility modeling with geospatial techniques and AHP model: a case of Bilate River Watershed, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Drought continues to be the worst natural hazard in the world affecting ecosystems, economies and overall human welfare with severe consequences in developing countries. While drought is an unavoidable climatic phenomenon, actions can be made to improve preparedness and mitigate the impacts upon proper forecast on susceptibility. Drought susceptibility modeling plays a key role in determining how best to mitigate and adapt to drought occurrences. This research explores the application of geospatial techniques and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in drought susceptibility modeling for the drought-prone Bilate River watershed, located in the central Rift Valley drylands of Ethiopia. A total of 15 parameters were used including rainfall, temperature, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, normalized difference vegetation index, land surface temperature, soil texture, land use-land cover, topographic wetness index, modified normalized difference water index, drainage density, slope, elevation, population density and aspect to model drought susceptibility. Findings showed that nearly 70.2% of the area falls under the moderate drought category, followed by the severe (23.2%), mild drought (6.6%) and extreme (0.02%) drought categories in the watershed. Based on zonal administration, Wolayta Zone has a high spatial coverage of severe drought with 54.1% (659.3 km2) while Hadiya has a high spatial coverage of moderate drought with 24.6% (908.9 km2). The drought susceptibility model (DSM) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was then created, and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated. The results of the analysis showed that the AUC is 0.701 (70.1%) indicating that the model is reasonably good model. Hence, geospatial approaches in conjunction with the AHP model improved the drought susceptibility modeling’s reliability, which has significant implications for drought adaptive management and preparedness planning.

Evaluation of surface runoff and sedimentation into the Lake Ziway from selected land cover types, central rift valley of Ethiopia

Study regionLake Ziway watershed, Central rift valley of Ethiopia Study focusLake Ziway is currently under huge threat of sediment deposition and water consumption from the upper stream areas of the watershed. The objective of this study was to quantify the sediment and runoff contribution of different land cover types in the Lake Ziway watershed. The study has selected three sites systematically in the lower part of the watershed. Within a site, four land cover types that share similar biophysical characteristics were selected for installing runoff plots with the size of 43.3 m2. The rainfall, runoff and sediment samples collected twice a day from each runoff plot. The composite samples filtered by applying 10 % HCL and the extracted sediment dried in oven at 105°C for 24 h. The dried sediment weighed and computed for each land cover types. New hydrological insights for the regionThe surface runoff from cultivated land is significantly higher than the remaining three land cover types. The total surface runoff in the first and second year from cultivated land is 1033.5 mm and 685.5 mm respectively. The sediment contributed from grassland is significantly lower than the remaining three land cover types. The maximum daily sediment loss per hectare from cultivated land is 84.05 kg and 22.67 kg in the first year and second year respectively. The average annual sediment loss from each land cover types are 5.1, 1.1, 0.9 & 0.5 ton/ha for cultivated land, degraded land, grassland and forestland respectively in the first year. There is moderate linear relationship between surface runoff and rainfall across each land cover. The relationship between the surface runoff and sediment loss is positive and linear. The major source of sediment to the Lake Ziway is from the cultivated land, whereas the least sediment source is from forestland of the watershed. The sediment contribution from cultivated land to the lake should be the priority site for conservation planning of the lake and the entire watershed.

On-farm demonstration of improved and drought tolerant maize varieties with associated management practices

Maize is an important cereal crop in the central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. It plays a greater role in ensuring food security. The study was designed to evaluate and promote Melkassa-6Q variety with standard check (Melkassa-2). The study sites were Adama and ATJK districts. The districts were selected based on their maize production potential and accessibility of the site for demonstration. Training and field days were implemented to facilitate the successful implementation of the activity and create awareness among farmers about the varieties. Grain yield was recorded and the varieties were compared to each other based on their yield performance. Farmers ‘feedback was also collected and farmers preference ranking of each demonstrated variety was done depending on the farmers’ set criteria for variety evaluation. The mean yield of Melkassa-2 (standard check) is about 39 qt/ha across locations whereas the mean yield of Melkassa-6Q is 36.4 qt/ha which is 2.6 qt below the standard check. In addition to yield, Melkassa-2 variety was preferred over Melkassa-6Q variety in overall farmers’ evaluation criteria for maize variety evaluation. Therefore, there should be an adequate quality seed supply of Melkassa-2 variety till the best-performing maize variety is released by the research system.

The role and interplay of institutions in water governance in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Background Institutions can play a key role in coordinating how natural resources are effectively managed and used without over-exploitation. Institutions are laws, policies, and organizational arrangements that permit, forbid or regulate human action. This study aimed to look into the roles of formal and informal institutions, and their interactions in water resources governance in the Central Rift Valley (CRV), Ethiopia. Methods Key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and secondary data sources were employed to collect relevant data. Results The result of the study indicated that the influence of informal institutions on formal institutions or vice versa was insignificant, and unable to change the actions of water users in the CRV. Other limitations observed in water resources governance in the CRV include a lack of actors’ clear roles and responsibilities, absence of meaningful decentralization, limited engagement of key actors in policy development, lack of synergy between the institutions, and absence of enforcement mechanisms. Conclusion Considering the local contexts and community’s traditional knowledge of water governance in water-related policy, rules, and regulations, and enhancing the capacity of local-level institutions, strong interplay among all institutions involved in water governance, and meaningful actors’ engagement were recommended to advance the role of institutions in water resources governance in the CRV and in the country.

Knowledge, attitude and participation intention to use and management of wetlands: evidence from the central rift valley of Ethiopia

Knowledge, attitude and participation intention to use and management of wetlands: evidence from the central rift valley of Ethiopia

Sugarcane Yield and Juice Quality as Affected by Harvest Age and Chemical Ripeners in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Sugarcane Yield and Juice Quality as Affected by Harvest Age and Chemical Ripeners in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia