1st Edition

The Nile River Basin Water, Agriculture, Governance and Livelihoods

    344 Pages 107 Color & 96 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    344 Pages 107 Color & 96 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The Nile provides freshwater not only for domestic and industrial use, but also for irrigated agriculture, hydropower dams and the vast fisheries resource of the lakes of Central Africa. The Nile River Basin covers the whole Nile Basin and is based on the results of three major research projects supported by the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). It provides unique and up-to-date insights on agriculture, water resources, governance, poverty, productivity, upstream-downstream linkages, innovations, future plans and their implications. 

    Specifically, the book elaborates the history and the major current and future challenges and opportunities of the Nile river basin. It analyzes the basin characteristics using statistical data and modern tools such as remote sensing and geographic information systems. Population distribution, poverty and vulnerability linked to production system and water access are assessed at the international basin scale, and the hydrology of the region is also analysed. 

    This text provides in-depth scientific model adaptation results for hydrology, sediments, benefit sharing, and payment for environmental services based on detailed scientific and experimental work of the Blue Nile Basin. Production systems as they relate to crops, livestock, fisheries and wetlands are analyzed for the whole Blue and White Nile basin including their constraints. Policy, institutional and technological interventions that increase productivity of agriculture and use of water are also assessed. Water demand modeling, scenario analysis, and tradeoffs that inform future plans and opportunities are included to provide a unique, comprehensive coverage of the subject.

    1. Introduction. Seleshi B. Awulachew, Vladimir Smakhtin, David Molden and Don Peden.  2. Nile Water and agriculture: Past, present and future. Karen Conniff, David Molden, Don Peden and Seleshi B. Awulachew.  3. The nile basin, people, poverty and vulnerability. James Kinyangi, Don Peden, Mario Herrero, Aster Tsige, Tom Ouna and An Notenbaert.  4. Spatial characterisation of the Nile Basin for improved water management. Solomon S. Demise, Seleshi B. Awulachew, David Molden and Aster D. Yilma.  5. Availability of water for agriculture in the Nile Basin. Robyn Johnston.  6. Hydrological processes in the Blue Nile. Zachary M. Easton, Seleshi B. Awulachew, Tammo S. Steenhuis, Saliha Alemayehu Habte, Birhanu Zemadim, Yilma Seleshi and Kamaleddin E. Basha.  7. The Nile Basin sediment loss and degradation with emphasis on the Blue Nile. Tammo S. Steenhuis, Zachary M. Easton, Seleshi B. Awulachew, Abdalla A. Ahmed, Kamaleddin E. Bashar, Enyew Adgo, Yihenew G. Selassie and Seifu A. Tilahun.  8. Nile basin farming systems and productivity. Poolad Karimi, David Molden, An Notenbaert and Don Peden.  9. Livestock and water in the Nile River Basin. Don Peden, Tilahun Amede, Amare Haileslassie, Hamid Faki, Denis Mpairwe, Paulo van Breugel, and Mario Herrero.  10. Overview of groundwater in the Nile River Basin. Charlotte MacAlister, Paul Pavelic, Callist Tindimugaya, Tenalem Ayenew, Mohamed Elhassan Ibrahim and Mohamed Abdel Meguid.  11. Wetlands of the Nile Basin: distribution, functions and contribution to livelihoods. Lisa-Maria Rebelo and Matthew P. McCartney.  12. Nile water governance. Ana Elisa Cascão.  13. Institutions and policy in the BNB: understanding challenges and opportunities for improved land and water management. Amare Haileslassie, Fitsum Hagos, Seleshi B. Awulachew, Don Peden, Abdalla A. Ahmed, Solomon Gebreselassie, Tesfaye Tafesse, Everisto Mapedza and Aditi Mukherji.  14. Simulating current and future water resources development in the Blue Nile river basin. Matthew P. McCartney, Tadesse Alemayehu, Zachary M. Easton and Seleshi B. Awulachew.  15. Water management intervention analysis in the Nile Basin. Seleshi B. Awulachew Solomon S. Demissie, Fitsum Hagos, Teklu Erkossa and Don Peden.  INDEX.

    Biography

    Seleshi Bekele Awulachew was, at the time of writing, Acting Director in Africa for the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He is now Senior Water Resources and Climate Specialist at the African Climate Policy Center (ACPC), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

    Vladimir Smakhtin is Theme Leader – Water Availability and Access at IWMI, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

    David Molden was, at the time of writing, Deputy Director General of IWMI, Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is now Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal. 

    Don Peden is a Consultant at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.