Zamra-Araqua Watershed Project

Zamra-Araqua Watershed Project was one of 13 potential first-round investment projects identified in 2007 under the Cooperative Regional Assessment (CRA) of Watershed Management in the Eastern Nile Basin. The 13 projects identified under the CRA focused on watered degradation ‘hot spots’ characterized by increasing population pressure on a degrading natural resource base.

The Zamra and Arequa Watersheds are located in the upper part of the Tekeze-Atbara Sub-basin in Ethiopia and have a combined area of 5,021 km². Administratively, the two watershed cover parts of five Woredas in Tigray Region: Alaje, Enderta, Hintalo-Wajirat, Seharti-Samre and Tanqua-Abergele. The two watersheds receive high amounts of rainfall and are well endowed with natural resources and biodiversity that is still only partially exploited. However, the watersheds have the challenge of rising population, widespread poverty and use of poor agricultural practices. The challenges are leading to increasing pressure on the natural resource and driving deforestation, land degradation, soil erosion and sediment transport, wetland loss, and biodiversity decline, among others.

The objective of the Zamra-Araqua Watershed Project is to promote the sustainable management of the natural resources of the two watershed and facilitate their wise and sustainable utilization in support of poverty reduction and social-economic development in the area. Proposed project interventions include training woreda and kebele staff in sustainable watershed management approaches; promoting improved farming practices including use of manure and compost, improved tillage; construction of grass strips, stone bunds and earth bunds; on-farm water harvesting; establishment of on-farm forage lots; agroforestry; improvement of degraded communal land through construction of cut-off drains, check dams, and tree plantation to stabilize gullies; supporting small-scale irrigation; stocking fish in reservoirs; supporting community member to switch to alternative livelihood activities like beekeeping, processing of agricultural produce; promoting energy-efficient stoves; improving market access for farm produce; and establishing revolving funds to improve access to credit for local enterprises.

The prefeasibility study for the project was carried out in the period 2010-2012 under the Watershed Delineation and Prioritization Project

Zamra-Araqua Watershed Project was one of 13 potential first-round investment projects identified in 2007 under the Cooperative Regional Assessment (CRA) of Watershed Management in the Eastern Nile Basin. The 13 projects identified under the CRA focused on watered degradation ‘hot spots’ characterized by increasing population pressure on a degrading natural resource base.

The Zamra and Arequa Watersheds are located in the upper part of the Tekeze-Atbara Sub-basin in Ethiopia and have a combined area of 5,021 km². Administratively, the two watershed cover parts of five Woredas in Tigray Region: Alaje, Enderta, Hintalo-Wajirat, Seharti-Samre and Tanqua-Abergele. The two watersheds receive high amounts of rainfall and are well endowed with natural resources and biodiversity that is still only partially exploited. However, the watersheds have the challenge of rising population, widespread poverty and use of poor agricultural practices. The challenges are leading to increasing pressure on the natural resource and driving deforestation, land degradation, soil erosion and sediment transport, wetland loss, and biodiversity decline, among others.

The objective of the Zamra-Araqua Watershed Project is to promote the sustainable management of the natural resources of the two watershed and facilitate their wise and sustainable utilization in support of poverty reduction and social-economic development in the area. Proposed project interventions include training woreda and kebele staff in sustainable watershed management approaches; promoting improved farming practices including use of manure and compost, improved tillage; construction of grass strips, stone bunds and earth bunds; on-farm water harvesting; establishment of on-farm forage lots; agroforestry; improvement of degraded communal land through construction of cut-off drains, check dams, and tree plantation to stabilize gullies; supporting small-scale irrigation; stocking fish in reservoirs; supporting community member to switch to alternative livelihood activities like beekeeping, processing of agricultural produce; promoting energy-efficient stoves; improving market access for farm produce; and establishing revolving funds to improve access to credit for local enterprises.

The prefeasibility study for the project was carried out in the period 2010-2012 under the Watershed Delineation and Prioritization Project

The objective of the Zamra-Araqua Watershed Project is to promote the sustainable management of the natural resources of the two watershed and facilitate their wise and sustainable utilization in support of poverty reduction and social-economic development in the area. Proposed project interventions include training woreda and kebele staff in sustainable watershed management approaches; promoting improved farming practices including use of manure and compost, improved tillage; construction of grass strips, stone bunds and earth bunds; on-farm water harvesting; establishment of on-farm forage lots; agroforestry; improvement of degraded communal land through construction of cut-off drains, check dams, and tree plantation to stabilize gullies; supporting small-scale irrigation; stocking fish in reservoirs; supporting community member to switch to alternative livelihood activities like beekeeping, processing of agricultural produce; promoting energy-efficient stoves; improving market access for farm produce; and establishing revolving funds to improve access to credit for local enterprises.