Synthesis of Existing Knowledge and Experience on the Provision of ...

• Underst<strong>and</strong> existing traditional watermanagement systems <strong>and</strong> strengthencustomary institutions as well as build ontheir know-how for water schememanagement.• Strengthen the management, operation<strong>and</strong> maintenance capacity <strong>of</strong> water users<strong>and</strong> select technologies for whichconstruction materials <strong>and</strong> spare parts arelocally available.• Promote user buy-in <strong>and</strong> commitment byrequiring a labour/cash contribution toconstruct water points51• In rangel<strong>and</strong>s, select technologies which donot encourage settlement 52 <strong>and</strong> adequatelyspace points to alleviate pressure on anysingle water point.At the same time it is clear that this thinking is translated into action on only a small scale(highlighted in some <strong>of</strong> the examples given in Section 3). Much that occurs in the water developmentsector (in pastoral areas as well as elsewhere) continues to follow business as usual based on atechnocratic model, with little community participation <strong>and</strong> little emphasis on issues beyond puttingin place physical infrastructure. Ethiopia is still littered with non-functional <strong>and</strong> disused water points,<strong>and</strong> conflict, settlement <strong>and</strong> environmental degradation are still evident around them. In SNNPR, forexample, management <strong>of</strong> water schemes remains a challenge, <strong>and</strong> as rapidly as the number <strong>of</strong> waterpoints is increasing, the number <strong>of</strong> non-functional points is increasing with it (SNNPR Water Bureau,personal communication, 2009). This trend is not only limited to SNNPR but is observed across theregions. For example 60% <strong>of</strong> Somali region’s birkado are damaged <strong>and</strong> unused (Schimann <strong>and</strong>Philpott, 2007). In Oromia, a recent survey conducted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC)has shown that <strong>of</strong> the 14 boreholes present in Daro Lebu woreda in 2005, 12 were functional <strong>and</strong> 2non-functional. Of the additional 15 boreholes constructed in the same woreda since 2005, 7 arenon-functional <strong>and</strong> 8 are functional (Figure 6).70