Water security risk science: local monitoring for participatory resource management (AMGRAF-WSRS)

The project will investigate participatory monitoring of shallow groundwater as an approach to improve climate and hydrological monitoring in data scarce rural areas. 

The aim is to demonstrate twin benefits of a community-level citizen science approach: improved understanding of the resource; and an entry-point for exploring non-state resource governance options which promote water security for the poor.

Work in two pilot study sites in Ethiopia will examine under-researched trade-offs between needs for (i) household water supply, (ii) productive water use to improve livelihoods and (iii) maintaining environmental flow requirements in streams supported by groundwater.

Poor rural people will benefit from improved understanding of the water resources which underpin their agriculture-based livelihoods. An assessment of linkages between land management activity and groundwater recharge will support community decisions on land use and development.

This project is one of twelve Catalyst Projects funded through our Partnership Funding.