Endalew Jibat Gemede; Feyera Senbeta; Tesfaye Zeleke; Fitsum Hagos
Abstract
Water governance embraces value-related principles such as public participation, accountability, integrity, and transparency. This study aimed to assess whether water governance practices in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia address transparency, accountability, and participation in irrigation water ...
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Water governance embraces value-related principles such as public participation, accountability, integrity, and transparency. This study aimed to assess whether water governance practices in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia address transparency, accountability, and participation in irrigation water service delivery. Key informant interviews, focused group discussions, field observation, and document reviews were used to gather data for the study. The NVivo 11 software program was used to organize, code, and analyze the data. The result indicates that water policies were enacted and institutional reforms were undertaken to ensure integrity and accountability in water resources service delivery. However, the policy and legal frameworks were not fully implemented at the grassroots level. Mechanisms that enable diagnoses and prevent poor transparency and integrity did not exist in irrigation water service supply. Transparency tracking mechanisms were missed in the study area. Gender equity in water service delivery such as access to water and irrigation technologies for females remains unaddressed. Stakeholders’ participation in water governance was not consistent and systematized. Hence, promoting legal and institutional frameworks that ensure accountability, tools, and systematic mechanisms that ensure integrity and transparency, capacitating regulatory institutions and coherent participation strategies needs more emphasis in the study area.
