The Omo-Turkana Basin Cooperation for Sustainable Water Management

This book provides a comprehensive examination of water resource management in the Omo-Turkana Basin, linking together biophysical, socioeconomic, policy, institutional and governance issues in a solutions-oriented manner. The Omo-Turkana Basin is one of the most important lake basins in Africa, and despite the likely transboundary impacts associated with the management of dams, it is the largest lake basin in Africa without a cooperative water agreement. This volume provides a foundation for integrated decision-making in the management of development in the Lake Turkana Basin. Chapters cover water-related conditions, hydropower, agriculture, ecosystems, resilience and transboundary governance. The final chapter proposes ways forward in light of the potential benefits that can be achieved through cooperation, and practical realities that cooperation is slow and may take time to achieve. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of water and natural resource management, environmental policy, sustainable development and African studies. It will also be relevant to water management professionals.

1 Introduction Jonathan Lautze, Matthew McCartney and Julie Gibson 2 Climate, water and land resources: diversity, uses and changes Stefaan Dondeyne, Gladys Kangi, Ine Rosier, Henok Kassa and Jos Van Orshoven 3 Hydropower development: economic and environmental benefits and risks Marta Zaniolo, Matteo Giuliani, Amare Bantider and Andrea Castelletti 4 Agriculture, food and nutrition security Bancy Mati and Douglas J. Merrey 5 Ecosystem services in changing social-ecological systems Fritz Kleinschroth, Wolde Mekuria, Christian Schwatke and Matthew McCartney 6 Resilience dynamics in a rapidly changing social-ecological system: shifting inequalities in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley Jennifer Hodbod, Edward G.J. Stevenson and Mercy Fekadu Mulugeta 7 Pathways to enhanced cooperation Julie Gibson and Zeray Yihdego 8 First steps toward cooperative basin management Jonathan Lautze, Matthew McCartney and Julie Gibson

Jonathan Lautze is the Research Group Leader for Integrated Management of Basins and Aquifers at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Matthew McCartney is the Research Group Leader for Sustainable Water Infrastructure and Ecosystems at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Julie Gibson is a PhD Researcher at the University of Strathclyde, UK.