Ethiopian Water Resources Management Policy.

This Water Resources Management Policy of Ethiopia aims at enhancing the development of the country's water resources to make an optimum contribution to an accelerated socio-economic growth. The overall goal of the Policy is to enhance and promote all national efforts towards the efficient, equitable and optimum utilization of the available Water Resources of Ethiopia for significant socioeconomic development on sustainable basis. Its objectives are: Development of the water resources of the country for economic and social benefits of the people, on equitable and sustainable basis; allocation and apportionment of water, based on comprehensive and integrated plans and optimum allocation principles that incorporate efficiency of use, equity of access, and sustainability of the resource; managing and combating drought and floods; conserving, protecting and enhancing water resources and the overall aquatic environment on sustainable basis. The Policy deals with general issues of water resources management and conservation, cross-cutting issues (also affecting the environment, groundwater, transboundary waters, gender, institutional framework, capacity building and disaster management) and sectoral issues such as water supply and sanitation, irrigation and hydropower. Fundamental principles of the Policy include, amongst others: access by every Ethiopian to sufficient water of acceptable quality, to satisfy basic human need; water resources development shall be underpinned on rural-centered, decentralized management, participatory approach as well as integrated framework; promotion of the participation of all stakeholders, user communities; particularly women's participation in the relevant aspects of water resources management.
Environment, Watershed Management, Water Resources Protection and Conservation requires water resources management to incorporate environment conservation and protection requirements as integral parts of water resources management. Environment Impact Assessment and protection requirements shall serve as part of the major criteria in all water resources projects.
The overall objective of water supply and sanitation policy is to enhance the well-being and productivity of the Ethiopian people through provision of adequate, reliable and clean water supply and sanitation services and to foster its tangible contribution to the economy by providing water supply services that meet the livestock, industry and other water users' demands. The Policy sets out also detailed objectives of the water supply and sanitation policy and sets out policy measures for supply of drinking water and livestock water supply. The overall objective of irrigation policy is to develop the huge irrigated agriculture potential for the production of food crops and raw materials needed for agro industries, on efficient, and sustainable basis and without degrading the fertility of the production fields and water resources base. The Policy requires the promotion of full and meaningful participation of individual farmers, cooperatives and all other stakeholders in all phases of the planning, studies, implementation and operation and maintenance of small, medium and large scale irrigation farms.