Ethiopia, with an estimated population of 120.8 million, is Africa’s second most populous country and the third-largest economy in Eastern and Southern Africa. Persistent water scarcity, lack of access to basic infrastructure, and limited adaptability of agro pastoral systems to climate shocks are constraints to resilient livelihoods, which will require specific attention in the context of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. The country is endowed with abundant water resources (both ground-and surface-water). However, the spatial and temporal  (within  and  between  years)  distribution  of  this  resource  is  exceptionally  variable  and unpredictable, which is manifested in endemic, devastating droughts and floods.

The objective is to improve access to climate resilient and gender sensitive integrated and sustainable water and sanitation services to pastoralist communities in dryland areas of the Borana area of Oromia region, for improved health, livelihoods, and nutrition and food security.

• Conduct climate risk screening of the infrastructure project at design and at operation and maintenance stages
• Build resilience into infrastructure projects, prioritizing nature-based solutions, where feasible
• Design a strategy and approach to involve local communities, tapping into local knowledge and   traditional arrangements for water resources management
• Carry out a gender climate vulnerability and resilience assessment and develop measures to address these gender gaps as an integral part of climate adaptation

• Benefit an estimated 308,576 people and 975,750 livestock
• Provide access to integrated, sustainable, climate-resilient and gender-sensitive water and sanitation services to pastoralist communities in the drylands of the Borana region of Oromia
• Enhance adaptation and resilience building measures such as protection and restoration of ecosystem functions, improving access to potable water, and watershed management
• Improve  access  to  clean  water  and sanitation  services 
• Enhance water  resources  management
• Increase gender equality  and  women economic empowerment 
• Improve national infrastructure and Feed Africa priority with a target on increasing agricultural productivity
• Increased job opportunities 

• Integrated  and sustainable water resources management (WRM), through assessment of the resource and its ecosystems, as well as supporting institutions and  enabling environment
• Strengthen delivery of resilient water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services
• Increased the availability  of  sustainable  water  resources  for  food  production  and  improved  nutrition,  including improved agropastoral water management investments