The project area is characterized by food insecurity, poor access to a safe water supply, conflicts related to livestock watering during the dry season and high levels of poverty with a lack of opportunities for livelihood enhancement compounded by a lack of access to markets and to credit for initiating development.
<p>The Akobo-Gambella floodplains transboundary development programme is one of the three short term projects proposed as part of the Baro-Akobo-Sobat multipurpose water resources development study project. The three short term projects are based on the sustainable development of water resources. They aim at providing inter-sectoral benefits and improving people's livelihoods in the sub-basin. The Akobo-Gambella programme is designed around solar pumping and the provision of water for various uses. This programme is designed to reduce extreme poverty and improve livelihoods in an area of the BAS sub-basin which is highly vulnerable (conflicts over the resources, food insecurity, no access to a safe source of water, etc.). This area currently receives humanitarian aid and the programme focuses on the transition between aid and development. The programme includes generic components such as potable water supply, sanitation, livestock watering, capture fisheries, aquaculture, small scale irrigation and capacity building. The implementation of the programme will include field work to select pilot areas, identify specific needs and refine these generic components.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Akobo-Gambella Floodplains Transboundary Development Programme covers parts of the Baro-Akobo-Sobat basin in Ethiopia and South Sudan. In Ethiopia, <a name="_Hlk100500753"></a>the programme focuses on the plains of Gambella region (Nuer Zone) and in South Sudan, it is located in Jonglei State (Akobo County) and Upper Nile State (Ulang County). The Programme is located in an area that is highly vulnerable and suffers from frequent conflicts over natural resources, food insecurity, no access to a safe water, etc., and is heavily dependent on humanitarian aid. The Akobo-Gambella Programme aims to facilitate a transition from aid dependency to self-sufficiency in food and other basin services. The objective of the programme is to reduce transboundary conflicts associated with water, improve food security and lead to improved livelihoods. The programme comprises of several generic components such as potable water supply, sanitation, livestock watering, capture fisheries, aquaculture, small scale irrigation and capacity building. The implementation of the programme will include field work to select pilot areas, identify specific needs and refine these generic components. The basic approach of the programme is to abstract water from the ground and rivers using solar-powered pumps, transfer it to storge tanks, and from there distribute it for multiple purpose including domestic water supply and sanitation, small scale irrigation, livestock watering and aquaculture. The water sources and pumping systems could be different for each of the uses. Hardware interventions will be complemented by software interventions such as hygiene education, training on fish farming, training on operation and maintenance of water infrastructure, and awareness on watershed management. The indicated costs below are for interventions in a single village.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Â The Akobo-Gambella Floodplains Transboundary Development Programme is one of the three short term projects proposed as part of the Baro-Akobo-Sobat (BAS) Multipurpose Activities under the project commenced in 2008-20012 funded with a seed grant from the Netherlands and French governments. The feasibility study for the Akobo-Gambella Floodplains Transboundary Development Programme was funded by the African Water Facility and carried out in 2015-2017.</p>
<p>As stated in the general context, the feasibility studies for the short-term projects form component 2 of the BAS multipurpose water resources development study project. The objectives of the short-term projects have been defined in accordance with the environmental and social work carried out in the baseline study and follow the guiding principles provided by the term of references for the study. The main considerations of the short-term projects are the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Strategies to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty;</li>
<li>Strategies to reduce conflicts over the resource;</li>
<li>Strategies to implement an enabling environment, favourable for moving towards the vision of the basin in the future, especially when supported by the implementation of medium and long-term projects and the taking of short-term demonstration type projects to scale.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, it should be noted that these short-term projects have been designated in accordance with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and more particularly with the following goals:</p>
<ul>
<li>Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere</li>
<li>Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture</li>
<li>Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages</li>
<li>Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls</li>
<li>Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all</li>
<li>Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all</li>
<li>Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts</li>
</ul>