<p class="MsoNormal">Dinder and Rahad Rivers originate in the Ethiopian Highlands and flow northwestwards before joining with the Abbay River downstream of Sennar dam to form the Blue Nile River. The two are seasonal rivers of nearly equal length that cease to flow in the dry season. The catchment of the Dinder River is 16,000 km<sup>2</sup> while that of the Rahad river is 8,200 km<sup>2</sup>. The Dinder and Rahad Rivers, together with the Abbay River, contribute about 70% of the sediment load from the Eastern Nile. The two rivers traverse, and sustain the biodiversity of the Alatish ad Dinder National Parks located in Ethiopia and Sudan respectively. The two rivers are also important for sustaining the the Rahad-Dinder wetlands, which comprise a large number of ox-bow lakes and cut-off meanders, and supporting social-economic activities in the countries. There has been considerable development of mechanized rain-fed irrigation systems west of Dinder national park in Sudan. Key environmental and development challenges in the two watersheds include poverty, population pressure, soil erosion, sediment transport, reservoir and irrigation canal siltation, conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project will be used to identify and prepare water resources management and development projects for the Baro-Akobo-Sobat Sub-basin focusing on expanding irrigation and improving food security, improving household incomes, improving water supply and sanitation access, improving access to energy and promoting sustainable management of the natural resources base in the sub-basin. Other interventions include the establishment and implementation of a transboundary water management programme, building capacity of national and state/provincial officials, and carrying out scientific research.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The project was one of several priority projects identified by the Eastern Nile states under the Eastern Nile Multi-Sectoral Investment Opportunity Analysis (MSIOA). The project identification and prefeasibilitystudies were completed in 2015 with funding from the World Bank under the Nile Cooperation for Results Project (NCORE).</p>
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