The Contribution of Water Spreading Weirs in Alleviating Water andFeed Shortages in Ewa and Yalo Districts, Afar Region, Ethiopia

Authors

  • Nahusenay Abate Dessie Samara University image/svg+xml Author
  • Seid Yimer Abrha Afar Regional State Livestock Laboratory, Semera, Ethiopia Author

Keywords:

Climate adaptation, feed shortage, pastoral resilience, floodwater harvesting, livestock health, water and forage availability, Water Spreading Weirs.

Abstract

Introduction: Water-spreading weirs (WSWs), introduced in Chad in the 1990s with Swiss support, effectively mitigate water scarcity and forage shortages. By harvesting seasonal floodwaters, WSWs improve water and forage availability, enhance household food security, restore ecosystems, and strengthen the climate resilience of pastoral communities.

Objective: This study assesses the contribution of WSWs to water availability, livestock feed, food security, and climate resilience in Ethiopia's drought-prone Afar Region (Ewa and Yalo districts).

Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional design was employed using data from 176 households, comprising 106 beneficiaries (treated) and 70 non-beneficiaries (control) households. Quantitative analyses compared water availability, livestock feed, and food security outcomes between groups.

Results: WSW interventions produced significant positive effects among beneficiaries. Overall, 70.8% of treated households reported improved water and feed availability (χ² = 18.264, p < 0.05). Frequent livestock water shortages declined from 78.3% before the intervention to 14.2% afterward, while acute fodder shortages decreased from 80.2% to 1.9% (χ² = 27.237, p < 0.05; V = 0.507). Compared with controls, beneficiaries reported greater improvements in surface water availability (93.4% vs. 74.3% worsening; χ² = 154.960, p < 0.05; V = 0.938), feed availability (83.0% improved vs. 84.3% declining; χ² = 147.497, p < 0.05; V = 0.915), and household food security (72.6% vs. 17.2%; χ² = 55.635, p < 0.05; V = 0.562).

 

Conclusion: WSWs improve water retention, pasture recovery, and household food security, demonstrating their effectiveness as a nature-based solution for strengthening resilience in arid and semi-arid pastoral areas such as Afar.

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