[18 -19 Nov,2025] WLRC, together with Gamo Zone and the Water and Agriculture sector offices of the Arba Minch Zuria, Arba Minch Town, Chencha Zuria and Dita Weredas, held a stakeholder consultation workshop on 18 November 2025 at Ezana International Hotel, Arba Minch, to review progress with implementation of the Hare Quick Win interventions under the BRIGHT Project.
The WLRC Director General Dr, Gete Zeleke and the BRIGHT Project management staff acclaimed the strong progress made so far and emphasized the importance of ensuring multisectoral collaboration and community ownership.
Participants reviewed achievements in irrigation canal maintenance, drinking water access improvements, siltation clearing, surface and groundwater management, and water quality laboratory strengthening. Thematic leaders shared updates and recommendations, followed by interactive discussions moderated by Dr. Mamaru Moges and Dr. Yilikal Anteneh, the lead coordinator for the IWRM interventions at the Hare catchment.
At the consultative review workshop, prioritised water-focused quick-win activities to be implemented during the remaining 45 days of 2025 were explained by the concerned thematic leads and handed-in to the local level actors to implement them with technical and financial support from the BRIGHT project. Dr. Gete commended the communities and local experts for their dedication and collaboration. He emphasized the importance of continued control of free grazing, maintenance of area closures, and strengthened community ownership to ensure sustainability of the restoration gains.
Local authorities and community representatives on their part lauded the BRIGHT Project Team and communities for their proactive harmonious engagements in the ongoing IWRM quick win interventions. They vowed to support, act and be part of this exceptional engagement.
Dr. Gete further encouraged communities to uphold their stewardship efforts and reaffirmed that the BRIGHT Project will continue providing support as restoration and livelihood improvement activities progress. He emphatically called for the local actors and communities to champion the implementation and all other stakeholders to join hands to realise exemplary achievements within the available time.
The workshop brought together representatives from Gamo Zone, Arba Minch City Administration, AMU, Dita, Chencha, and Arba Minch Zuria Woreda sectors, along with experts from water, irrigation, lowland, construction, and kebele administrations. The event concluded with a shared commitment to advancing the Hare Quick Win interventions and ensuring sustainability IWRM outputs.
It was reported that field visits made to key intervention sites— including non-functional water infrastructure, gully sites, the Gamo Zone Water Laboratory, and selected kebeles— provided practical insights about the ongoing works, preparation efforts, the levels of public participation, implementation challenges, and solutions.