[WLRC, Arba Minch, October 8, 2025] The Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC) organized a community consultation session under its Basin Management Support for Resilient, Inclusive Growth and Harmonized Transformation (BRIGHT) Project on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at Chano Chalba Kebele in Arba Minch Zuriya Woreda.
The consultations, conducted within the Hare Catchment of the Rift Valley Lakes Basin, focused on strengthening collaboration between the local community and the project implementation teams. The discussions are part of the ongoing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) interventions in the area.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Yilkal Anteneh, Director of the WLRC’s Land and Ecosystem Division, emphasized that the purpose of the consultations was to ensure community ownership and active participation in the BRIGHT Project. “Our goal is to make sure that the people who live and work in these landscapes see the project as their own and play a central role in its success,” he said.
During the discussions, community members raised key water-related challenges, notably the Hare River’s deviation from its main course, which has caused significant damage to farmlands and disrupted irrigation channels and schemes. Participants emphasized the urgent need for maintenance and rehabilitation of these systems to restore agricultural productivity and water access.
Experts from the Gamo Zone Agriculture Office, kebele-level development agents, and other stakeholders participated actively in the discussions. The community members expressed strong support for the project and a willingness to contribute in various ways to its implementation.
The consultations were held simultaneously across the three ketenas of Chano Chalba Kebele, allowing for broad participation and inclusive dialogue.