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The major river in Ethiopia is the Blue Nile. However, most drinking water in Ethiopia comes from ground water, not rivers. Ethiopia has 12 river basins with an annual runoff volume of 122 billion m 3 of water and an estimated 2.6–6.5 billion m 3 of ground water potential.
The Awash basin is the most developed, utilized, abused, impacted, and most populous (over 15% or nearly 18.6 million out of 120 million) basin in Ethiopia. [6] Middle Awash is known for having both large- and small-scale irrigation, as well as agroindustry and sugar factories (Wenji, Methara, and Kesem Sugar factories). [8]
Only a fraction of this potential has been harnessed so far, 1% at the beginning of the 21st century. In order to become the powerhouse of Africa, Ethiopia is actively exploiting its water resources by building dams, reservoirs, irrigation and diversion canals and hydropower stations. The benefits of the dams are not only limited to hydropower.
The lower the irrigation efficiency, the higher the losses. Although reasonably high irrigation efficiencies of 70% or more (i.e., losses of 30% or less) can occur with sophisticated techniques like sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation or by well-managed surface irrigation, in practice the losses are commonly in the order of 40% to 60% ...
The Main Ethiopian Rift is geologically active and susceptible to earthquakes. Hot springs and active volcanoes are found in its extreme east close to the Red Sea.Elsewhere, the land is subject to erosion, overgrazing, deforestation, and frequent droughts.
Since the early 1990s, Ethiopia has successfully countered Egyptian and Sudanese resistance to water development projects in Ethiopia to increase irrigation and hydroelectric potential. [14] Since May 2010, Ethiopia and the other upper riparian states have launched the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement in a bid to ensure an equitable ...
Like in Egypt, population growth in Ethiopia has led to an increase in water consumption. Ethiopian population growth exceeds that of Egypt, and with populations of roughly equal size, Ethiopia’s water demands might exceed Egypt's. Irrigating only half of Ethiopia's arable lands would reduce water flow to downstream Sudan and Egypt by 15%. [3]
Climate change in Ethiopia is affecting the people in Ethiopia due to increased floods, heat waves and infectious diseases. [4] In the Awash basin in central Ethiopia floods and droughts are common. Agriculture in the basin is mainly rainfed (without irrigation systems). This applies to around 98% of total cropland as of 2012.