Field Visit Report of Dejen Woreda of Amhara Region Yohannes Melaku and Mussie Hailegeorgis from FTAT had a field visit to Dejen Woreda of Amhara region from October 02-05, 2017. The objectives of the field visit were to: • Assess the status of implementation of CR-WSP in the woreda, • Support woreda CR-WSP technical team in developing CR-WSP, and • Brief WWT on the developed CR-WSP and discuss on their role in supporting the CR- WSP technical team in the course of the plan developed. Status of CR-WSP implementation the woreda One of the COWASH woreda in Amhara region which has started implementing CR-WSP is Dejen Woreda, which is one of the woreda in East Gojam Zone of Amhara Region. Dejen Woreda CR-WSP team got CR-WSP training by Amhara water bureau staffs and RSU in the Month of April 2017. Having taken the training, the woreda team selected one micro- watersheds (Giraram micro-watershed in Sub-Shengo Kebele) for piloting CR-WSP in the woreda, and established the Kebele level CR-WSP teams for the micro-watersheds. The woreda team gave CR-WSP training to the Kebele teams and WASHCOs of the water points found in the micro-watershed. There are six HDWs included in the micro-watershed. Risk assessment matrix developed and improvement plan was prepared by the Woreda and Kebele CR-WSP team for the micro-watershed. They did good job in this regard. They did it as per the CR-WSP training manual. However, it was not comprehensive. They have also started implementing CR-WSP as per the plan prepared. However, there was some limitations in identifying some risks and the management options identified to address them, and implementing the management options. What was accomplished by the FTAT? On October 02, 2017, we (Yohannes and Mussie) travelled to Dejen woreda, and met the Woreda water office head and CMP supervisor and discussed about our mission objective. The woreda Water office head and the CMP supervisor briefed us the status of implementation of CR-WSP in the woreda, and the challenges faced when implementing CR- WSP. As per the woreda water office, the following major activities were implemented since last April 2017 when they took CR-WSP training: • Woreda select Kebele and site/micro-watershed for CR-WSP implementation, • Kebele CR-WSP team and training given to them, • Woreda CR-WSP team together with Kebele CR-WSP team prepared CR-WSP for the selected micro-watershed having 6 water point within it, all of them are HDWs, • Water quality analysis done for all the six water sources, though it is not done at household level, • Implementation of the prepared CR-WSP started: awareness given to the community on the CR-WSP, and household water management; fencing and inclusion of the 5 water points within the area closure; and cut of drain was constructed to divert flood from coming to the water points. 1 Among the challenges mentioned by them were: ✓ Limited integration among the members of the woreda CR-WSP team. Office of agriculture did not come on board to the woreda team and even did not take the CR- WSP training, ✓ No regular monitoring of the CR-WSP implementation, ✓ Budget problem to fence the area closure, ✓ The CR-WSP training was given too late and hence the woreda cannot implement some of the activities planned for implementation like rehabilitation of water points, ✓ Budget limitation for the monitoring of the CR-WSP implementation, ✓ On the CR-WSP training, WWT members were not participant of the CR-WSP when the technical team took the training. This is a challenge for the WWT members to provide the required support to the technical team and lead CR-WSP implementation in the woreda, ✓ Reagent problem for the conducting of water quality test. The reagent which the woreda has is outdated. Even we are not confident enough on the result of the water quality test done. This is because during the field visit it is understood from the beneficiary community that one water point has turbidity problem, and there are about four water points with high potential of flood water to enter into the water points as there were serious cracks on the headwork. However, the test result shows no problem in all of the water sources. On October 03 and 04, 2017 we accomplished the following activities: 1. We reviewed the risk assessment matrix and incremental improvement plan prepared by the woreda CR-WSP team together with the Kebele team. 2. On October 03, 2017 till noon, together with the woreda team, we travelled to the Subshengo kebele, Giraram micro-watershed. We met members of the Kebele team and briefed them our mission objective. We visited the micro-watershed, water sources and household water management practices with respect to the risks identified, control measures implemented, their effectiveness and unforeseen risks by the woreda and kebele team. Together with the woreda and kebele team, we tried to re-describe the water supply system from catchment to household level. We commented on spot the gaps with respect to risk identified, control measures selected and implemented and their effectiveness, and secondary impacts of the control measures identified and implemented. For example, cut off drain constructed may cause secondary impact by creating gullies. This is because the slope of the structure is too steep and the design capacity was inferior to accommodate the flood generated from the upstream catchment. No conservation measures implemented upstream of the water points. There are two water points where the headwork are seriously damaged, and there are also two water points with their headwork cracked. Unless this is fixed timely, it may become serious. Household water management has also problem that may need continuous awareness raising activity on the community. 2 3. On October 03 in the afternoon and October 04, till noon, we together with the woreda team, revised the CR-WSP prepared by the woreda (risk analysis and preparation of risk assessment matrix, identification of control measures, preparation of incremental improvement plan and monitoring plan done). 4. October 04, 2017, we had meeting with the WWT. Only the woreda Administrator, heads of WoFED, water office, and WoEFCC were present. Heads for the Woreda office of Health, Education and Agriculture were not available due to another assignment. From East Gojam zone, the Zonal Water department head (Ato Addis Ayele) and water quality experts (W/ro Tsegie) were participated on the meeting, and from the RSU Ato Addisu Fente (Amhara COWSH zonal advisor) was in the meeting: ➢ We briefed our mission objective and what was accomplished on the two days stay in the woreda, ➢ Briefed the concept, objectives, benefits of CR-WSP and what has been done in this regard at national and regional level in terms of CR-WSP implementation, ➢ What the woreda CR-WSP team together with the Kebele CR-WSP team and the community accomplished so far was also briefed. The challenges in the course of CR-WSP implementation in the woreda were discussed. Especially the lack of integration in general and the total absence of office of agriculture and its implication on the successful implementation of CR-WSP and IWRM in general was discussed with great concern, ➢ Briefed the role of WWT for the successful implementation of CR-WSP, ➢ The administrator, Zone water department head and other members of WWT also promised to support the woreda technical team in particular and lead the implementation of the CR-WSP in the woreda. Here it is also commented that they should also scale up CR-WSP in more risky areas to see clearly the outcome of CR-WSP implementation. 5. On October 05, 2017, we travelled to Addis Ababa. Attention During the previous technical support given for woredas in different regions (Oromia, Amhara and SNNPR), it is understood that members of WWT did not take CR-WSP training. As a result of this, WWT is not giving the required support to the woreda technical team and is not leading properly the implementation of the CR-WSP. They are demanding training on CR-WSP. Instead of organizing separate training for WWT on CR-WSP, it is better to allocate 1- 1.5hour for CR-WSP when CMP management training is given for WWT. This may be sufficient for awareness raising purpose for the WWT. No need detail CR-WSP training for WWT like given to the technical team. 3 Name and contact addresses of WWT and CR-WSP technical Team members who participated in CR-WSP preparation and WWT meeting No Name Office Responsibility Mobile # Dejen Woreda WWT members 1 Ato Bante Gedamu Administration Woreda Administrator 0911386015 2 Ato Addisu Ayele East Gojam Zone Water Department 0922263002 Head 3 Ato Abebaw Ayalew WoW Head 0918496894 4 Ato Getachew Shegie WoFED Head 0913681191 5 Ato Ayalew Nadew WoEFCC Head 0910195125 Woreda CR-WSP team members found 1 Ato Abebe Tenaw WoW CMP Supervisor 0920761431 2 Ato Asabu Yilma WoW Water quality expert 0920510109 3 Ato Yohannes Minalu WoAO Scheme 0912772153 Administration expert 4 Ato Daniel Tadele WoW Water Quality analyst 0920366222 5 W/ro Tsigie Dires ZoW Water quality expert 0928577744 6 Ato Kassahun Dege WoED 0912321003 7 Ato Habtamu WoH Environmental Health 0913751647 officer 8 Ato Endala WoEFFC 0913448852 4 .