Groundwater governance: Tools and approaches & an application to Ethiopia

This presentation examines approaches and tools for strengthening groundwater governance, with a focus on managing groundwater used in farmer-led irrigation development and preventing overexploitation of shared aquifer resources. Using a case study from Ethiopia, it demonstrates how experiential learning and social learning games can improve understanding of groundwater dynamics, encourage collective action, and shift community attitudes toward groundwater management and rule-making. The findings show that participatory learning interventions can produce lasting changes in perceptions and behavior, supporting more sustainable groundwater use when combined with appropriate institutions, monitoring systems, and locally adapted governance mechanisms. -Abstract generated by Copilot AI 2.2