Monitoring Information System for project WATDEV on water management and sustainable development in East Africa

Title WATDEV – Climate Smart WATer Management and Sustainable DEVelopment for Food and Agriculture in East Africa

Location Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt

Duration January 2023 – December 2025

Lead partner  CHIEAM BARI – Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari

Partners Italian National Research Council, Finnish Environment Institute, ISRIC – World Soil Information, Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), Water & Lande Resource Centre (Addis Abeba University), Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, University of Karthoum, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization

Funding  DeSIRA initiative of the European Union

 

Context

In many East African countries, limited water resources and adverse climate conditions significantly hinder agricultural production and threaten food security. Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt – all nations that rank low on the Human Development Index – urgently need improved water and soil management and advanced agricultural techniques.

Achieving sustainable and enduring management of water and natural resources requires the involvement and engagement of multiple stakeholders, as these resources provide essential ecosystem services to various communities, especially in agriculture. The challenges posed by global issues and the necessity for effective water resource management are evident in several East African catchments, including the Nile River Basin and smaller basins like the Tana River Basin in Kenya.

The project WATDEV, thus, aims to thoroughly understand the dynamics and management of water and agricultural resources on both small and large scales. This effort focuses on enhancing resilience to climate change through innovative research, modelling, and capacity-building strategies.

WATDEV is a multi-regional targeting different area of the Nile River basins, and in particular:

  • Egypt (North Egypt Nile river)
  • Kenya (Upper Tana River basin)
  • Ethiopia (Central Oromia area, Western Oromia area, Tana Lake area, Northwest Lowlands)
  • Sudan (Sudan Blue Nile area, Nile River sub-catchment Kassala)
 wat dev acqua risorse idriche Nile basin bacino del Nilo

 

General Objective

The M&E and Impact Evaluation has been involved in the project to carry out the monitoring of the project.

 

Our contribution

To facilitate the collection, storage and analysis of relevant data, the M&E and Impact Evaluation Unit implemented a Monitoring Information System (MIS).

Researchers first designed monitoring tools using a digital platform which enables efficient data collection and management both online and offline, providing flexibility for project staff regardless of their working conditions.

To ensure comprehensive monitoring of various aspects of the project, Researchers developed four distinct monitoring tools, each tailored to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders.

Researchers later designed a Monitoring Dashboard based on the analysis of the collected monitoring data.  This dashboard provides a range of graphical and tabular representations, offering stakeholders an aggregated view of project progress while also enabling deeper analysis of specific activities.

Read more on the M&E and Impact Evaluation Unit