PROJECT SUMMARY
|
Project name |
Accelerating the adoption of Water Retention, Recharge, and Reuse Measures in the Horn of Africa: Testing multi-level intervention bundles to trigger socio-hydrological tipping points |
|
Project short name |
ACCEL-3R |
|
Project phase |
I |
|
Partner(s)/ country(ies) |
Vrije University of Amsterdam (VUA, The Netherlands), Arba Minch University (AMU, Ethiopia), University of Nairobi (UoN, Kenya), Southeastern Kenya University (SEKU, Kenya), Morocco, Jordan |
|
Project ID |
Com/Edu/Res/Pro/AWTI/058/25 |
|
AMU project coordinating office |
Vice President for Research and Cooperation, Arba Minch University Water Technology Institute |
|
Project type |
Research, Education and Community Development |
|
Project implementation location |
Southern Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, and Jordan |
|
Target communities |
Gamo and Gofa Zone of Southern water, Irrigation and lowlands, Agriculture office, MoA, ILRL, ICARDA, Aybar Engineering, |
|
AMU-Project coordinator |
Dr Demelash Wondimagegnehu, Dr Samuel Dagalo |
|
Partner-Project Coordinator |
Dr. Marthe Wens, Dr. Anne Van Loon |
|
AMU-Principal investigator |
Dr Demelash Wondimagegnehu Goshime |
|
AMU-Co-investigators |
Dr Samuel Dagalo Hatiye, Tuma Ayele Yadda, Hagerework Desalegn Sinebo |
|
Partner-Principal investigator |
Dr. Marthe Wens,Dr. Anne Van Loon |
|
Partner-Co-investigators |
Tuma Ayele Yadda, Hagerework Desalegn Sinebo |
|
Total budget (Euro) |
1,411,192€ | Budget allocated to AMU 263,000€ |
|
Project Periods |
Project start 5/1/2026 | Project end 5/1/2029 |
|
Financial reporting period |
Annually |
|
Project finance management office |
AMU main finance & budget admin |
|
Progress reporting period |
Quarterly |
|
Contact person |
Dr Demelash Wondimagegnehu Goshime ( |
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Smallholders in rainfed agri-food systems in Kenya and Ethiopia face increasing drought risk and soil degradation, yet adaptive behaviour is hindered by technological, socio-economic, cultural, political, and legal barriers. Our project tackles this resilience challenge by co-creating top-down and bottom-up interventions to support vertical, horizontal, and technical scaling of soil moisture retention practices as part of 3R packages (Recharge, Retain, Reuse measures).
A systemic, inclusive approach is used to co-identify leverage points at farm, community, and institutional levels, and to co-design multi-level intervention bundles (MIBs)—tailored scaling pathways that address multiple barriers simultaneously. The project will ex-ante test these MIBs using participatory approaches and agent-based modelling to simulate how they affect different smallholder types and to identify combinations that trigger positive socio-hydrological tipping points (PSHTPs) which PTHTP catalyse widespread self-reinforcing adoption of 3R packages.
Led by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the transdisciplinary consortium encompasses experts in adaptive behaviour modelling, hydrology, agricultural water management, scaling, legal frameworks, and gender equality. Partners include ICARDA, ILRI, local universities, institutional and community stakeholders to ensure strong contextual fit and lasting capacity development.
The project aims to shift reactive to proactive drought management supporting responsible scaling, accelerating the transition to resilient agri-food systems and enhancing livelihoods, food and water security. Outputs will inform national programmes and contribute to the CGIAR Scaling for Impact initiative, enabling broader application beyond pilot sites
