Seyoum T. Akele

The Practice and Challenges of Lake Management in Ethiopia: the Case of Lake Koka Seyoum T. Akele

Basin wide unisectoral development, uncoordinated uses and management practices, lack of transparent and efficient regulatory institutions, uncontrolled human interactions with the ecosystem, etc. have all led to the rise of massive social and environmental problems. This book, therefore, aims at analyzing and understanding the issues from the views and perspectives of various stakeholders, including the social, environmental and institutional contexts, and thereby initiates change for improvements. It tries to address the existing challenges of using and managing lakes in Ethiopia with the help of Soft System Methodology (SSM) and approaches of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). The book uncovered considerable lacks of institutional coordination, environmental awareness, and stakeholder participation in managing and using lakes in Ethiopia, particularly Lake Koka. Thus, a sustained intervention of bringing coordination and collaboration among stakeholders/actors, improving transparency and environmental awareness, and fostered stakeholder participation are considered desirable and feasible to restoring the Lake, and ultimately benefit the communities and the ecosystem.