In an article published on the 18th of March 2017 in the Gazet van Antwerpen, Pr. Dr. Jan Nyssen from the Ghent University argues that Ethiopia’s ability to mitigate droughts has been improved thanks to an effective water ressource management.
Among other structural measures, the regreening of some areas and work on landscape led to better water retainment, as well as artificial lakes and small walls built between acres. In case of drought, direct government interventions help mitigate the effects through grain reserves, water distribution to villages with tank trucks. Finally, early warning systems are decisive to detect future droughts and take early measures.
Pr. Dr. Jan Nyssen is doing intensive field research in Ethiopia on the identification and quantification of changes in the coupled system “humans-environment”. He is also the Coordinator of the Institutional University Collaboration with Bahir-Dar University and the five Flemish universities of Ghent, Leuven, Antwerp, Hasselt and Brussels.
