Arba Minch University’s Water Technology Institute (AWTI) today has scored few brownie points in its 18th international symposium on ‘Sustainable Water Resources Development’ being held at New Hall, Main Campus from 8th to 9th June, 2018, as it mirrored elegance and sobriety. Click here to see the pictures.
Having mobilized potential researchers from across Ethiopia and globe and with three ministers of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from Water gracing the event; message was loud and clear that scientific innovations must ameliorate social situation; else it holds no water.
Cabinet minister for Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Dr Sileshi Bekele, in his three-pronged key-note speech deftly putting forth his ideas to forge partnership, said, university-industry linkage, joint research, capacity building, advisory group and joint engagement will help us to embark on joint mission in exploring scientific solutions that will mitigate prevailing water-related problems in Ethiopia.
Further, he said, it’s not only economic development but we must care for social equity, and we know, science and innovation are irresistible metaphor for overall progress; therefore, scientific community should come out of their box and contribute for the transformation of the country.
AWTI Scientific Director, Dr Abdella Kemal, according warm welcome to the gathering informed that Ethiopia is considered as the ‘Water Tower of Africa’ for its enormous water resources system is governed by 12 major river basins that generate about 124 billion cubic meters of water annually. The groundwater reserve is estimated around 36 billion cubic meters and fresh water and saline lakes hold 96 billion cubic meters. But, these huge resources don’t contribute for development, hence, productive scientific innovation is the way out and such august forums will invariably give us the roadmap.
This two day seminar’s 24 oral and six poster presentations will revolve around thematic areas like hydrology & integrated water resource development, small-scale hydro & alternate energy sources, irrigation & drainage, water supply, sanitations & emerging challenges, climate change and water resources.
How to tackle underlying intricacies that hinders full utilization of immense water resources is our prime concern and having realized the enormity of this problem, AMU has empowered AWTI to produce competent expertise that will convincingly turbocharge this sector and usher in true renaissance, said AMU President, Dr Damtew Darza, while opening the symposium.
State Minister for Irrigation, Dr Abreham Adugna, State Minister for Water Supply & Sanitation, Dr Negash Wagesho, who is also AMU Board Chairman, Director General of Oromia Regional State Roads Authority, Dr Eng. Habtamu Itefa and former AMU president, Dr Tarekegn Taddese graced the event.
Researchers from Addis Ababa, Mekelle, Hawassa, Gondar, Adigrat, Bahir Dar, Aksum, Kotebe Metropolitan, Debre Berhan, Wageningen and Tabor universities; Ethiopian Construction Works Design & Supervision Corporation, International Water Management Institute, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Federal TVET Institute, Ethiopian Foreign Relation Strategic Studies Institute and Tigray Agricultural Research Institute were in attendance.
International scholars, Dr Luke O Olang of Technical Munich University, Germany, presented paper on ‘Regional initiative on drought monitoring for the Horn of Africa’ and Dr Gebrehawaria Gebreigziabher of International Water Management Institute spoke on ‘Viability of investment in solar, irrigation, evidence from experimental data in Ethiopia’.
On the occasion, Dr Sileshi Bekele and Dr Damtew Darza also released AWTI’s first water journal. Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Ethiopian Construction Works Design & Supervision Corporation, Oromia Water Works Construction Enterprise, Community-Managed Approach and MD Printing and Advert co-sponsored this prestigious event.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)