ifwfabs16

=2-Pager Abstract Template for NBDC Contributions to South Africa Forum=

1. Authors
Authors names: Kindie Getnet, Nancy Johnson, and Charlotte MacAlister Project Number: N4 E-mail address of lead author: K.Getnet@cgiar.org

2. Forum session
3. Emerging TWG: RMS



3. Title
Anticipating Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts of Rainwater Management Strategies using a Multicriteria Optimization Model: The Case of Abay in the Blue Nile Basin

4. Key message/highlights
//What key message do you want to share in this session (why is your contribution relevant and special?)// Key message (1-2 sentences):


 * In order to be sustainable, rainwater management strategies need to be evaluated against both economic, social, and ecological criteria. Similarly, upstream-downstream interactions and trade-offs need to be considered. **


 * //Short abstract//** //(150 words) including://

Using watershed as a planning unit, this study presents a multicriteria optimization framework for rainwater management in the Abay Sub-basin of The Blue Nile Basin. The purpose is to develop adaptive rainwater management strategy that maximizes economic benefits without undermining ecological and environmental sustainability. The approach uses an integrated decision making process that weighs costs and benefits of various goods, services, and functions of a watershed ecosystem by considering both bio-physical and socio-economic processes. Negative and positive externalities, including upstream-downstream interactions and trade-offs, enter the optimization process to reflect the true costs and benefits of spatial and temporal decisions involving resource allocation and rainwater management. Technology scenarios can be developed and their impacts can be simulated ex-ante to guide decision making at farm, community, watershed, and policy scales. The costs of environmental services can be estimated to inform management options such as payment for environmental services (PES).

//We only expect results in September so is very difficult already to anticipate these//
 * //Your preliminary highlights for the Forum capitalizing sessions//**