Project of University Development Cooperation - Own Initiative 2011 - Ethiopia, Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo watersheds, Southern Nations

Developmental overall objective : Sustainable land and water management in southern Ethiopian Rift Valley to the benefit of local fishermen, farmers and pastoralists, and to the nation by securing food production, biodiversity conservation and tourism development. Academic overall objective (related to the capacity building of the university) Strengthening AMU as a national public institution for research, training and service to society

Developmental specific objective Spatial decision support tools available for better land-use and conservation planning and based on improved insights into ecology and local people's natural resources management strategies Academic specific objective The recently established `Research centre for Biodiversity and Nature conservation" is strengthened and a critical interdisciplinary group of highly qualified and motivated researchers at AMU is capable of analysing and addressing land and water ecological and management problems