Full Name Abraham Mehari
Experience 23 Years

Education:

• Ph.D. (Land and Water Development) Wageningen University and Research and UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands. 2007
• M.A. (Irrigation and Water Management) Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands. 2001

Bio:

Dr. Abraham Mehari is a Principal Scientist with a specialization in Water Resources Management and Agricultural Productivity. He holds a PhD in Land and Water Development and has 15 years of experience in research and management of water resources management and agricultural productivity. He has served as coordinator and key technical expert in 7 large-scale projects and programs in developing countries, with a specific focus on Pakistan in three of them: (1) New Water Rights for Basin Management and Inclusivity in Spate Irrigated Areas of Pakistan, Sindh and Balochistan (2018-2021). He provided technical guidance across five outcome areas that aim to expand profitable business opportunities for communities through improved water management and increased production of commercial crops, as well as creating new livelihood opportunities and enhancing agriculture and livestock productivities. (2) From Africa to Asia and Back Again: Testing Adaptation of Flood Water Resource Management (Africa to Asia, 2015-2020). He coordinated and provided technical guidance for eight field studies and five investment and policy documents that covered water management and agricultural technologies and practices, groundwater recharge, rangeland and agroforestry management. (3) Spate Irrigation for Rural Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation project (SIREGPA, 2011-2015). He coordinated and provided technical guidance for capacity development and research programs on land and floodwater management for improved agricultural productivity, livestock, and rangeland. Dr. Mehari also has 10 years of experience in water policy development and implementation. He has developed the 2021-2031 Sudan National Water Sector Policy through a consultative process with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and led the cascading of the National Policy into Gash River Basin Policy, Governance and Investment Priorities. He also critically reviewed the 1995 Sudan Water Law and the 2007 Sudan Water Policy within the framework of the Water Productivity Improvement in Practice project financed by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-developed the Floodwater Rights and Distribution System Investment strategy in Sindh and Balochistan (Pakistan as part of the Africa to Asia program) and contributed to the development of the Yemen National Irrigation Sector Policy financially supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank Water Policy. All of these policies share the common goal of improving food security and socio-economic development through water and resources efficient agriculture, rangeland and livestock sectors.

Dr. Abraham Mehari has a wealth of experience in the field of gender issues, specifically in developing and implementing strategies and initiatives to mainstream gender in large-scale projects. This has resulted in investments that are dedicated to women-specific water use, efficient agriculture, rangeland, and livestock. These initiatives include precision irrigation with agronomic packages, and the strengthening of women’s position in the education and research sector. The policies he has developed explicitly outline mechanisms for improving livelihoods and creating employment opportunities for rural women and youth. He has a proven track record of 15 years of experience in capacity building and training programs, designed to support public extension services from senior management to ground level, as well as community leaders, and young professionals. Additionally, he has 15 years of experience in monitoring and evaluating the impact of water resources programs and policies. He has formulated and operationalized detailed matrix of measurable and verifiable performance indicators, conducted supervision missions, designed mitigation strategies, and led the writing of progress reports. Furthermore, Dr. Mehari has 8 years of experience in the development and implementation of two European Commission (EC) funded projects and programs.

Selected Publications:

• Muturi J, Mehari A, Kilongosi C & Oggema S. (2019). Smart Water Solutions for Enhanced Livelihoods and Profitable Agribusiness. Smart Water for Agriculture (SWA), Kenya, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Nairobi.
• Muturi J, Oggema S, van Veldhuizen L, Mehari A & Veldwisch GJ. (2019). Accelerating Farmer-led Irrigation Development: Theory and practice of the Smart Water for Agriculture in Kenya project. SWA Kenya, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Nairobi.
• Mehari, A., Depeweg, H., Stillhardt, B. 2003. Potentials and constraints of smallholder irrigation technology and practices. Mountain Research and Development Journal 23.1: 27-31.
• Mehari, A., Schultz, B., Depeweg, H. 2005. Where indigenous water management practices overcome failures of structures. Irrigation and Drainage 54.1: 1-14.
• Mehari, A., Schultz, B., Depeweg, H. 2005. Hydraulic and Institutional performance evaluation of the irrigation systems. Irrigation and Drainage 54.4: 1-18.
• Mehari, A., Schultz, B., Depeweg, H. 2006. Salinity impact assessment on crop yield for the Wadi Laba spate irrigation system in Eritrea. Agricultural Water Management 85.1&2: 200-211.
• Mehari, A., Van Steenbergen, F., Schultz, B. 2007. Water rights and rules and management in spate irrigation systems in Eritrea, Yemen, and Pakistan. In: Van Koppen, B., Giordano, M. and Butterworth, J. (eds). Community-based water law and water resource management reform in developing countries. Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture Series 5. CAB International, Wallingford, UK
• Mehari, A., Schultz, B., Depeweg, H., De Laat, P.J.M. 2008. Modeling soil moisture and assessing its impact on water sharing and crop yield for the Wadi Laba spate irrigation system, Eritrea. Irrigation and Drainage 57.1: 1-16
• Mehari, A., Van Koppen, B., McCartney, M., Lankfordd, B., 2009. Unchartered innovation? Local reforms of national formal water management in the Mkoji sub-catchment, Tanzania. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 34: 299-308
• Mehari, A., Van Steenbergen, F., Schultz, B. 2011. Modernization of spate irrigated agriculture: A new approach. Irrigation and Drainage. DOI: 10.1002/ird.565
• Van Steenbergen, F., Mehari, A., Alemehayu, T., Alamirew, T, Geleta, Y. 2011. Status and Potential of Spate Irrigation in Ethiopia. Water Resource Manage. 25:1899–1913
• Chukalla, A., Mehari, A., Schultz, B., 2012. Optimum irrigation and pond operation to move away from exclusively rainfed agriculture: the Boru Dodota Spate Irrigation Scheme, Ethiopia. Irrigation Science, DOI 10.1007/s00271-012-0390-9.
• Embaye, T. G., Beevers, L., Mehari, A. 2012. Dealing with sedimentation issues in spate irrigation systems. Irrigation and Drainage 61.: 220-230
• Yenesew Mengiste Yihun, Abraham Mehari Haile, Bart Schultz & Teklu Erkossa 2013. Crop Water Productivity of Irrigated Teff in a Water Stressed Region. Water Resource Management DOI 10.1007/s11269-013-0336-x
• Zenebe TF, Mohamed Y, Haile AM (2015) Mitigation of Sedimentationat the Diverstion Intake of Fota Spate Irrigation: Case Study of the Gash SpateIrrigation Scheme, Sudan. Irrigat Drainage Sys Eng 4:138. doi:10.4172/2168-9768.1000138
• Mehari, A., Schultz, B., Depeweg, H., 2003. Water sharing and conflicts in the Wadi Laba Spate Irrigation System, Eritrea. In: The Consensus to Resolve Irrigation and Water Use Conflicts in the Euro- Mediterranean Region; Proceeding of the 20th International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage Conference, Montpellier, France 14 – 19 January 2003.