Biodiversity as the overarching topic of the project is reflected in the final conference. In the first part of the event project-related presentations will provide an overview on the findings of LARIMA. International experts on freshwater assessment, management and conservation will talk about the international situation in the second part. Finally, a platform is given for discussion and initiation of future projects and networks.
For more information see the detailed conference programme.
Ethiopian highland rivers are important sources of water for Ethiopia and neighbouring countries. Over the past decades, water quality and quantity have been showing signs of deterioration caused by various development activities in these highlands. Unless mitigation actions are taken in the near future, the problem could grow to be destructive for the aquatic system and the dependent human population. Developing awareness of the essential nexus “land-water-people” is a way to promote river health and to initialise monitoring systems that inform decision-makers. The LARIMA project helps to build human capacity in aquatic bio-monitoring and generates knowledge about the linkages between socio-economic development and aquatic ecosystem services. Besides other achievements during the project life span, educational curricula were enhanced and biological surface water monitoring tools were adapted for Ethiopian conditions.