Socio-economic Potential of Rainwater Harvesting in Ethiopia

Clean water scarcity becomes a critical issue in many parts of Ethiopia due to the high population growth, water pollution and climate change. The high annual rainfall rates make rainwater harvesting one of the best options to mitigate water scarcity. This study was conducted to analyze the economic feasibility of water harvesting for individual houses in Dessie-town. The results show that the harvested water from a 60 m2 roof can cover all non-potable water needs or can cultivate a small garden, 50 m2, with some needed crops. Cultivating tomatoes and onions can increase the annual household’s income by 5 %.