Persevering through the initial resistance and challenges from the community’s side we found our path towards addressing the community grievances. After several consultations, community engagement sessions, and some delicate mediation between all stakeholders (AJ, the community (including elders and religious leaders), local Kebele and Woreda administration, and the Oromia Bureau of Agriculture), the current relationship between AJ and the community is greatly improved. There is still a lot of work and trust-building to be done for better collaboration, but strides have been made. The company is playing a significant role in the implementation of these projects in partnership with MetaMeta, AidEnvironment and Oromia Bureau of Agriculture. The company is investing a significant amount of resources in terms of finance, logistical support, and mobilization of its labourers particularly in the construction of check dams for the soil and water conservation of the two watersheds. Beside these, the company is willing to jointly develop irrigation schemes on the Biskelo River for the benefit of the company and the local community. AJ has also shown interest to share its experience (particularly on crop management), provide papaya seedlings, technology transfer, and linking local farmers with potential market access through their own market channels (based on the farmers’ interest). Above all, AfricaJuice has transferred about 30ha of its own land to jobless youth to run it as commercial community farm after the intended irrigation schemes are developed. Currently, the study and design work of the irrigation scheme on Biskelo River is at the verge of completion, as is the water sharing agreement between AJ and the community.
Regardless of all the challenges (which are usually expected in such cases), the lesson we can draw here is that private sector can play a critical role in developing water resources benefitting both the communities and the private sector. There are many similar private sector actors who are in positions to assist similar developments in the nearby areas and beyond. The presence of many private sector actors, who are benefiting from water sources derived from different watersheds can be taken as an opportunity to leverage the limited government budget to address the multifaceted problems of water availability. In addition to the contribution of enhancing natural resources management, such interventions can create ample job opportunities for a significant number of people. Critically however, this can and should lead to a conducive environment for landscape restoration and improvement between local communities and the private sector.
This reminds me of an African proverb: “Alone, you can go faster; Together you can go further.”
Thus, with this understanding of the many opportunities that arise when working with private-public partnerships we will continue promoting similar approaches to implement government and donor-financed programs such as CALM and PSNP in the not-too-distant future.