Kesso Rock Catchment Scheme Completion Project in  Dhas Woreda, Borana  Zone, Oromiya Region Ethiopia ranks 157 in the 2010 Human Development Index. Pastoralism is an important livelihood strategy in Ethiopia with pastoralists representing 13% of the population, occupying 65% of the land and contributing 15% of GDP. However, pastoralist communities are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity due to environmental factors, market and finance limitations, and lack of organisation, low bargaining power and a policy environment that often neglects the specific needs and potential contribution of pastoralist communities. Borena community is among the major pastoralist area which have been challenged with the above problems. 

The scarcity of water was identified as a major limiting factor for the enhancement of livestock production and human population in Borana Zone, Dhas Woreda and Meta Arba PA. As assessment result shows, the scarcity of water affects more women and children in such ways as causing health hazards, drudgery, physical exhaustion, denial of opportunities for engaging in other socially and economically gainful activities. The inadequate supply of water is caused by the recurrent drought and depleting water resources. Moreover, man-made causes such as conflict and mal practices in natural resource management have proved as inhibiting factors in accessing water at the right time, quantity and quality. The availability of water is a prerequisite for livestock production and domestic consumption. Hence, developing appropriate water sources that have positive impacts on the lives and livelihoods of the community are instrumental for attaining enhanced food security. 

In Ethiopia CAFOD works together with Trocaire and SCIAF through a Joint Programme (JP). All three agencies are members of Caritas Internationals, and are the official relief and development agencies of the Catholic Church in England and Wales (CAFOD), Scotland (SCIAF) and Ireland (Trocaire). In Borena JEP has been working with local NGOs different humanitarian and livelihood projects that are focused of the main challenges of pastoral livelihood including development of water facilities. Action for development is one the JEP strategic partner with particular experience expertise on the water development works.  

Action For Development (AFD) is an Ethiopian Residents Charity that implements a programme of integrated dry lands development in various parts of Ethiopia, prioritizing pastoral areas. The AFD programs are aimed at the attainment of food security and sustainable livelihoods at the grassroots level. 
To enhance the attainment of its organizational objectives, AFD implements multi-scrotal activities in the areas of livelihoods and resilience building, water and natural resource development, and capacity building, with the mainstreaming of such issues as gender, HIV/AIDS, and disaster risk reduction. 
In line with its overall thematic focus, AFD was implemented a project entitled “Building resilient pastoral community” (BRPC) in Oromia regional state, Borana  zone ,Dhas, Miyo and Dillo  Woredas  with the financial support CAFOD SCIAF TROCAIRE (CST)   and the European Union over the last two years. One of the major components of the project was the construction of the Keso rock catchment. Although the project had phased out on December 31, 2011, the Keso rock catchment remains unaccomplished due to a variety of reasons such as:  migration of local community because of drought; inter ethnic conflict; high inflation rate; complicated procurement procedure of EU that did not consider the context of the project area; lack of labor and materials (including water) required for construction works; remoteness of the project area, and lately unusual devastating rainfall. 

The project is a scaling up project from the previous project initiatives called “Building Resilient Pastoralist Communities” funded by the European Union in the same target areas. 

The Project Description of the project;
Project Objectives: Increased production and marketing of livestock and livestock products. 
Project Output
Enhanced water availability and quality for livestock and human populations in the project area   
Project Activities
1.	Excavating 3567m3 the silted up part of the storage, refilling and compacting on to the eroded inner face of the embankment keeping the slope. 
2.	Material preparation, procuring  and mobilization,  for refilling, paving/pitching  and compacting the broken part of the earth fill embankment
3.	Laying the detached geo-membrane sheet to the inner face of the embankment.
4.	Anchoring the remaining1000 meter lower edge of the geo-membrane sheet in the rock with concrete and embedding the upper edge in to the embankment.
5.	Installation of overflow G.I. pipes at 6 places and construction of R.C.C columns to support the pipes
6.	 Stone pitching/paving of 7800 m2 the  inner embankment with 5cm selected materials and 15cm thick stone
7.	Planting  grass strip on the outer part of the embankment to foster the outer part of the embankment and the surrounding 
8.	Construction of 11 masonry walls to break the water force and to store water for each trough (Baffle walls).
9.	Trench excavation to guide the overflow water far away to avoid storage of  water out side of the embankment
10.	Fencing of the scheme to protect it from different damages and contaminations of the water by community participation. 

Current Status of the Rock catchment: 
Despite the persistent efforts made by CST-JEP, AFD, local LDs, and the community, the Keso rock catchment, was not accomplished due to the problems mentioned above. Some of the activities were accomplished in BRPC project. As a result of unusual torrential rain some of the accomplished activities are also damaged and need maintenance.  The accomplished activities so far and problems encountered during the BRPC project implementation that hinders its accomplishment are listed below.   The remaining activities to be completed are indicated under the activity part.

Accomplished activities 
•	Construction of 1256 meter long earth fill embankment with geo-membrane cover for the inner wall was previously completed and now 605 meters long of the internal face of the embankment is eroded and about 16 meters length of the embankment is broken by the colossal flood.
•	Four double side cattle troughs
•	One double side shoat trough
•	Two masonry reservoirs of 100m3 capacity each
•	Two water points with six faucets each
•	Organizing, equipping and training care takers and water management committees
•	Construction of  101meter intake masonry canal with concrete support  and 12 meters intake pipe with concrete support completed
•	1200 meter masonry dyke work round the rock is totally completed.
•	Geo-membrane sheet laying work was covered on the inner face of the embankment and about 450 meters length of the lower edge of the geo-membrane sheet was anchored with concrete in to the rock. But as a result of the flood  damage, about 400 meter length of  the geo-membrane sheet is detached from the soil out of which 100 meter long geo-membrane sheet is disjointed at one edge and fond out of the embankment. 
•	Overflow G.I. pipes was installed at three places.
•	Two washing basin with four plate each constructed

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