Citizen Science and the Sustainable Development Goals: Building Social and Technical Capacity through Data Collection in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Genevieve Rigler, Zoi Dokou, Fahad Khan Khadim, Berhanu G. Sinshaw, Daniel G. Eshete, Muludel Aseres, Wendale Amera, Wangchi Zhou, Xingyu Wang, Mamaru Moges, Muluken Azage, Baikun Li, Elizabeth Holzer, Seifu Tilahun, Amvrossios Bagtzoglou and Emmanouil Anagnostou
Additional contact information
Genevieve Rigler: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Zoi Dokou: Department of Civil Engineering, California State University, Sacramento, CA 95819, USA
Fahad Khan Khadim: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Berhanu G. Sinshaw: Department of Hydraulic and Water Resource Engineering, Institute of Technology, University of Gondar, Gondar P.O. Box 196, Ethiopia
Daniel G. Eshete: Department of Hydraulic and Water Resource Engineering, Institute of Technology, University of Gondar, Gondar P.O. Box 196, Ethiopia
Muludel Aseres: Faculty of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 26, Ethiopia
Wendale Amera: Faculty of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 26, Ethiopia
Wangchi Zhou: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Xingyu Wang: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Mamaru Moges: Faculty of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 26, Ethiopia
Muluken Azage: School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 79, Ethiopia
Baikun Li: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Elizabeth Holzer: Department of Sociology, Human Rights Institute, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Seifu Tilahun: Faculty of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 26, Ethiopia
Amvrossios Bagtzoglou: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
Emmanouil Anagnostou: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-22

Abstract: Engaging youth and women in data-scarce, least developed countries (LDCs) is gaining attention in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) arena, as is using citizen science as a multi-faceted mechanism for data collection, engendering personal empowerment and agency. Involving these populations in citizen science is a powerful synergy that simultaneously addresses the Leave-No-One-Behind promise in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, yet most citizen science takes place in the Global North, and attention to LDCs is needed. This article highlights a four-year, four-location, hydrology-focused, interdisciplinary citizen science initiative (CSI) in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. Through a systematic evaluation, we explore scientific applications of the hydrologic data, as well as the social dimensions in the CSI, towards building a social and technical capacity that supports the SDGs at the local and international scale. In the CSI, Ethiopian high school students received training from local university faculty and graduate students, collecting river stage and groundwater level measurements, and farmers conducted soil resistivity measurements using a novel sensor technology developed for the study area. We found the datasets to be ample for use to locally validate regional groundwater models and seasonal forecasts on soil moisture and streamflow. We conducted written interviews with the students, which revealed their ability to perceive benefits of engagement in the CSI, as well as recognize their increased individual technical capacity. An analysis of the hydrological data demonstrates the readiness of the datasets to be used for evaluating water-related interventions that facilitate the SDGs, broadly, by building synergies between individuals and institutions. As such, we map how both the hydrologic data and experiences of the citizen scientists support the SDGs at the Goal and Target-level, while forging new social and technical pathways.

Keywords: citizen science; hydrology; sustainable development goals; seasonal forecasting; environmental management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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