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The Koga project is the first new large-scale irrigation scheme in the Blue Nile river basin since the 1970s and may thus serve as an example of the tremendous changes of landscape and livelihood that are accompanying current water development projects in Ethiopia. This article analyzes the impoverishment risks arising out of the development-induced relocation of households in Koga. Following the Impoverishment Risk and Reconstruction model, seven of eight impoverishment risks could be identified, namely temporal landlessness, homelessness, joblessness, social marginalization, loss of household assets, social disarticulation and food insecurity, though the majority of relocated households succeeded in moving to other rural areas and did not face the challenges caused by urbanization. The Koga project and the local municipality undertook activities to reverse the impoverishment risk for the relocated households, but focused on the reconstruction of material livelihood assets (land, houses and compensation). The extent of rural-urban migration as a result of the project was underestimated. Proactive activities by the affected households succeeded in reducing their risk of impoverishment if they were informed early enough about the irrigation project.

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In rural northern Ghana, changing hydrology and donor policies impact on household water supply and water rights. Ghana has adopted the community-based management approach in its national drinking water policy. Irit Eguavoen looks at how some policy concepts contradict pre-existing water rights; water users are challenged to balance project requirements, local norms, and ecological circumstances leading to divergent priorities and to more restricted access to water. Development (2008) 51, 126–129. doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1100462