Introduction / Seleshi B. Awulachew, Vladimir Smakhtin, David Molden and Don Peden -- Nile water and agriculture: past, present and future / Karen Conniff, David Molden, Don Peden and Seleshi B. Awulachew -- The Nile basin, people, poverty and vulnerability / James Kinyangi, Don Peden, Mario Herrero, Aster Tsige, Tom Ouna and An Notenbaert -- Spatial characterisation of the Nile basin for improved water management / Solomon S. Demise, Seleshi B. Awulachew, David Molden and Aster D. Yilma -- Availability of water for agriculture in the Nile basin / Robyn Johnston -- Hydrological processes in the Blue Nile / Zachary M. Easton, Seleshi B. Awulachew, Tammo S. Steenhuis, Saliha Alemayehu Habte, Birhanu Zemadim, Yilma Seleshi and Kamaleddin E. Basha -- The Nile basin sediment loss and degradation with emphasis on the Blue Nile / Tammo S. Steenhuis, Zachary M. Easton, Seleshi B. Awulachew, Abdalla A. Ahmed, Kamaleddin E. Bashar, Enyew Adgo, Yihenew G. Selassie and Seifu A. Tilahun -- Nile basin farming systems and productivity / Poolad Karimi, David Molden, An Notenbaert and Don Peden -- Livestock and water in the Nile river basin / Don Peden, Tilahun Amede, Amare Haileslassie, Hamid Faki, Denis Mpairwe, Paulo van Breugel, and Mario Herrero -- Overview of groundwater in the Nile river basin / Charlotte MacAlister, Paul Pavelic, Callist Tindimugaya, Tenalem Ayenew, Mohamed Elhassan Ibrahim and Mohamed Abdel Meguid -- Wetlands of the Nile basin: distribution, functions and contribution to livelihoods / Lisa-Maria Rebelo and Matthew P. McCartney -- Nile water governance / Ana Elisa Cascão -- Institutions and policy in the BNB: understanding challenges and opportunities for improved land and water management / Amare Haileslassie, Fitsum Hagos, Seleshi B. Awulachew, Don Peden, Abdalla A. Ahmed, Solomon Gebreselassie, Tesfaye Tafesse, Everisto Mapedza and Aditi Mukherji -- Simulating current and future water resources development in the Blue Nile river basin / Matthew P. McCartney, Tadesse Alemayehu, Zachary M. Easton and Seleshi B. Awulachew -- Water management intervention analysis in the Nile basin / Seleshi B. Awulachew Solomon S. Demissie, Fitsum Hagos, Teklu Erkossa and Don Peden.