Ethiopia

Background

With a subsistence economy heavily based on self-sufficiency, many farmers in Ethiopia today live far below the poverty line. Climate change and soil depletion have further worsened the situation in recent decades. This project focuses on restoring depleted natural habitats through reforestation and soil and water conservation. At the same time, this will create new employment opportunities for 3600 families.

Project beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries are 8678 people in five communities. The indirect beneficiaries of this project will be about 19,800 people in the neighboring project districts.

Project objective

The project will train and motivate local families to take active steps to protect and regenerate the environment. Members of the families will participate in tree planting and erosion prevention activities that will help reduce the impacts of climate change. People in the community will be trained and helped to develop new sources of income. Through activities such as beekeeping or planting orchards that rely on an intact environment, these people develop an active interest in preserving local natural habitats. The sustainability of the activities is promoted through the creation of cooperatives that provide ongoing support for the new income generation activities. These combined activities will help the people of Dirre Inchini achieve improved and healthier living conditions and more stable incomes.

Project activities

• Coordination with Ethiopian authorities to designate 1200 hectares of land as project area (process control)
• Establishment of tree nurseries and planting of 500.000 trees (e.g. coffee, fruit and fodder trees)
• Installation of 800 beehives for pollination of fruit trees and creation of income opportunities for the population
• Construction of three spring catchments and water supply facilities to ensure a long-term supply of clean water
• Organization of local cooperative groups to coordinate honey sales and provide ongoing training to the population on environmental practices, marketing and maintenance of beekeeping and reforestation activities

Local partner organization

The implementing organization Environmentalists Development Association – Ethiopia (EDA-E) was founded in 2006 by academics, engineers, and researchers, all of whom have extensive and longstanding experience in rural development. Over the past 15 years, EDA-E has operated as an independent, government-registered non-profit organization with a wide range of professional experience in engineering, soil and water conservation, management and finance, and accounting. It has provided access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation for over 50000 people in the central west and south of Ethiopia, bringing about other positive changes.

Costs

380,000 Euro

Project duration

September 2022 to August 2025

Sponsors

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Oswald Foundation

Lions Clubs Bad Driburg and Brakel