The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) joined forces in 2019, leveraging nearly five decades of trusted science on the role of forests and trees in solving critical global challenges.
Agriculture is the mainstay of Ethiopia’s economy, contributing 41% of the country's gross domestic product, 84% of the total exports and 80% of employment opportunities. Just like in many other developing countries, its economy is characterized by traditional farming practices, low adoption of improved farm technologies and poor infrastructural facilities.
In response to this, integrated natural resource management efforts have been ongoing in various parts of Ethiopia for nearly half a century. Some of the key interventions include implementation of community-based participatory watershed development, agroforestry and promotion of climate-smart agricultural technologies. This is a watershed-centered approach of multi-sectoral and multi-donor development initiative in which various intervention measures such as soil and water conservation, reforestation, improved crop and livestock production are carried out.
Until recently, majority of the projects that support natural resource management initiatives lacked a system for integration, synergy and harmonization of approaches. This resulted in duplication of efforts and misuse of scarce resources. Hence, strengthening coordination and integration among the various stakeholders involved in watershed management, agroforestry development, food security and livelihood improvement initiatives is crucial.
On 11 October 2019, a workshop, jointly organized by World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, was held in Addis Ababa. The main aim of the event was to establish a National Watershed and Agroforestry Multi-Stakeholder Platform. It brought together representatives from several national and international organizations in the country and beyond.
During the launch, the Director of the Natural Resource Management Directorate with the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, Tefera Tadesse, noted that although integrated natural resource management activities had been carried out in different parts of Ethiopia for decades, most of the projects that implement natural resource management initiatives lacked a system to support integration, synergization and harmonization of approaches.
“A single institution and piecemeal efforts will not result in significant impact,” he noted. “We need to strengthen, align and integrate our activities in the areas of watershed management, agroforestry development and food security.”
During the event, participants discussed and agreed on the organizational structure of the National Watershed and Agroforestry Multi-Stakeholder Platform, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, and accountability and functional relationship of members. They also deliberated on how the platform would leverage on the ongoing national landscape greening programme and how it would be cascaded down to regional, zonal and district levels. In addition, a draft National Watershed and Agroforestry Development Strategy document was discussed.
The National Watershed and Agroforestry Multi-Stakeholder Platform will periodically bring stakeholders together to discuss relevant objectives and share experiences and lessons, while aligning these with and contributing towards achieving national development strategies and targets. This will ensure that the platform plays a key role at all levels of policy making by enhancing informed decision-making and supporting national scaling up of best practices.
The group later visited the Tree Breeding Seed Orchard established at the ILRI Addis campus by ICRAF’s Provision of Adequate Tree Seed Portfolio (PATSPO) project.
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific excellence that harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment. Knowledge produced by ICRAF enables governments, development agencies and farmers to utilize the power of trees to make farming and livelihoods more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable at multiple scales. ICRAF is one of the 15 members of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. We thank all donors who support research in development through their contributions to the CGIAR Fund.
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