The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) joined forces in 2019, leveraging a combined 65 years’ experience in research on the role of forests and trees in solving critical global challenges.
The second phase of the Provision of Adequate Tree Seed Portfolio (PATSPO II) project, 2022–2025, was officially launched on 13 July 2022 in Addis Ababa.
The first phase of the PATSPO project had achieved most of its targets in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a request from major stakeholders for extension of the project, the second phase started on 1 April 2022. In line with the motto of PATSPO II — Transforming the seed sector in Ethiopia — the project aims to further strengthen the sector, working together with key stakeholders.
Niguse Hagazi, senior officer with CIFOR-ICRAF in Ethiopia, welcomed the participants to the launch and explained the objective and programme before inviting Kebede Yimam, director general of Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD), to make the opening speech.
Yimam informed participants that 54 million hectares of land had been confirmed degraded in Ethiopia.
‘Ethiopia has promised to restore 22 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and put all the remaining carbon- and biodiversity-rich forests under sustainable management,’ he said. ‘In 2019, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia introduced the Green Legacy Initiative, which is the first of its kind, mainly as far as its scale is concerned, and its anticipation to make forests respond to not only national problems but also to global challenges, such as climate-change mitigation and adaption to its vagaries.’
Yimam underlined the need for the supply of quality tree seeds in a sustainable manner for the realization of such initiatives, without which Ethiopia could not reduce the impact of land degradation and the associated impacts of climate change and poverty.
‘Our tree-seed system needs more work to transform and, hence, to support the forest sector,’ he continued. ‘That is why PATSPO phase two is crucial.’
Yimam thanked the Government of Norway for supporting forest-sector development through the tree-seed sector.
‘This is important support that we consider as a timely and wise investment in our bilateral cooperation to fight against climate change, to minimize poverty, youth migration and also contribute to stability and peace in the Horn of Africa,’ he said.
Abrham Abiyu, senior genetic officer of PATSPO, described the major achievements of the first phase of PATSPO, 2017–2022, highlighting the establishment of breeding seed orchards, the large number of information and training material produced and the training and extension activities carried out.
Senior team leader of PATSPO II, Soren Moestrup, told participants that the project in its first phase had been working in four regions of Ethiopia: Amhara; Oromia; Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples; and Tigray.
‘Based on the request of the Government, we are ready to expand the project area and work in more regions during PATSPO II,’ he said.
One of the participants suggested the Somali Region be included in addition to Sidama and South West regions and Yimam of EFD emphasised the need to give more attention to the lowland areas of the country because PATSPO I had focused more on the highlands.
‘The expected impact and outcomes of PATSPO II are the same as the first phase of PATSPO,’ said Moestrup, ‘but differ in the modality of implementation because there will be more involvement of EFD and partners, as suggested in the mid-term review and by donors. Additional activities will be done based on the inputs and requests from EFD, other partners, the mid-term review and the end review of the project.’
He mentioned that a feasibility study will be carried out to assess opportunities for implementation of the project in more regions, establishment of more seed orchards, identification of more seed sources, and continued training and support to regional tree seed centres and other collaborators. Moestrup emphasized that PATSPO II would continue providing training and seed-collection tools and equipment to more farmers’ groups because they are the most important seed collectors in Ethiopia. He also indicated PATSPO II plans to give more support to private seed dealers.
The major shift during PATSPO II will be greater involvement of stakeholders in activities, with a view to ensure the sustainability of the project.
‘PATSPO has been doing some of the work that should have been done by the partners because we were asked to do so,’ said Moestrup. ‘Activities such as establishing nurseries, preparing the planting sites, pitting and planting seedlings and fencing the site have to be done by our partners during PATSPO II. We will do less implementing and provide more advisory services in PATSPO II.’
Samuel Hailu, senior accountant with CIFOR-ICRAF explained the financial arrangements of the project and how the accounting procedures will be implemented for the agreements that PATSPO II will make with its partners.
Representing the donor, Sanka Shaita, forest and natural resources management program officer with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa, noted that, ‘Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, the PATSPO project has been able to achieve a lot during the first phase. If we are to achieve our next goal, the partnership with EFD and other regional partners is important. PATSPO already has had strong relationship with partners and this can be further strengthened during phase two. You [the project staff] are good at reporting. You need to continue to have strong communication with us and other partners. Being selective, you also need to give more support to the informal tree-seed sector — the private seed dealers — by building their capacity. The single-most important issue is sustainability. We need to be concerned about sustainability beginning today. We can’t wait until tomorrow. The Embassy would like to see more direct contribution of the Government and other partners during the implementation of PATSPO II.’
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific and development 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.