Restoring the Central Rift Valley
Why is this project needed?
In Ethiopia’s Central Rift Valley, communities rely on the land and forests for food and income. But over 90,000 hectares of forests are being cut down across Ethiopia every year. To make matters worse, around two billion tonnes of fertile soil is lost in the country each year.
As a result, huge areas of land are no longer able to support plant life, and farming is becoming impossible. Eroded soil then flows down the Meki River into the nearby Lake Ziway, causing it to dry up as it fills with silt.
Our aims
The project will establish 7 different enterprise types, to grow the income of 350 people and their households.
- Moringa soap producers
- Climate smart agriculture enterprises - 20 households will be supported with seeds for this purpose
- 5 modern beekeeping enterprises
The project also aims to support the restoration of 148 hectares of degraded lands and increase vegetation by the creation of 5 enclosure area groups.
Furthermore, 770 people will be supported to reduce pressure on forest resources through the adoption of fuel-saving stoves, and to improve community nutrition through the provision of fruit trees, training in land management and fodder production.
OUR PARTNERS & FUNDERS
This project has been made possible with funding from IDH - the Sustainable Trade Initiative, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and our project partners VoCDA.
