Our work here with The Hunger Project (THP) is taking place in Jabi-Tehnan, West Gojjam province, and aims to restore 10 000 ha of Gewocha Forest and surrounding degraded communal lands by 2030.
As well as engaging community members to carry out pit preparation, planting and after care, the project promotes several forest-friendly livelihood activities to improve incomes and reduce pressure on the forest, the most important being agroforestry. Community mobilization started in January 2023, and the construction of soil and water harvesting structures – including digging planting pits for the seedlings – started in May and June. Planting itself started in July.
The team reports positive feedback and huge commitment from the farmers and communities involved, which is very gratifying. As a result of active community engagement, at least three forest association committees have expanded their restoration areas, some by up to a third. This is an encouraging sign of acceptability and sustainability of the restoration initiative.
The communities had completed 80% of the planned planting when an uprising against the government meant that a state of emergency was declared. All field activities had to be put on hold as traveling is too risky, and curfews have been enforced. At the time of writing, the nursery activities and livelihoods programmes were still ongoing and WeForest and THP are discussing ways to safely continue the restoration activities if the situation continues.
2023 started with an important milestone: the vegetation survey, completed in January. This essential step in any Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) project defines the characteristics of the forest to be restored, its composition, species diversity and regeneration status. As well as providing crucial input to inform decision-making and management of the subsequent restoration, it also provides a starting baseline by which the project’s success can be measured.
At the beginning of the survey, the methods – including how to insert plot locations and navigate there using GPS, laying out the plots based on WeForest protocol, and taking the required measurements – were practiced with pilot plots.
Overall, data was gathered from 184 sample plots of 0.5 km to 1 km (depending on density and location within the forest boundary) distributed over more than 7898 hectares. The survey gathered information on tree species diversity, volume, number of trees, regeneration status and overall forest characteristics. A report is being prepared which will support the preparation of the project’s management plan, inform the restoration activities and identify targets and decision-making for the project.
In 2023, almost 600 ha of Gewocha Forest was targeted for restoration. In addition, 30 ha of degraded communal lands in 2 kebeles were placed under rehabilitation. This brings the totals since the beginning of the project to more than 1100 ha of the forest and 84 ha of communal lands under restoration.
Native seedlings planted for ecological restoration
Only native species are planted in the core part of the forest, as this zone is for ecological restoration with no human impact expected. In total, 369 472 native seedlings were planted for restoration, both in the forest and in the degraded communal lands, in 2023. The community members actively involved in pit preparation and planting of the seedlings here numbered 837.
Of the forest sites placed under restoration in 2023, three are managed by salaried guards contributed from the community, while the rest are guarded by association members (see Stewardship and Governance, below) on a daily shift pattern.
Some restoration sites are fenced with wooden poles and barbed wire to protect the planted and regenerating species, particularly in the degraded communal lands, as they can be highly susceptible to cattle intrusion. 320 community members contributed wooden poles and labour to fence these areas, and the project provided technical support and the barbed wire.
In the forest’s new restoration sites, 978 people from the communities constructed 2438 meters of fence with loose stones.
The Geray nursery, which is managed by the project, produced the tree seedlings needed for this year, of which approximately 70% were native and 30% were exotic (14 different tree species). In addition, the project purchased 32 500 fruit and coffee seedlings for the livelihoods programme from private seedling producers and 500 lowland bamboo seedlings from the government nursery for soil erosion control and gully rehabilitation.
Soil and water management
Building dams using stones and sandbags reduces the speed and intensity of floods and reduces soil erosion, which is a big problem all over Amhara, where gullies characterize the landscape. These large channels are caused by the concentrated flow of water during and immediately following heavy rains. They are one of the most destructive forms of erosion in Ethiopia.
0.5 kg of Olea europaea and 24 kg of Sesbania sesban seeds were directly sown and 26 Erythrina abyssinica cuttings were planted in the gullies to reinforce the newly built check dams and restore the soil sustainably. 156 community members planted 6500 Desho grass splits (Pennisetum pedicellatum) and 3500 elephant grass at Farfar and Chifarit, both to reduce soil erosion and enhance gully rehabilitation, and to serve as fodder.
As a result of these check dams and the vegetation planted in the 11 ha of gullies, an estimated 84 m3 of soil has been saved from erosion.
Species | English name | Type | Planted for restoration | Planted for livelihoods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Acacia decurrens | black wattle/early green wattle | exotic | √
| |
Afrocarpus gracilior | East African yellowwood | native | √
| |
Albizia gummifera | peacock flower | native | √ | |
Albizia lebbeck | lebbek tree / flea tree | native | √ | |
Coffea arabica | arabian coffee | native | √ | |
Cordia africana | Sudan teak | native | √ | √ |
Cupressus lusitanica | Mexican white cedar | exotic | √ | |
Entada abyssinica | native | √ | ||
Faidherbia albida | apple-ring acacia / white acacia | native | √ | |
Grevillea robusta | Australian silver oak | exotic | √ | |
Juniperus procera | (East) African juniper | native | √ | |
Mangifera indica | mango | exotic | √ | |
Moringa stenopetala | African moringa/cabbage tree | native | √ | |
Musa acuminata | banana | exotic | √ | |
Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata | (African) wild olive | native | √ | |
Persea americana | avocado | exotic | √ | |
Rhamnus prinoides | shiny-leaf buckthorn | native | √ | |
Sesbania sesban | Egyptian riverhemp | native | √ | |
Syzygium guineense | waterberry | native | √ | |
Vachellia abyssinica | flat top acacia
| native | √ |
Native and exotic seedlings planted for livelihood improvement
In the degraded communal lands and the forest’s buffer zone, exotic species are planted as well as native species. This is to make sure these areas benefit local communities through timber, firewood and fodder production. So we count these planted seedlings as being for livelihood improvement.
In 2023, 378 353 seedlings in total were planted for livelihood improvement in the forest buffer zone, degraded communal lands, and on homesteads, churches and schools.
Agroforestry
Agroforestry is one of the most sustainable and profitable ways for smallholder farmers to grow cash crops for food security, nutrition and consistent income while natural resources such as soil and water are improved by the presence of the trees, which also sequester carbon as they grow. The long-term aim of the project is to introduce agroforestry practices on 925 ha of smallholder farmland with around 7900 households.
Crops planted on homesteads for agroforestry are ‘gesho’ (Rhamnus prinoides), a native species used to make local drinks; coffee (Coffea arabica), also native; and banana (Musa acuminata), avocado (Persea americana), mango (Mangifera indica) and cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), all exotic. Other multi-purpose trees such as Moringa stenopetala, Cordia africana and Grevillea robusta are planted in between these crops.
In 2023 approximately 250 000 agroforestry seedlings were provided, and 1174 families planted them on their homesteads, covering 74 ha of land. Before providing the seedlings, a selection process was carried out to identify the families based on the availability of water, giving priority to those living closer to Gewocha Forest.
Irrigation-based horticulture
386 families took up irrigation horticulture production in 2023, receiving training from the local Office of Agriculture’s horticulture experts. The project provided them with vegetable seeds, and then later in 2023 conducted door-to-door assessments to find out how the project was going for the families who signed up in the first year.
To date, 278 families have harvested a total of 126 sacks of beetroot, 628 sacks of cabbage, 67 sacks of green pepper, 1052 sacks of tomatoes and 436 sacks of onions – altogether raising a whopping 9,138,750 ETB or US$166,159!
Beekeeping
Farmers here mainly used traditional beehives and methods to produce honey, which has a low yield compared to transitional or modern beehives. The project supports farmers to move to newer Kenya Top Bar (KTB) hives, properly manage their bee colonies, provide enough bee forage for the bees, and move to eco-friendly pesticides.
Beekeeping “training-for-trainers” in 2023 was given to 38 and 10 women, after which they developed an action plan to mentor the families in their respective areas. The project provided one modern hive each to 66 families with prior beekeeping experience.
Grass harvesting
As a result of the proper management of restoration sites, grass for fodder is becoming available from the protected areas. Community members gathered 85 752 sacks of grass from 11 sites in 2023. The fodder was shared with 915 families in the project’s sustainable livestock management programme, in which they receive training in breed improvement, artificial insemination, feed improvement, fodder harvesting, cut & carry feeding systems and other topics related to livestock.
Improved savings and credit
Financial resources such as loans or financial ‘safety nets’ made available through Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SACCos) – community membership-based financial institutions that are formed and owned by their members – can boost involvement in livelihoods activities, while also making sure that people don’t resort back to cutting trees in times of hardship.
With two more self-help groups (SHGs) set up in 2023, the project has so far organized 33 SHGs with 671 members in total. Each SHG has its own committee of five members elected by the others. In total, the SHGs have saved 867,651 ETB and distributed 178,605 ETB as a loan to 114 of their members at interest rates ranging from 5-7%. The loan takers engage in various activities such as petty trade, poultry production, the sale of beverages and other activities with the potential to enhance family income. The potential for economic empowerment of women is good, indicated by their readiness to join, take on leadership roles and use the financial services of the SACCos, which are on track to be launched next year when the security situation is back to normal.
Livestock and dairy
The 180 members of the ‘’Finote Gewocha Dairy Cooperative’’ finished building their 5-room milk processing workshop in Shenbekuma kebele. Milk processing and cooling equipment has also been purchased, and will be delivered from Addis Ababa when the security situation allows. The cooperative will also produce cheese and other byproducts.
During the reporting period, the project created access to artificial insemination services for 165 cows owned by 150 families. Among the cows inseminated in 2022 and early 2023, 58 cows gave birth to 45 female and 13 male improved breed calves.
Improved quality of life
The project aims to bring a better quality of life to the surrounding communities through development schemes focused on WASH services and improved fuelwood efficiency. In 2023, four water schemes giving access to clean water were constructed for 1742 people in total: that’s 350 families, 50 of them headed by women. These schemes include developing a multi-village spring with five public taps and washing facilities, as well as creating and maintaining hand-dug and shallow wells.
To ensure sustainability of the water schemes, the project organized 4 WASHCO committees of 7 committee members each per water scheme. These committee members prepared governing bylaws that ensure proper utilization and sustainability of the water schemes.
Fuel-efficient cooking
Fuel-saving stoves reduce pressure on the local forest by reducing the amount of wood needed, as well as enhance family health by reducing indoor smoke pollution.
The project has set up 3 groups with 15 members, 13 of them women, to produce and sell fuel efficient stoves in Mana, Hodanshe and Woyenema kebeles. In 2023, the three groups produced 241 fuel-efficient stoves and sold 167 of them at 500 ETB per stove, earning a total of 83 500 ETB.
Each restoration site has its own association to manage the restoration and maintenance activities. So far, the project has 28 Gewocha Forest Associations, of which 17 were set up in 2022 and 11 in 2023. The project has also set up 10 Degraded Communal Land Associations, 7 in 2022 and 3 in 2023.
In 2023, management plans and governing bylaws were prepared and signed by the 14 new associations formed for the 2023 restoration sites.
We’ve had encouraging signs of acceptability and sustainability of the restoration initiative: three forest association committees have expanded their restoration areas, some by up to a third, as a result of active community engagement. Giltit extended their previous 41 ha site in Gewocha to 51.093 ha, Hodanshe extended their 42 ha to 64 ha, and Mebeshe extended from 61.7 ha to 98.9 ha.
In 2023 the project carried out the project activities in collaboration with 15 active task force groups, which assisted in mobilizing communities, conducting periodic monitoring and evaluation, and settling boundary disputes. In the first quarter of 2023, we organized a woreda (district)-level review meeting with task force members to discuss the project’s progress, lessons learned in 2022, and the planned activities for 2023.
Schools and churches
The project supports seven school environmental clubs to address environmental sustainability in the earliest stages of a student’s formal education. In 2023, 3363 fruit and tree seedlings were planted in the grounds of six schools by 379 students. They’ll be cared for by the students, and provide food and shade. During 2023 the project also provided more than 12 000 tree seedlings to two churches, Silasie church in Shembekuma and Medhanialem church in Yesheret.
As a result of the existing security problem in the region, including our district, at the moment it is impossible to say how much we will be able to achieve this year. This is a ten year project, however, so we will be able to compensate for any delays that occur. We also have the potential to restore more hectares per year than we first projected.
At the time of writing, WeForest and THP are working out how to safely continue restoration activities in the communal areas during the unrest in the region. We can certainly continue the nursery activities, as no traveling is required by the foreman and workers who live close by, and the livelihood activities that don’t rely on inputs from elsewhere.
As in Tigray, we are not going to leave, and we want the communities to continue to trust us and know that we are not going to walk away. It’s difficult, though, because we are in the middle: we have relationships with both the government and with the communities that support the militants.
Every hectare under restoration is mapped with GPS points to generate polygons (areas on a map) that are assigned to sponsors. Permanent monitoring plots are established in our sites and our forestry and science teams conduct surveys to monitor progress of biomass growth, tree density, survival rate and species diversity, among other indicators. Where social impacts are also critical, we measure socio-economic indicators such as the number of individuals or families directly benefiting, people trained, and income generated from forest-friendly livelihood activities.
Please visit our What We Do web page for more information.
Thank you for supporting the Gewocha Forest project!
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