A Flourishing Future for Gewocha Forest
Community-led restoration of native remnant forest in Amhara
Location
Jabi-Tehnan (West Gojjam), Amhara
Project partners
The Hunger Project
Restoration approaches
Direct planting, Assisted Natural Regeneration, conservation, agroforestry
Species
Include Ficus vasta, Cordia africana, Albizia gummefera, Ficus sur forssk, Syzigium guineense
Participants
7894 farmers and their families in 14 communities
In the Gewocha Forest and its surrounding communities, a lack of proper farm and grazing land management means soil is degrading and land is becoming unproductive.
Our project will re-establish the structure, species diversity and density of the highly degraded 7932 ha forest, and rehabilitate 1143 ha of degraded open communal land. We will also support a community resilience strategy by introducing agroforestry practices on 925 ha of smallholder farmland with around 7900 households.
Why and how we're working here
Farmers in the buffer zone are encroaching into the forest to compensate for their losses from crop yields and shortages of animal feed. Trees are cut for fuel and construction wood, and charcoal is produced as a source of income. This forest that supports 14 rural kebeles (villages) will be lost without protection and restoration.
The project's impact on
people
Half of the inhabitants of the Jabi-Tehnan region live below the poverty line, and 43% are chronically malnourished, with women and children most affected. Poverty in this region is further exacerbated by landlessness and youth unemployment. Moreover, women remain marginalised and are often excluded from participation in decision-making and in the economy.
