We aim to build up the capacities of community representatives, local NGOs, key government officials and to establish structures for community-based restoration, conservation and income generation in order to maintain the forest landscapes of Bench-Sheko, Kafa and Sheka as carbon sinks and long-term ecosystem service suppliers.
The planned activities include
- Networking and joint capacity building at regional level by installing the Southwest Forest Alliance Platform for stakeholders of the forest sector working in Southwest Ethiopia
- Participatory forest assessment and capacity building
- Capacity support program on forest degradation and conservation at local level Participatory development and implementation of community-based Forest Action Plans (FAPs) as easy-applicable tool
- Income generation program for forest user groups and Participatory Forest Management (PFM) groups
- Project communication campaign for awareness of the pressing issue of forest degradation and loss of livelihoods for millions of people, as well as of the project and its tools and results for application in other regions
- Set up NABU Ethiopia as a strong local NGO in the environmental sector of Ethiopia
About 2 million people, mainly small-scale farmers, living in the target areas will indirectly benefit from the project. Specifically, forest user groups, Participatory Forest Management groups, community members, governmental representatives as well as local NGOs/CBOs will be part of the project.
Our Partners
The project will be managed by NABU Ethiopia in cooperation with EWNRA.
The following regional SWEPR institutions are partnering the project:
- Bureau of Finance and Economy Development (BoFED)
- Bureau of Agriculture (BoA)
- Bureau of Women, Children and Youths (BoWCY)
- Bureau of Forest, Environmental Protection and Climate Change (BoFEPCC)
The project is financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The following organisations/institutions currently are a member of the Southwest Forest Alliance:
- The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU)
- Ethio Wetlands and Natrual Resources Assoication (EWNRA)
- Cooperative Development Offices (CDO; zonal: Bench-Sheko, Kafa and Sheka Zone)
- Climate Resilient Forest Landscape (CRFL) Program
- Department of Agriculture and Natural Resource (DoANR; zonal: Bench-Sheko, Kafa & West Omo Zone), incl. the Climate Action through Landscape Management Payment for Result (CALM for PR) Project
- Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI)
- EECMY-DASSC Mekan Yesus (zonal: Bench-Sheko Zone)
- Enterprise and Industry Development Department (zonal: Bench-Sheko, Kafa and Sheka Zone)
- Environmental Protection, Forest and Climate Change Control Authority (EPFCCCA; regional: SNNPR)
- Environmental Protection, Forest and Climate Change Control Offices (EPFCCCO; zonal: Bench-Sheko, Kafa, Sheka and West Omo Zone), incl. the Biodiversity Section
- Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung
- Investment Offices (zonal: Bench-Sheko and Kafa Zone)
- Jimma Environment and Forest Research Center (JEFRC) of the Ethiopian Environment and Forest Research Institute (EEFRI)
- REDD+ Secretariat (regional: SNNPR)
- Federal REDD+ Secretariat at the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission (EFCCC)
- REDD+ Woreda Cluster Coordination (zonal: Bench-Sheko, Kafa and Sheka Zone)
- Mizan-Tepi University
- Basin Development Authority at the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity (MoWIE)
- Attorney Generals (zonal: Bench-Sheko, Kafa and Sheka Zone)
