An Overview Of Our Solution
Biodiversity provides both the basis of agriculture—the species and genetic variation of crops and livestock—and, through its role in ecosystem functions and services, the underpinning of production. Agricultural biodiversity includes all components of biodiversity— at genetic, species and ecosystem levels—that are relevant to food and agriculture and that support the ecosystems in which agriculture occurs (agro ecosystems). This includes the crop and livestock species, and the varieties and breeds within these, and also includes those components that support agricultural production. The proposal included a range of socio-demographic indicators with prior consideration on challenges, solutions, implementation mechanism, results and way of rescaling
Who is this solution impacting?
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: Africa
General Information
Organization type
Gubernamental
Ecosystem (select all that apply)
Forests
Population impacted
32,400 people in 9 Kebele
Challenge
Size of agricultural area
7,775ha
Production quantity
300kg per ha
People employed
30 people
Solution
Describe your solution
The solutions for the aforementioned challenges in the local context are devised to each problem in an integrated way. Integrated watershed management for improved land productivity and reduced droughts through use of soil and water conservation, water harvesting technologies, established nurseries, planting trees and forest enrichment planting activities thereby improve the biodiversity and the fuel wood demand of the local people. On the other hand, changing the extensive farming to improved agro forestry system designed to incorporate the crop (home garden vegetables and spices, Enset/false banana (Enseteventricosum) cereals and pulse), fruit trees (coffee, apple, coke and avocado), trees (Croton Mactrostachis, Cordia Africana, ErthrinaAbisinica, Militia Fergunia) and livestock components (integrating fodder production and established veterinary clinic) with multiple cropping with market chain analysis. Food insecurity and drought problems will at least be reduced with the crop diversification, introduction of economically valuable crops and improved varieties, creating off-farm jobs like modern apiculture practices. Besides, re-afforesting encroached and bare sites of Mount Shonkola forests, creating awareness of the local communities about the forests, establish community forest conservation advocates, promote private woodlots and improved stoves, and apply area closures for regeneration.
Implementation
Describe your implementation
Watershed management and Soil Conservation the main activity will be the demonstration and training of farmers in general conservation measures like maintaining grass strips between fields, early checking of forming gullies, use of catch and fodder crops to maintain vegetation cover, tree planting on vulnerable spots. Both preventative and remedial measures will be undertaken. Local nurseries will be established to supply planting materials
Livestock Production and Forage development will be promoted by demonstration of intensive livestock keeping and provision to overcome shortage of improved poultry. The Project will work with livestock improvement and fodder production.
Planting an equivalent of 7775 ha over 5 years in small plots or individual trees, multipurpose trees, forage, fruit etc. will be supported by the project. Fruit tree seedlings will be supplied by the nursery in Shonkolla mountain watershed, which requires limited investment to facilitate increased production. A total of 9 nurseries will be established over the first 4 years of the project
Crop Production: the basic approach in the crop sector is the use of improved seed and horticultural crops.
Capacity building: the Project will contribute to capacity building at local level to both ensure effective project implementation and sustainability. At local level, individual farmer training will be undertaken in a purpose built farmer training centre in the periphery of mount Shonkolla. The watershed management training to be offered will range from one day to one week in duration for up to 2000 farmers. Over 1000 ha of land could be restored and 10% increase in per capita income of the local people will be increased through carbon selling and better NRM. There will be result-based monitoring and evaluation with the existing NRM policies and strategies.
External connections
• Hadiya Zone Forestry and Environmental protection Department
• Hadiya Zone Administrative office
• Lemo woreda Agriculture and Natural resource development office
• Soro Woreda Agriculture and Natural resource development office
Results
What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?
The major environmental challenges at Mount Shonkola forest and its surroundings watersheds are the forest encroachment for expanding the farming practice due to land shortage, extensive farming system leading to poor production consequently making the local people food insecure, land degradation aggravated by high population growth, and drought and food insecurity. Land degradation coupled with high population density in the forest surrounding areas force the local smallholder farmers to clear the forest and bushes for their subsistence. The agro-biodiversity in the smallholder farmers’ landscape is also constrained by epidemic diseases and unwise use of resources. Furthermore, forest encroachments have direct impact on the forest biodiversity and at least the microclimatic conditions. These also lead to lesser streams and soil moisture deficits which are generally interrupted hydrological regimes to the adjacent farmlands because of diminishing forest and bush cover on the mountain
Describe the context in which you are operating
Mount Shonkolla forest area is part of Omo-Gibe basin system in Hadiya zone, Soro and Lemo Woreda in the Southern, Ethiopia. The intended project site is located at a distant of 252km away from Addis Ababa and 20km from Hossana town, capital of Hadiya Zone. The topographic feature of the area falls to 38.9% of high land and 61.1% of mid land agro-climatic zone. The land formation of the area is manifested mainly by undulating and rugged terrain. The topographic feature classified as very steep slope > 30% 3060ha( 39.4%) , steep slope 15-30% 2135ha ( 27.4%), rolling/undulating terrain 8-15 % 650ha (8.8%) , and flat to gentle sloping < 8% 1895ha ( 24.4%). The total area of project is 7775ha. The total population of project area is 7873 and out of that male are 4049 and female are 3829. The higher population pressure along with small land holding influenced the community's' to cultivate the mountain side and the peak side of the hills and marginalized patch of land. Thus, encroachment of the natural vegetation and replacing with species of exotic and incompatible tree plantation program during the last regime had made to be disturbed the natural habitats.
How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?
The results of the proposed solutions to the environmental challenges are generally improved agro biodiversity through active agro forestry system design which also provides the farmers to improve their nutritional needs and incomes. The enhanced agro and forest biodiversity through integrated watershed management improves land productivity which thereby increases the yield quantity and quality. Besides, it will lessen the forest and bush encroachments as the farmers of the locality will be given opportunity for discussions and trainings which makes them aware of the impacts. Further, the forestland covers will increases which impact the flow of streams down to the farmlands contributing to soil moisture.
Language(s)
Amharic, Oromo
Water
The tree plantings both on farm and the mountain forest and bushes improve the land cover which enhances the hydrological regime. Thus, it creates good opportunity improving the water harvesting technologies for beneficial uses like for livestock and crop production.
Food Security/Nutrition
Agro forestry relies on multiple crops and livestock production makes different food items contributing to food security and improve households the nutritional status. Introduction of economically value crops and improved varieties as well as crop diversification contributes to food security and self-sufficiency.
Economic/Sustainable Development
There could be huge possibility for improved incomes from the diversified and improved agro forestry systems for higher quantity yields and actually from different crop items.
Climate
The project increases the forest and bush covers it cools the microclimates of the area, improved hydrological regime with good rain and stream flows. It also reduces the flooding and erosion problems in the downstream. The forest and bushes sequesters the carbon which also may add to the REDD+.
Sustainability
In its inception period the project will relay on grant funding. After the project is kicked off to start the intended goal; biodiversity, government subsidies and market- based revenue are the main source for sustainability of our solutions. Government subsidies will be sought from different sources particularly those who are accused to biodiversity.
In addition, we have a plan to generate income through carbon trading, eco-tourism, apiculture commercializing the output of the project such as seedlings.
Return on investment
The major activities planned to be done in Mount Shenkola ecosystem are nursery establishment , Soil and water conservation, forage development , agriculture, introduction of economically valuable and improved variety , Compost and fertilizer making and training and capacity building. All these activities in aggregate cost 2,800,000 ETB.
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Replication and Scale
How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?
In order to replicate this solution the project will use capacity building at local level to both ensure effective project implementation and sustainability. At local level, individual farmer training will be undertaken in a farmer training centre in the periphery of mount Shonkolla. The watershed management training is to be offered will range from one day to one week in duration for up to 2000 farmers. Outside the periphery we will work with the aforementioned key stakeholders.