Supporting forest-dependent communities to sustainably manage their ecosystems is a powerful pathway to both climate change mitigation and resilience building in Ethiopia. By promoting participatory forest management (PFM), communities are not only conserving forests but also rehabilitating degraded communal and farmlands through inclusive, locally driven approaches.
In Goro Jarso kebele of Buno Bedele zone, Oromia Regional State, forest-dependent households once relied heavily on logging, charcoal production, and firewood collection due to limited livelihood options. Since March 2024, the launch of the “Forest for Life” project, funded by DAA via Bread Austria, has led to a remarkable transformation. With 70% women and persons with disabilities (PwDs) actively involved, the community has organized itself and embraced diversified, sustainable income-generating activities.
Today, they are engaging in small-scale irrigation, beekeeping, and agroforestry practices such as banana intercropping, reducing pressure on forests while improving household incomes and food security.
This shift demonstrates that when communities are empowered with the right support and inclusive opportunities, they become stewards of both their environment and their future.
Gelalcha Negassa
SWDA Program Manager