Forest Conservation In Ethiopia Reaping Benefits For Coffee Farmers – CoffeeTalk

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A report by NGO Farm Africa reveals the success of a forest conservation and sustainable agriculture initiative in Ethiopia’s Ilu Ababor Zone. The project, implemented in partnership with government agencies and local Participatory Forest Management Cooperatives (PFMCs), protected natural forests while improving the livelihoods of 4,000 people through sustainable coffee production and alternative income sources. The Ilu Ababor Zone plays a critical role in water regulation, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation. However, these forests are under intense pressure due to increasing population, dwindling agricultural land fertility, and limited livelihood opportunities driving deforestation.

Farm Africa’s project developed economic incentives for 15 forest-dependent communities living in conservation ‘hotspots’ in the area to protect the forests. The traditional practice of harvesting wild forest coffee, which thrives in its natural forest habitat, preserves biodiversity and reduces deforestation by giving coffee farmers an incentive to protect the forest. Through this project, Farm Africa and local partners helped smallholder farmers enhance the quality and marketability of forest coffee, improve agricultural land productivity, develop other forest-friendly income streams, and improve institutional capacity in natural resource management.

Key outcomes of the project include a 43% reduction in the average annual deforestation rate, a 45% real-value increase in forest coffee income among coffee producers, a 15% real-value increase in average household incomes (including non-coffee producers), alignment of PFMC bylaws with national forest policy, and a shift in average household dietary diversity category from’medium’ to ‘high’.

The development of market connections played an important role in the project’s success. For example, Farm Africa supported Abdi Bori PFMC to secure an Organic and National Organic Programme license, enabling them to earn a premium amounting to USD 17,600. The project shows that protecting nature doesn’t have to mean sacrificing income.

Read More @ Farm Africa

Source: Coffee Talk

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