Nature-based solutions for sustainable and inclusive development (NSSID)

Ethiopian farmers lack access to inputs and knowledge of sustainable and climate-smart practices and are often farming on degraded land with soil fertility further depleted by unsustainable practices. Low agricultural productivity is characterized by low crop yields and low livestock productivity, resulting in reduced food security and income for farmers and their households. Farmers lack access to markets and there are limited opportunities for commercialization and financing. Non-agricultural enterprise opportunities such as non-timber forest products are under-exploited and value chains are poorly organized. High unemployment contributes to mass migration across the region. Women are particularly vulnerable with poor access to, and control over, land and other resources, which impacts their ability to access finances and engage in productive economic activities. Poor natural resource management and governance systems, coupled with competition for resources, fuels conflicts and traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms are often overlooked. The wider national conflict in Ethiopia risks polarizing existing land and natural resource-based disagreements along ethnic lines. These challenges are all exacerbated by climate change, to which marginal communities are highly vulnerable.

Against this backdrop, the interlink between natural resources, sustainable development, social harmony and climate resilience in Ethiopia is clear. The Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable and Inclusive Development (NSSID) Program will deliver a holistic approach to addressing interlinked challenges in three eco-regional clusters across Ethiopia – Wabi-Shebele and Gelale-Dawa, Omo-Gibe and Baro-Akobo, and Rift Valley and Awash basins. The project, led by Farm Africa, aims to deliver multi-sectoral interventions that will contribute to sustainable, inclusive and resilient development in Ethiopia.

Project outcomes:
1. Improved natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services;
2. Improved sustainable food and nutrition security;
3. Enhanced inclusive livelihood development;
4. Increased climate adaptation and mitigation; and
5. Reduced resource-based conflicts through gender-sensitive inter-community peace and conflict resolution.