The training contributes to the broader implementation and scaling up of sustainable landscape development practices.
A training of trainers (ToT) entitled “Landscape restoration and agroforestry and application of systematic and citizen science monitoring tools” was organized by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) in collaboration with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) on 27 –28 December 2024 in Addis Ababa. The training was given as part of Ethiopia Interfaith Initiative for the Forest Conservation and Climate Action (EII4FCCA) project, which is implemented by CIFOR-ICRAF and funded by NCA.
CIFOR-ICRAF Country Director for Ethiopia, Niguse Hagazi, welcomed the participants to the important training. In a brief presentation, he introduced CIFOR-ICRAF to them.
Yemane Salih from NCA appreciated CIFOR-ICRAF for successfully organizing the training. Speaking about the background of the project, Yemane said that NCA established an interfaith climate platform in 2018 with the belief that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC), as a climate ambassador which conserves forests of mainly indigenous trees, has practical experience that it could share to other faiths. “We then decided to scale it up and launched the new (EII4FCCA) project,” he said.
EII4FCCA is a five-year project running from 2021 to 2025. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) spearheads this initiative, which is executed through a partnership of three faith-based organizations including the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC), the Ethiopian Muslims Relief and Development Association (EMRDA), and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Development and Social Services Commission (EECMY-DASSC). CIFOR-ICRAF serves as a technical partner, while the other consortium members are implementing organizations. The project has been implemented in ten districts of three administrative zones – Jimma, Kaffa and Bench Sheko – in Oromia and Southwest regional states of Ethiopia. In total, 31 kebeles (lowest government administration in Ethiopia) are addressed through this project.
Fifteen experts from member NGOs of the consortium participated in the ToT. The training is essential for equipping experts with the necessary skills to effectively disseminate knowledge and train others in sustainable landscape development practices including Agroforestry, Farmers Managed Natural Regeneration, and Rural Resource Centres (RRCs). It will enable them to train and mentor others, as well as contribute to the broader implementation and scaling up of these sustainable practices, which are critical to achieve the overall project objectives. Furthermore, the trainees were also equipped with the application of systematic and citizen science tools to monitor restoration progress.
The training focused on two tools developed by CIFOR-ICRAF scientists: the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF) and Regreening Apps ecosystem (RA). The LDSF is a systematic approach to assess soil and land health, providing a consistent set of indicators for monitoring ecosystem health over time. This framework is coupled with the Regreening Apps ecosystem, which includes a mobile app for data collection on tree planting, land management practices, and restoration progress. This combination of tools empowers researchers and land managers to effectively monitor and improve land health. In general, the ToT program can foster a network of skilled trainers who can collaborate, share best practices, and support each other’s efforts.
Gezahegne Bahiru, a participant from Bench Sheko Zone, Southwest Ethiopia region, said, “The training is important to restore the indigenous trees that are disappearing. Our area is thought to have dense forests, but the forests are being degraded. The training is important to help us restore the forests.”
He added, “The knowledge has to be cascaded. The ones at the grassroots level like extension workers, thematic experts, and those professionals who work in the area of natural resource management need to take such a training.”
Gezahegne underlined the importance of community participation. He noted, “The awareness of the community should be increased too. Because they have never gone further away from their area of residence, they think the forest resources they have have will remain intact. They need to see how other communities in other areas are suffering because they did not conserve their natural resources.”
Mahlet Haile, who is from EOC-DICAC in Jimma, Oromia region, said, “The training is applicable. Particularly, it helped us to know where to focus. We shouldn’t focus only on forest conservation, but also on agroforestry, as it encompasses both livelihood improvement and forest development.”
Mahlet said she also learned from the participants. “What I enjoyed most is the experience shared by the participants. That is extremely useful. It would have been great if we had more days for more discussions.”
Hagos Sahilu, a participant from Tigray region, said, “The training is very useful. We learned how to take care of our land, farming practices and forests in an integrated way.”
Shimelis Melesse, a participant from, Bench Sheko Zone, said, “The training was critically important. Where I work, we are now organizing farmer groups to carry our watershed development. I learned from the soil and water conservation structures, the agroforestry activities and the community engagement we saw in the training. And I hope we can be fruitful if we practice these when we go back to our areas.”
The training was jointly given by Niguse Hagazi, CIFOR-ICRAF scientist Mulugeta Mokria, and Yemane Salih.
