The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Ethiopia, with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is implementing the Climate Resilient Forest and Landscape Restoration (CRFLR) Program.  This initiative aims to restore 10,000 hectares of degraded forest and farmland within select watersheds, employing a Holistic Landscape Restoration approach.  By integrating forest and farmland restoration activities, the CRFLR Program contributes to Ethiopia’s ambitious national goal of restoring 15 million hectares of degraded land within five years.  

A key innovation of the program is its Holistic Landscape Restoration approach, which addresses both forest and adjacent agricultural lands in a coordinated manner.  The CRFLR Program empowers communities by establishing Community Based Organization-led Forest restoration and sustainable farmland management systems.  Furthermore, it fosters economic development by supporting forest and farm product value chains and promoting the development of community-managed small and medium-scale enterprises including village saving and loan associations.  Ultimately, the program seeks to secure the long-term provision of ecosystem services, enhancing climate resilience and driving green growth in the target regions.

The program aims to achieve the following objectives: 

– Reduced emissions from land use through sustainable forest and farmland management on 10,000 ha of degraded land in selected watersheds 

– Improved resilience of ecosystems and ecosystem services  

– Increased resilience and enhanced livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, communities, and regions (11,000 households) to the impact of climate change. 

Ethiopia faces a critical environmental crisis: significant deforestation and land degradation threaten its ecological balance and the livelihoods of its people.  Deforestation, driven by various factors, leads to soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and disrupted ecosystem services, impacting water cycles and exacerbating climate change vulnerability.  The resulting land degradation further diminishes agricultural productivity, threatening food security and livelihoods. This interconnected crisis undermines sustainable development and the well-being of Ethiopians.

Recognizing the urgency and scale of this challenge, the Ethiopian government has made a strong commitment to restore millions of hectares of degraded land, a testament to the nation’s dedication to reversing these damaging trends and securing a more sustainable future.

To support this ambitious goal, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Ethiopia, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is implementing the Climate Resilient Forest and Landscape Restoration (CRFLR) program. This program aims to contribute to Ethiopia’s restoration targets through on-the-ground activities promoting ecological restoration and community development, with a focus on building climate-resilient ecosystems.  The partnership between GGGI and KOICA combines global expertise with local ownership to maximize the program’s impact and ensure its long-term sustainability.

The Project outcomes include: 

– Outcome 1:  Institutional arrangements enable inclusive cross sector land use planning implementation in selected watersheds.  

– Outcome 2: Site appropriate technologies enable Holistic Landscape Restoration in selected watershed-based forests and farm sites.  

– Outcome 3: Policy framework related to Measuring Reporting and Verification system strengthened to support landscape restoration.