Blog Advancing Institutional Innovations for Scaling Soil and Water Conservation in Three Regions of Ethiopia

Advancing institutional solutions in the Central, Southern, and Sidama regions of Ethiopia involves strengthening governance structures, promoting community participation, and implementing sustainable development initiatives. By establishing effective institutions and governance mechanisms, these regions can better address challenges related to resource management, agriculture, infrastructure, and social services. Encouraging collaboration between government agencies, local communities and other stakeholders is key to creating inclusive and impactful solutions that promote economic growth, social welfare, and environmental sustainability in these regions.

For this reason, the Alliance organized a workshop from May 15-18, 2024 in collaboration with Inter AIDE, a local NGO known as Rural Community Based Development Initiative Association (RCBDIA) and the Ethiopian Landscape Restoration Platform (ELaRP). It brought together more than 40 participants from the Alliance, Inter AIDE, RCBDIA and the Bureau of Agriculture of Central and Southern Ethiopia Region. Facilitated by Zenebe Adimassu and Getamesay Demeke, the workshop was opened by Ato Admassu Awoke, Vice Head of the Bureau of Agriculture of the Southern Ethiopia Region.  

Use of para-conservationists   

Para-conservationists/peer educators are individual farmers operating at the grassroots level, actively promoting soil and water conservation within their local communities. They possess a profound understanding of local environmental challenges and strive to introduce effective solutions that benefit both the ecosystem and the people reliant on it.

Their responsibilities encompass developing and implementing various soil and water conservation techniques, heightening community awareness, delivering training sessions, supporting the execution of conservation projects, aiding in monitoring and evaluation efforts, and fostering the exchange of knowledge among communities, researchers, and government entities to advance optimal practices in soil and water conservation. Each peer educator/para-conservationist oversees 15-20 farmers, receiving incentives such as training opportunities and certification. 

Use of community grass multiplication sites  

Grass nurseries help in multiplying grass species that can be planted on physical soil and water conservation to stabilize the structures, in turn, helps prevent soil erosion, and increase land productivity and income of farmers. Involving the community in establishing and maintaining grass nurseries fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility for conservation efforts, leads to sustainable practices, promotes infiltration and enhances biodiversity.

By multiplying grass nurseries at the community level, the impact of soil and water conservation can be scaled up, reaching larger areas and benefiting more people. 

Convince top-management  

Top management plays a pivotal role in the institutionalization of SWC within an organization or community. Their leadership is essential in developing and implementing policies, strategies, and initiatives that prioritize sustainable land and water management practices. Top management sets the tone by allocating resources, securing funding, and providing the necessary support for SWC programs. They also engage stakeholders, promote awareness, and foster collaborations to ensure the successful integration of SWC into the organization's operations.

By championing these efforts, top management helps to establish a culture of environmental stewardship, resilience, and long-term impact within the organization or community. Ato Admassu Awoke, Vice Head of the Bureau of Agriculture of the Southern Ethiopia Region, he thanked the Alliance, Inter AIDE and other partners for taking this initiative, and he is committed to scale-out soil and water conservation approaches tested by the Alliance and Inter AIDE. 

Integrating physical and biological measures/biological lead SWC practices 

Overall, the integration of physical and biological soil and water conservation measures creates a holistic and effective approach that enhances adoption rates and contributes to long-term economic and environmental sustainability. The integration combines the strengths of physical measures (e.g., terracing, contour bunds) and biological measures (e.g., agroforestry, cover crops) to address multiple aspects of soil and water conservation. Physical measures help to control erosion and manage water flow, while biological measures enhance soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience. Integrating them maximizes the synergistic benefits for sustainable land management because: 

• Biological measures contribute to soil fertility and structure, complementing the structural support provided by physical measures. This integration ensures long-term sustainability and resilience of the ecosystem. 

• Integrating both types of measures promotes diversification in farming systems, reducing risks and increasing productivity. Farmers are more likely to adopt practices that offer multiple benefits. 

• Integrating physical and biological measures allows for flexibility in adapting to varying ecological conditions and farmer preferences. This adaptability increases the likelihood of adoption and success. 

• By integrating diverse approaches, knowledge sharing among farmers, researchers, and policymakers is encouraged, leading to improved understanding and promotion of sustainable soil and water conservation practices. 

Demonstration and research results: Seeing is believing  

Demonstrations and research results play a crucial role in scaling soil and water conservation efforts. Demonstrations help showcase the effectiveness of conservation practices to farmers and other stakeholders, encouraging wider adoption. Research results provide evidence-based insights into the benefits of these practices, helping to inform policy decisions, improve existing techniques, and develop new approaches for sustainable soil and water management. By combining demonstrations with research findings, we can effectively promote the adoption and scaling of soil and water conservation methods for long-term environmental and agricultural sustainability.