1. In 2005 the highlands of Ethiopia
were still a desert - the introduction of sustainable
agriculture by 2014 - drought no longer harms
Title: Regreening Ethiopia's Highlands. A message of hope
for Africa (8'').
Film title: The highlands of
Ethiopia. A message of hope for Africa - The highlands
of Ethiopia were a complete desert - 8 years later the
highlands of Ethiopia became a green landscape with
forest and fields
The highlands of Ethiopia are increasingly transforming
from a desert into a fertile landscape with forests and
fields, and more and more fresh vegetables are available
on the markets (33''). Ethiopia used to be a country of
hunger, but that has changed in the last 10 years
(1'12'').
A group of men are
going to plant more trees
The government has launched a reforestation program:
"Sustainable Land Management Program" (1'14''). The
principles of this program are laid down in Ethiopia's
new constitution (1'24''). Agriculture Minister Sileshi
Getahun: "The farmers in the
community are benefitting from it, are giving their own
testimony (1'30''), how that is also supporting the
environment and how that is also supporting their
household, income." (1'38'')
The Ethiopian government has launched a government
program for sustainable agriculture, the "Sustainable
Land Management Program" - Sustainable Agriculture in
Ethiopia: hey fields instead of overgrazed areas, and
the cattle remains at home - State Minister of
Agriculture Sileshi Getahun
The chairman of the Kebele Station in Tigray, Egziabher
Gebre Wahed: "The strategy of using sustainable land
management to eradicate poverty has been very effective."
(1'48'')
Market in the
Ethiopian highlands with tea leaves - small field
agriculture in the highlands of Ethiopia with trees
and banana plants all around
Whole villages had to be retrained and convinced that it
was worth changing the agriculture principles, and
experts assisted with important details and tricks
(2'0'').
Highlands of Ethiopia: Whole villages had to be
retrained 1,2
Speaker with hoe and shovel at a
village meeting 1,2 - Ato Belete Tafere, Minister for
Environment & Forest
H.E. Ato Belete Tafere, Minister of Development and
Forestry: "So the planning is both ways. Framework
planning is developed by the region by the top government,
but as a right, the final plan endorsement is coming from
the bottom [with a vote of the population]." (2'17''). At
the end of each meeting there was always a vote and with
the decision the change of agriculture was implemented
(2'25''). Distances were set where trees would be planted
or dams were installed - and then holes have been chopped
to plant trees or to install proper terraces (2'33'').
The transformation into a sustainable agriculture: The
measurement of tree positions - The transformation into a
sustainable agriculture: tree holes are chopped 1,2
3. Ethiopia, Amhara province: grass fields, livestock
stays on the farm and gives more milk
The Blue Nile has it's origin in the province of Amhara in
Ethiopia. At the same time, the pastures were overgrazed
with livestock, resulting in erosion. The cattle are now
kept on small areas near the farm, and the grass is
brought in from other areas so that the pastures are well
under control and can recover (3'14'').
Map of Ethiopia with the highland
provinces of Oromia, SNNPR, Gambella,
Benishangul-Gumuz, Amhara and Tigray - Map of Ethiopia
with the province of Amhara with the source of the
Blue Nile - Amhara Province: Overgrazing provoked
erosion
The cattle remains at the farm and the grass is brought to
them, so the territories are under perfect control and in
perfect condition. Mr. Girmaw Tezazu, a Catchment
Committee Member of Amhara: "The grass you see growing is
the result of our work. We now cut and carry the panels to
our animals" - and at the same time the cows on the farm
produce more milk at home (3'27'').
Farmer Mrs. Teje Gelaw: "It [the landscape] used to be exposed
to erosion, but now has become fertile like a
flower" (3'46'').
4. Ethiopia, Tigray Province: tree holes
and forest against erosion - terraces are renovated and
supplemented with new knowledge
Tigray Province was a complete desert landscape (3'50'').
And when it rained, the erosion was very bad (4'3''), and
the mountains were all bare (4'6''). Farmer Geiorgis Gebre
Mariam from Tigray: This place was previously unsuitable
for people and animals (4'23''). They even thought about
leaving the place. (4'25'')
"Before this work, it was a place unsuitable
cattle and men. We were even considering leaving. At
first I opposed the conservation work, but now, I am the
main defender of the program." (4'32'')
Tigray Province,
the population is hacking tree holes 1.2
There were old terraces, which were now rebuilt combined
with new knowledge (4'51''). The terraces of the Loess
Plateau in China (5'0'') were the model. Moisture was
retained, the soil remained moist, and everything turned
green again with grasses, vegetables and fruit trees
(5'15'').
5. Ethiopia, Oromia Province: Small earth dams planted
with grass and ditches at the front: rainwater seeps
down and fills the groundwater up
In Oromia Province all the forest was cut down and the
erosion destroyed more and more the pastures (5'33'').
Map of Ethiopia with the province Oromia - Oromia
Province in Ethiopia: Deforestation provokes erosion -
Oromia Province in Ethiopia: Forest plantations and
earth dams are installed in the fields against erosion
The villages have decided on conservation measures and
have built a series of earth dams and water holes
(5'37''). The earth walls were stabilized with grass
(5'40''). In front of the earth walls there are ditches
where rainwater is collected, which slowly seeps into the
earth after the rain [and fills up the groundwater for new
springs] (5'51'').
Oromia Province in Ethiopia: earth walls with grass
and ditches in front of it catching the rainwater,
which then slowly seeps into the ground filling the
groundwater up
Oromia Province in Ethiopia: earth dams and water
holes in the fields prevent erosion - Oromia Province
in Ethiopia: earth walls are stabilized with grass
against erosion
This field management with earth dams and ditches combined
with reforestation regenerates the old fields of the
indigenous people (6'0''). This creates new, positive
living conditions (6'6'') and new vegetables grow in small
field agriculture, e.g. with banana plants all around
(6'11'').
6. Fish farming and beekeeping
Farmer Mezgebu Tadesse says: "An expert came to me and
suggested fish farming. And that is what I have done."
(6'24''). Fish gives protein to the diet, so his income
increased (6'30'').
Oromia Province in Ethiopia, farmer
Mezgebu Tadesse has a fish pond - and with selling fish
he rose his income.
In addition, with the growing diversity of species,
beekeeping with beehives has also become possible
(6'35'').
Oromia Province in Ethiopia,
beekeeping with beehives becomes possible
7. The measures of the Ministry of
Agriculture step by step
7-1. Enduring commitment
1. Enduring commitment to maintain the landscape
sustainably (7'5''), e.g. to build
dams and ditches within the field areas on fields with
little inclination (7'10'').
Addis Abbeba, the Ministry of
Agriculture - Ethiopia: Low-tilt fields are supplemented
with trenches and dams 1.2
The exchange of experience goes fast
Teshome Wale, Deputy Manager, Agriculture Office in
Amhara: "If we have one capella that has good experience
to share, we take the feedback on violet, send it to all
other districts and cappellas. The information reaches
about 3,000 cappellas in Bahirdar within just two or three
days." (7'41'') - In addition, the government and experts
form common groups (7'53'').
Teshome Wale, the deputy managing
director of the agricultural office in Amhara
7-2. Villages decide the change together - by the high
demand for vegetables and fruits
There is a high demand (it's demand-driven) (7'55'') and
it affects all people in the population (7'57''). The
municipalities decide on their own change for a
sustainable development (8'3'').
Highlands of Ethiopia: Village meeting
on a bare slope for the introduction of sustainable
agriculture - leeks field - grain field
At the same time, the government has launched a land
certification program that gives farmers more security and
an incentive to reinvest in sustainable agriculture
(8'19'').
7-3. Landscape-oriented agriculture (landscape
approach)
Not only does water have to be poured, but the whole
landscape has to be taken into account (8'29''). Ethiopian
Agriculture Minister Sileshi Getahun: "Then upwards that
we identified and found to be suitable for the Ethiopian
landscape is that watershed approach and the landscape
approach." (8'40'').
The Minister of Agriculture of Ethiopia Sileshi Getahun
- The highlands of Ethiopia are turning green again with
forests, dams and ditches
Highlands of Ethiopia: Example
of a landscape that has been sustainably established
sector by sector: Terraces - the cattle stay on the
farm, grass and meadow territories
Here is an example of a landscape in Ethiopia how it was
until 2005:
The landscapes can be divided into different types and
sectors, e.g. into 4 sectors (8'47''):
1. Lowland as irrigated land [when the river flows in
the rainy season] (8'49'') - 2. Cereal land irrigated by
the rain during rainy season (8'53'')
3. Pastures further up (8'56'') - 4. Eroded mountain
slopes (9'0'')
First, there were measures in the rain-irrigated cereal
land in
Sector 2: Terraces and ditches were
created so that the water no longer drained quickly
(9'9'''). In
sector 3 in the overgrazed
pasture zone, measures were taken to combat overgrazing
and the zone gradually regenerated, i.e. with the
protection of parts of the land with fences, so that the
land was completely protected and could be used much
better because the animals no longer were eating anything
away, biodiversity was returning and the entire landscape
has regenerated (9'43''). In addition, the feed for the
cattle improved and the cattle produced more milk and more
offspring at home at the barn (9'55''). This has resulted
in a positive circuit (10'3'').
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1. Land is fenced
and regenerated
2. All the vegetation becomes better
3. Biodiversity is returning and CO2 is reduced
4. The whole landscape becomes healthy
5) Livestock is also becoming healthier and more
productive with more milk and more offspring.
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Scheme: Fencing small fields
against animal feed results in better
vegetables, biodiversity and better livestock
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7-4. On the mountain ranges: Installation of water
furrows and forestation
At the end of many years of development, also in the the
eroded mountain slopes in
sector 4 measures
were taken: water furrows and forests were installed to
slow down the flow of watercourses and thus minimizing
erosion (10'13'').
Highlands of Ethiopia: High mountain
slopes with water furrow to slow down the flow velocity
of the waters - forestation against erosion
8. The control of rainwater with terraces, dams,
ditches, forest and water furrows: Groundwater level is
rising - wells are filling - the river flows ALL year
round - irrigated agriculture can be ALL year round -
new varieties of vegetables - harvests are more than
tripled
The final state: Rainwater was now completely controlled
over large areas (10'18''). In addition, the groundwater
level rose, wells were filling again, and the river now
flows ALL year round, so that the irrigated fields can be
planted ALL year round, and many more varieties can be
planted than before [even varieties that need more water]
(10'38'').
[Permaculture agriculture is missing yet so also
agriculture WITHOUT irrigation would be possible].
Ethiopian Highlands: Rainwater is now controlled almost
everywhere - the groundwater level is rising, and the
water level in the well is rising
Since the greening of the landscape, the river is
flowing ALL year round, and irrigation of the fields is
possible ALL year round now.
Irrigated fields
by the river with year-round irrigation - in the
high mountain slopes, ponds have also been created
filling the groundwater up, here with a stairway
access.
Harvests and incomes have thus
increased markedly (10'44''). Mr Enideg Diress Tegegne,
SLM Coordinator in Amhara, says: "The farmers used to
produce only 8 quintals of grain per hectare before, but
now they can produce from 20 to 32 quintals." (10'58'')
- In less than 10 years, 10 million hectares of land
have been regenerated (11'5''), on 15 million hectares
of land sustainability measures have been implemented
(11'10'') and a total of 30 million people have improved
their lives through this program (11'15'').
The highlands of Ethiopia have become a green landscape
in less than 10 years, with fields, creeks and forests
1,2
9. Credits:
film producers, credits, financial
contributions
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The film producers 1,2,3
Credits 1,2
Contributions from the World Bank Team -
Contributions from the GIZ Team |
Oromia Province in Ethiopia enjoys the new forestation - Oromia Province in Ethiopia has a new small field economy with fresh vegetables - or with banana plants around it.
