Cooperating countries: Ethiopia and Austria

Coordinating institution: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

Project coordinator: Hans Sanden

Partner institution: Bahir Dar University

Project duration: 01.08.2023 - 31.07.2026

Climate change, rural poverty and global food insecurity are the three interconnected problems facing our world today. Climate change is a global phenomenon with severe negative impact on rural communities of developing countries. It affects the life of many agricultural communities, particularly smallholders who have limited capacity to adapt to adverse shocks. The rapid growth of world population paired with climate change, calls for new approaches for land management that can accommodate the complex interactions between social systems and the environment.

The livelihood strategies of small-holder farmers in rural areas of Ethiopia typically depend on rain fed agriculture, and are often vulnerable to climate events. Agroforestry practices could help to address issues of biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, soil fertility and carbon sequestration. The Ethiopian Climate Change Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA, 2007) strategy considers agroforestry practice on farm land for intensification, diversification, and buffering of farming systems so as to improve the resilience of farming systems and livelihood strategies of small holder farmers. In addition, the country considers agroforestry practices as one of the key REDD+ implementation activities proposed to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.

The overall objective of the project is strengthening the institutional capacity of the Bahir Dar University (BDU) for better education and quality research in agroforestry and climate change thereby contributing to sustainable land management and improving the livelihood of the rural community at large. This project will help to establish more networks and collaborations among higher learning/research institutions in Ethiopia and Austria.