1. Training of extension staff of the BoANR

The project concentrates its activities on 8 communities in selected catchment areas on about 40.000 ha. It trains extension staff and local forestry experts in different techniques and in implementing sound forestry and/or agroforestry measures. Training needs are analysed and adapted training programs as well as extension material are set up. Training sessions in survey techniques, land use planning, gender extension approaches and forestry and biodiversity management have been implemented. Other disciplines are due to be taught in the next months.

Training of forestry staff of the Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BoANR) in monitoring and evaluating afforestation sites. Other training modules focus on drawing up integrated water catchment management plans.

The male and female farmers in the 8 communities (tabiahs) are assisted by the project in introducing sustainable, integrated forms of land use. This activity covers the support to agroforestry, the management of area closures, the promotion of private forestry, the improvement of communal forestry as well as different soil and water conservation activities. Therefore, catchment area management plans covering 40.000 ha have been set up with the concerned communities. These plans include all forestry development activities planned for the next 3 years in the concerned 8 catchment areas.

Community members from the Arra Assegede village construct stone checkdams to stop the ongoing gully erosion threatening their agricultural land. Everybody participates, even women carrying their babies. Such anti-erosive measures, which require intensive manpower, are part of the rehabillitation of the catchment.

3. Support the forestry staff of the BoANR in running independently the rehabilitated tree nurseries

This activity is a kind of follow-up of the previous project phases. Main project inputs concentrate on the support of the monitoring and evaluation system for tree nurseries, on the initiation of a seed selection programme and on the continuation of practical experimentation as well as on the fostering of the initiated cost recovery system in tree nurseries. The result is presently achieved and all previously rehabilitated and assisted 50 state tree nurseries have been handed over to the BoANR, which has full responsibility again.

4. Strengthen the administrative and technical qualification of the BoANR forestry staff

Different capacity-building activities are under this scope. Among those, the project tries to secure the participation of regional and zonal foresters in adequate training programmes in order to strengthen their technical qualification. The set-up of a forestry information system is supposed to enhance management capacities. The regional level of the BoANR and the project are also working on the improvement of crucial forestry frame conditions as the land and tree tenure, the adaptation of the regional forest policy and an appropriate forest legislation.

5. Initiate the natural forest management of a forest priority area

Hugumberda-Grat Kahsu in Tigray's southern zone has been selected as natural forest area where an exemplary forest management is to be demonstrated. The project has supported the forest inventory and the management planning. Here, forest management does not only imply the conservation and development of a precious biodiversity centre in the devastated highlands of Tigray, but focuses also on needs and expectations of the surrounding population and on opportunities for co-management and benefit sharing in a forest enterprise. This kind of approach is totally new for Tigray and the natural forest of Hugumberda-Gratkassu is acting as a pilot area.