Results-Based Incentive System for Sustainable Forest Development in Ethiopia
Full Solution
Beneficiary standing in his plantation site.
F4F
The Forests4Future (F4F) project, initiated by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and local partners, introduces a results-based incentive system in Ethiopia to promote sustainable tree planting for forest development. Rather than compensating for the initial planting, the system rewards the successful establishment and survival of trees. Implemented in the Lake Chamo and Lake Abaya catchments, this approach encourages land use change from steep slopes to forest land, aiming for long-term forest creation and ecological restoration. It integrates rigorous selection, planting criteria, and ongoing support to ensure sustainable outcomes. First results indicate strong participation, with more than 280 farmers and community groups restoring approximately 150 hectares of land, achieving higher tree survival rates and a shift in community attitudes towards long-term forest management.
Last update: 11 Dec 2024
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Context
Challenges addressed
- Environmental: Addressing land degradation and erosion on steep slopes due to improper farming practices, as well as managing the risks posed by erratic rainfall and drought, which threaten tree survival and forest restoration efforts.
- Social: Overcoming initial reluctance to invest in long-term tree care, ensuring broad community engagement, and addressing the issue of farmers not respecting or following the agreement rules.
- Economic: Providing viable income sources and effective land management practices to sustain forest growth, while ensuring that farmers adhere to the incentive-based approach for sustainable forest creation.
Location
Arba Minch, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
East and South Africa
Process
Summary of the process
The building blocks work together to address the project’s challenges:
- Planter Selection Criteria ensures that the right participants are chosen based on their land holdings and readiness to engage in sustainable forestry practices. This block sets the foundation for successful implementation.
- Planting and Monitoring Criteria outlines how the selected participants should plant and monitor their trees. By focusing on long-rotation and indigenous species and regular monitoring, this block ensures the development of resilient and diverse forests.
- Support and Incentives provides ongoing support and performance-based payments to the participants. This block integrates with the planting and monitoring criteria by rewarding successful tree survival and maintenance, thus motivating continued care and enhancing long-term forest creation.
Together, these building blocks create a cohesive approach that promotes sustainable tree growing, addresses land degradation, and supports both environmental and economic objectives.
Building Blocks
Planter Selection Criteria
This building block defines the criteria for selecting eligible tree planters and planting sites to ensure the success of the results-based incentive system. Participants include individual farmers and small community groups with land holdings ranging from 0.125 to 20 hectares.
Selection of planting sites is guided by established Land Use Plans (LUP), ensuring that the sites align with sustainable land management and restoration priorities. This approach helps optimize the ecological and socio-economic benefits of the plantations while reducing conflicts over land use.
The building block emphasizes proper identification of participants who meet the eligibility criteria and are committed to transforming their land into sustainable forests under the incentive system.
Enabling factors
- Clear Guidelines: Strict criteria requiring the inclusion of long-rotation and indigenous tree species alongside other tree species preferred by farmers.
- Diverse Participants: Involvement of individuals and groups to ensure broad engagement.
- Regulatory Compliance: Legalization of land ownership and documentation with GPS coordinates or shapefiles for transparency.
Lesson learned
- Community Trust: Transparent selection processes build trust and increase participation.
- Documentation is Key: Using GPS or shapefiles for land boundaries enhances monitoring and transparency.
- Varied Engagement: Including both individuals and organized groups fosters greater community involvement and ownership.
- Secure Land Use Rights: Land use or resource use right certification is crucial to sustaining group plantings, ensuring long-term commitment and reducing potential conflicts.
Planting and Monitoring Criteria
This building block outlines the criteria for planting and monitoring tree survival, focusing on long-rotation and indigenous species. It mandates a minimum of 1600 trees per hectare and ensures diverse and resilient forests. The block also emphasizes monitoring 15-18 months post-planting to verify survival and support continuous forest cover.
Enabling factors
- Species Composition: Minimum 25% long-rotation or indigenous species to enhance ecological diversity.
- Monitoring: Ensures high survival rates and long-term success.
- Sustainable Forest Cover: Maintained through enrichment planting and natural regeneration.
Lesson learned
- Monitoring Increases Success: Survival monitoring improves tree care and survival rates.
- Species Diversity is Critical: A mix of species enhances forest resilience to environmental stressors.
- Land Use Change Takes Time: Transitioning from farming to forest cover requires ongoing effort and monitoring.
- Capacity Development is Essential: Training on species selection, planting density, and post-planting management should be integral to the process to ensure sustainable outcomes.
Support and Incentives
This block focuses on the support and incentive structure for participants. It includes providing seedlings, technical advice, and capacity-building. Payments are performance-based, tied to tree survival and the presence of indigenous and long-rotation species, encouraging long-term forest establishment.
Enabling factors
- Technical Support: Seedlings and expert advice on forest establishment.
- Performance-Based Payments: Incentives based on tree survival, promoting ongoing care.
- Capacity Building: Training to enhance tree-planting and maintenance skills.
Lesson learned
- Incentives Motivate Care: Linking payments to tree survival encourages better tree management.
- Technical Support is Essential: Providing seedlings and expert guidance and regular supervision improves survival rates.
- Capacity Building Empowers Farmers: Training in sustainable forestry practices leads to successful forest maintenance.
Impacts
The results-based incentive system has produced several positive impacts:
- Environmental: Enhanced forest cover and ecological restoration of degraded lands. Increased biodiversity and improved ecosystem services in the restored areas.
- Social: Empowered local farmers, including 177 youth, with new skills and improved attitudes towards tree planting. Strengthened community involvement in forest management.
- Economic: Created sustainable income opportunities through forest management, supported local economies, and facilitated comprehensive land use planning.
Beneficiaries
Local farmers and youth groups benefit from the project through improved land restoration, enhanced environmental conditions, and new income opportunities via sustainable forest management.
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
