Women restoring degraded lands in Oromia Region

July 28, 2024

Nehima, 35, and Robe, 25, working at a tree seedling nursery in Fentale Woreda, East Shewa Zone.

Through a community-led Livelihood initiative supported by ChildFund, 60 Women’s Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) with over 1,200 women, have established 15 community-run tree nurseries, raising 321,034 seedlings of a variety of trees (shade, fruits, medicinal) within 3 years.

These seedlings transformed the hitherto barren landscapes:

School compounds; Shade and fruits reduced classroom temperatures, improving learning conditions.
Degraded communal lands; Shade, Medicinal and fruits covered the once degraded communal lands, and the women sold fruits for additional income and contributed to an increase of 80% in tree cover in the areas allocated for tree-planting by government helping prevent soil erosion and flooding.
Tree Nurseries: The women groups established nursery sites, ensuring a continuous supply of a variety of high-quality fruit, medicinal, and shade tree seedlings and these were sold and/or used to improve their plots of land in their homesteads increasing local biodiversity.

“We see these trees as a way of protecting our land, our water, and also making money because we sell the seedlings,” says Yetunde, a mother of four.

The success of the project is driven by the collaboration of local government officers, Local partner staff, teachers, and school environmental club members who joined hands with the women to plant and nurture the trees, contributing to an 80% survival rate.

Fahimi, 26, with her son Ayantu, 6 months old, holding a seed, in one of the tree seedling nurseries.

Women involved in the tree nurseries earn income by selling seedlings, increasing household incomes. Looking ahead, the groups plan to expand nurseries to produce 500,000 seedlings annually and integrate tree planting into school programs on communal land.

Women are also improving their families’ nutrition and incomes. Training on nutritious meal preparation using local foods has led to a 100% increase in vegetable consumption among participating households.

“My family never ate lettuce before. We only had it during festivities, cooked by other families. But after training, we started cultivating it and now eat it regularly. Recently, I prepared it for guests from Addis Ababa, and they asked me to make more. It was delicious!” says Guye.

Robe, 25, with her 2-year-old son Kediro watering tree seedlings at the nursery.

Additionally, women have embraced small livestock management, including sheep, goats, and poultry.

“Before, we didn’t know much about livestock diseases. Now, we can identify them and take our animals to the vet when needed,” says Nehima.

Training in natural medicine has also had an impact. Some households now plant the moringa tree which is known for its health benefits. Research shows that regular moringa consumption can reduce blood pressure by up to 10% in hypertensive patients.

“My mother-in-law suffers from high blood pressure. After learning about moringa’s benefits, I planted it in our compound. She has been consuming it and her condition has greatly improved,” says Robe, one of the women farmers.

Nehima, Birtukan, Fahami, Teji (left to right) are some of the women working together in one of the tree seedling nurseries.

“This initiative aligns with ChildFund’s priority to build resilient communities by equipping women with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to restore ecosystems and strengthen livelihoods. It is inspiring to see women leading sustainable change. This initiative is proof that women can successfully drive environmental conservation, boost economic resilience, and create lasting impact in their communities,” says Lilly Omondi, Country Director at ChildFund.