Project profile — Managing Environmental Resources to Improve Food Security

• Ethiopia (100.00%)

• Agriculture: Agricultural land resources (31130) (25.00%)
• General Environmental Protection: Environmental policy and administrative management (41010) (25.00%)
• Developmental Food Aid/Food Security Assistance: Food aid/food security programs (52010) (50.00%)

• Gender equality (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (significant objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project supports a food-for-asset-building initiative in 65 chronically food-insecure districts of Ethiopia. This World Food Programme initiative helps communities to invest in sustainable land management, while enhancing their natural resource base. With CIDA support, the project meets the immediate food needs of up to 480,000 chronically food-insecure beneficiaries each year, providing food transfers in return for labour by able-bodied adults. With this community labour, the project aims to rehabilitate up to 60,000 hectares of degraded land per year as well as to develop and maintain other community assets like rural roads and water points. Similar to Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program, households with no able-bodied adults also receive food to meet their needs. In addition, the project introduces improved farming practices and income-generating activities such as fruit production to help beneficiaries become more self-sufficient over time.

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Results achieved as of the end of CIDA's contribution (July 2012) include: 134,911 households (98% of the target) increased their income by taking part in project activities such as keeping bees and selling honey. These activities reduced the number of months with food shortages by at least two months for 100,000 of these households. 98% (147,236) of households participating in food-for work activities created and maintained physical works such as soil and water conservation ditches (also known as bunds) and tree planting, on a self-help basis and continuing a four-year upward trend. In total, over 25,000 hectares of degraded agricultural land were rehabilitated and 20,000 hectares of forest were established. These measures have resulted in reduced soil erosion, increased soil fertility, increased soil moisture, and increased crop yield, all of which contribute to food security.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Managing Environmental Resources for Climate Change Adaptation in Ethiopia