WASHINGTON, July 30, 2018—The World Bank approved today a $100 million International Development Association (IDA)* credit in support of the Government of Ethiopia’s efforts to foster economic development and growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve resilience to climate change.
The impact of natural resource degradation on Ethiopia’s economy and people’s livelihoods is significant. Almost 50 percent of the Ethiopian highlands are degraded, with declining productivity costing Ethiopia 2 to 3 percent of its annual agricultural GDP.
Over the past decade, with support from World Bank-financed projects including the Sustainable Land Management Project (SLMP), communities throughout Ethiopia have successfully transformed their degraded environment into green and productive land. This has led to better use of water resources, higher yields, improved livelihoods, and greater resilience to weather related shocks.
“By facilitating the issuance of land holding certificates and titles to over 350,000 households, SLMP has helped to enhance tenure security and farmer incentives to sustain watershed restoration,” said Paul Jonathan Martin, World Bank Task Team Leader.
Building on the success of SLMP, the Resilient Landscapes and Livelihoods Project (RLLP) will further promote effective landscape management activities, which will not only increase land productivity but will also contribute to Ethiopia’s Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy. The project will help improve the livelihoods of 3.2 million Ethiopians, particularly those who are vulnerable to climate variability, recurrent drought and floods, and land degradation
“By promoting livelihood diversification and income-generating activities such as apiculture, poultry farming, sheep and goat fattening, vegetable and fruit farming, and the use of more efficient cook stoves, RLLP will further help to reduce pressure on natural resources,” said Carolyn Turk, the World Bank Country Director for Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan.
Specifically, RLLP will promote sustainable land and water management practices and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. By providing farmers with land tenure certificates, the project will also give them a sense of security which will lead to better use of land and improved productivity. The project will also provide beneficiaries with additional income generating opportunities and strengthen linkages to value chains.
The program is aligned with the World Bank Group’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity, the Country Partnership Framework for Ethiopia, as well as the Government of Ethiopia’s development strategy. RLLP will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resource in 152 major watersheds in Amhara, Tigray, Oromiya, SNNPR, Gambella and Benshangul Gumuz.
* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.5 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $18 billion over the last three years, with about 54 percent going to Africa.
For more information about the World Bank’s work in Ethiopia visit: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/ethiopia
For more information about IDA, please visit: www.worldbank.org/ida
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