A Self Help Africa (SHA) project that supports rural communities in Ethiopia to cope with the effects of changing climate has received the approval of a national forum convened under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

More than 90 representatives of national and international organisations attended the two-day event, convened to review and share learning from SHA’s Climate Resilience and Cooperative Development project in the country.

The 18-months project was one of the first for Self Help Africa in Ethiopia’s north-western Amhara Region. Funding was provided by Canada’s Dept of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, with work being implemented in partnership with the Canadian Cooperative Association (CCA) and local NGO Ethio Wetlands and Natural Resource Association (EWNRA).

The one-million Euro project sought to improve climate resilience for 12,000 local people. Activities included community training on nursery management, gully rehabilitation, honey production, warehouse and cooperative facility construction, the promotion of energy saving stoves, while training and support was also provided to cooperatives, to enable them to assist local farmers to adapt to climate change.

Attendees travelled to villages that had participated in the project, and commended the scheme for reflecting the actual needs of beneficiaries. The forum noted that the project had been well designed, and that work had been well-coordinated between implementing organisations.