Improving Agricultural Productivity through Community-Led Integrated Natural Re-source Conservation Approaches

Land degradation and climate variability threaten agricultural productivity in Ethiopia’s highland and drought-prone areas. To ensure a long-term agricultural productivity, a novel approach is needed, emphasizing on the integration of natural resources conservation with agricultural production. Thus, Madda Walabu University implemented a community-led integrated natural resource conservation approach to restore degraded land and support smallholder farmers of the Goro district. This approach aims at integrating the physical, biological, and community-led conservation efforts to restore degraded lands and strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers in the district. Through activities such as building soil and water conservation structures, planting fast-growing multipurpose grasses, and preserving indigenous plants, the project has achieved notable successes. These include better vegetation cover, improved soil fertility, and higher crop yields, along with stronger community engagement and ownership. Thus, this policy brief is intended to outline key lessons from the project and present pragmatic, evidence-based recommendations for scaling up successful practices. It calls for integrating locally-led conservation approaches into national strategies like Ethiopia's Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) and Green Legacy Initiatives to promote land restoration, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience in the country.