Ethiopia
Ensete ventrcosum (false banana),
Coffee arabica, food and
livestock production, mosaic of plants
| Main info | |
|---|---|
|
Name / Location |
Jara Gollelcha​ and Dela Naramo / Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia |
|
Partner |
Hawassa University – HWU |
|
Agroecological Zone |
Subhumid |
|
Climate Classification |
Temperate, warm summer
|
|
Land Ownership |
Privately owned by smallholder farmers
|
|
Total Area (ha) |
~7 ha |
|
Area Under AF (ha) |
~4 ha |
|
Non-AF Farmland (ha) |
~3 ha |
|
Support Organization |
Local Development Agents (DA) from agricultural offices |
The region faces serious challenges from soil erosion, deforestation, and increasingly erratic rainfall.
Situated in the Sidama Region, the Ethiopian Living Lab explores sustainable agroforestry in a highland mosaic landscape. The region faces serious challenges from soil erosion, deforestation, and increasingly erratic rainfall. Through collaboration with local farmers, this lab integrates culturally important crops like Ensete ventricosum (false banana) with Arabica coffee and livestock in homegarden systems.
It serves as a real-world testing site for sustainable land management and knowledge exchange between traditional practices and scientific approaches. Its practices highlight the power of indigenous solutions for long-term resilience and food security.
Main Challenges
- Soil erosion, reducing arable land and nutrient levels
- Deforestation, contributing to habitat loss and microclimate disruption
- Land degradation, affecting long-term soil fertility
- Climate variability, especially erratic rainfall and shifting growing seasons
Agroforestry response
The Ethiopian Living Lab offers a locally grounded response through the promotion of homegarden agroforestry systems, which combine indigenous knowledge with sustainable farming techniques. This model integrates culturally significant crops and livestock within a diversified and resilient landscape.
Key components of the system include Ensete ventricosum (false banana), a traditional staple with deep cultural roots, alongside Arabica coffee, maize, and various vegetables. These crops are grown in close association with livestock such as cattle, sheep, and poultry, creating closed-loop systems that enhance soil fertility, diversify food sources, and improve household income.
By blending traditional ecological knowledge with scientific insights, the Ethiopian Living Lab serves as a practical platform for innovation, resilience building, and food security, offering a model of sustainable agroforestry adapted to the highland context.
