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Ethiopia:
Conservation Activities
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Problems to be addressed: -
a) Deforestation at the Forest Coffee Ecosystems
The forest coffee ecosystems (FCE), in Ethiopia, house diverse communities of plants, animals, microorganisms and fragile a biotic components. They are habitats where the two ecosystem function, energy flow and bio-geo-chemical cycling, taking place via complex interactions among organisms as well as between organisms and their physical environment. Numerous delicate and continuous processes, some of which are responsible for the evolution of new tax, occur in these ecosystems. Of particular interest to the envisaged project are the wild coffee populations and their genetic diversity within the forest coffee having such diverse genetic pool. However, the genetic resources of coffee and the associated flora and fauna are disappearing rapidly as a result of deforestation of the ecosystems, especially in the fast few decades. Among the major factors responsible for deforestation are increased demand for more cultivable land, fuel wood and timber. If the present trend continues, the ecosystems will be either wiped out completely or irreversibly degraded.
b) Lack of Adequate Conservation of Forest Coffee Ecosystem (ECF)
Despite the frightening trend of deforestation and forest resources in general and FCE in particular, efforts being made to solve the problem are inadequate or negligible. Attempts to conserve forest resources so far have not been fully successful. The possible factors that have contributed to the failure of previous efforts of conservation (both in-situ and ex-situ) are:
- the ever-increasing demand of more land for cultivation as a result of population growth and decline in soil fertility and productivity of the cultivated land;
- the permanent settlement of immigrants who come in search of job opportunities during the peak harvesting period of coffee and remaining behind. These immigrants demarcate portions of the forest coffee area, and claim as their possession illegally, and inflicting damage on the resources (Demil et al 1998a).
- lack of participation of the local communities in the planning, decision-making and implementation process of conservation activities;
- lack of sense of ownership of the forest coffee (as they are owned by the State),
- lack of awareness of the importance of conservation by the local communities;
- political unrest that may result in forced expulsion of development agents and mass destruction of forest ecosystems, field gene banks and infrastructures installed for conservation; and
- lack of continuity of already initiated conservation efforts , due to various reasons.
The Proposed Coffee Forest Conservation Project:
Previous Interventions
Various efforts were made by different institutions, viz. The plant genetic resource (PGRC/E), the Ministry of Coffee and Tea Development (MCTD), Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), to initiate and / or carry out conservation of coffee genetic resources in Ethiopia. For instance, a small unit of live (ex-situ) conservation activity has been initiated about 15 years ago, and is in progress at Chochie Biodiversity Unit in Jima Zone. At present, the unit maintains some 4,000 collections/accessions. The original plan was to establish three to four similar sites at the different agro-ecological zones of coffee growing regions. In addition, over 2000 coffee accessions collected for various purposes from different parts of the country were reported being maintained at the National Coffee Research Center at Jimma.
Beside the above efforts comprehensive proposal entitled "Proposal for the Establishment of a Coffee Genetic Resources Conservation Programme in Ethiopia" was prepared by the then Plant Genetic Resource Center/Ethiopia (PGRC/E) (Melaku and Hailu, undated). The objectives of the project were indicated to be similar to those already established for the PGRC/E. That is, to promote the collection, evaluation, documentation and scientific study of crop germplasm in Ethiopia, East Africa and adjacent regions; to preserve germplasm by long-term storage and maintenance in order to make valuable germplasm available to breeding programme; to provide germplasm for breeding programmes aimed at the development of such characters as higher yield, better quality, disease and pest resistance; and to provide new crop germplasm to Ethiopia by means of exchange with other institutions; The conservation of forest coffee resources was planned to be undertaken by using both in-situ and ex-situ methods as a subset of this programme. To our knowledge the programme did not proceed beyond proposal write-up phase.
Although the efforts initiated were commendable, with the exception of CIP/CTA, which has started, in 2002 with the support of EU, no institution has succeeded in implementing an in-situ conservation of forest coffee project.
Objectives of the Project: -
The three principal objectives (goals) of this project (FCCP) were: -
- conserve the genetic diversity of forest coffee plants in particular and the associated flora and fauna in general, by employing the ecosystem conservation approach;
- establish sustainable utilization of the genetic resources of forest coffee plants to develop varieties with the capability of producing high yield and better quality and;
- at the same time being resistant to diseases, pests and abiotic stress as part sustainable coffee production and ultimately contribute to the global issue of environment.
The specific objectives (purpose) of the FCCP are to:
- conserve the flora, fauna, micro-organisms, soil, water, etc. in about 50,000 ha of FCE in the western and south-western parts of Ethiopia (out of which conservation has been started on about 20,000 ha by EU finance in 2002 by in-situ conservation method);
- conserve and preserve the germplasm of forest coffee plants in indoor and field gene banks (ex-situ and circa-situ methods) in order to maintain the genetic wealth of the country for future breeding programmes aimed at producing improved coffee cultivars;
- contribute to the development of the rural communities through provision of socio-economic services as incentives to promote the envisaged conservation program successfully; carry out research in different disciplines so as to gain knowledge about the different components of the FCE in general and wild populations of coffee plants in particular; and to enhance the capacity of institutions that will be involved in the FCCP.
The sites were selected based on the criteria set by the team of experts. The criteria used to select the forest coffee conservation sites were: (a) the presence of naturally regenerating wild coffee trees, shrubs, saplings or seedlings in the forests, (b) minimum or no interference by human beings, and (c) ease of accessibility.
Areas Selected to Conserve Forest Coffee Ecosystems: -
Two field visits were made, and each time discussions were held on the resource base and other features of the selected Woreda. Experts of the Woreda Agricultural Bureaux and selected coffee farmers ( Demel et al, 1998a) in three woredas (one in the Oromia Region and two in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region) were interviewed as potential sites for forest coffee conservation. These sites are the forest areas at Kontir-Berhan (in Sheko Woreda), Boginda-Woreda), Boginda-Yeba (in Gimbo Woreda) and Geba-Dogi (Yayu Woreda).
a) Kontir-Berhan Forest Area
Kontir-Berhan forest area is located near Gez-Meriet Village in Sheko Woreda between 35015' - 35030' East and 06055' - 07005' North. It forms a part of the 417,000 ha of Sheko forest demarcated as one of the National Forest Priority Areas (NFPA) in the country. It can be reached only on foot, and it is about one to two hour's walk to reach to the middle of the forest. The forest contains many trees, shrubs and herbs including coffee plants growing spontaneously. A total of 20,000 ha of this forest is delineated to serve as the forest coffee conservation area.
b) Boginda-Yeb Forest Area
Boginda-Yeba forest area is situated at about 687 km north of Bonga town between 36000' - 36017' East and 070 21' - 070 34' North. A newly constructed road cuts across the forest. The forest is similar in its floristic composition with those in Shakko woreda. A total of 5,500 ha of this forest is delineated to serve as the forest coffee conservation area.
c) Geba-Dogi River forest Area
Geba-Dogi forest area contains sense forest through which the road from Addis Abeba to Metu passes. The forest is located between 35045' - 36005' East and 08015' - 08037' North and stretches along the two sides of Geba and Dogi Rivers. It contains many big trees, shrubs and herbs including coffee plants growing in the wild. A total of 18,600 ha of the forest are delineated to serve as the forest coffee conservation area.
d) Dao Tobi and Ebba Forests
These are forests in Anfilo worda, west Wellega. Ebba forest is located east of Mugi town and south of Dembi-Dolo town. However, it is inaccessible and far away and was not visited. Dao Tobi is located north of Mugi town, a typical highland area. No natural forest was observed. Although interesting semi-domesticated coffee was visited. Since, these forests did not meet the criteria set for in situ conservation of forest coffee they were not considered.
Project Components:
Four major components are envisaged in the projects:
a) Institution and management capacity building
- infrastructure development (buildings, roads, water works, fire breaks, etc.;
- transport, electric, communication, and computer, household, office and field facilities;
- establishment of coffee and forest nurseries, field gene banks and weather stations;
- personnel;
- establishing information management system; and
- training and study tours.
b) Conservation of the FCE
- in-situ conservation of the selected FCE;
- ex-situ conservation of germplasm of coffee and other plants, by collecting, transporting ( to the indoor gene bank) and storing of the germplasm, to make it available for future propagation and research work;
- circu-situ conservation of germplasm of coffee and other plants though raising seedlings and establishing them in field gene banks for maintaining, characterization and evaluation;
- facilitation of the regeneration of desirable plants by proper management; and
- facilitation of living environment and breeding ground for wild animals, especially for those known important for seed dispersal.
c) Community development and social benefits
The effort here is to help gain the confidence, support and voluntary participation of the local communities in the conservation efforts. Efforts will be made to improve the income and living standard as well as facilities for social well being of the communities at and around the FCCP areas through:
- provision of tree seedlings for the establishment of wood-lots (community) as a source for energy, construction, etc.;
- provision of seedlings of multi-purpose trees (fruit) for agro-forestry practices;
- provision of modern bee-hives;
- establishment of small-scale rural agro-industries;
- establishment of coffee processing facilities; and coffee quality improvement
- establishment of animal health clinics;
- establishment of a health center or clinic near each site for the community;
- provision of community clean water source; and
- provision of revolving credit fund
d) Research
In the research component, investigations relevant to the FCE will be conducted by different disciplines on contractual basis. The FCCP will be responsible for providing the necessary funds and facilitating the field activities. Each researcher will be obliged to present progress of the research work, as necessary and the final results when completed. The research activities will focus on the following topics.
- exploration and demarcation of the FCCP areas to generate information that can be used as a background for all other activities and studies;
- taxonomic and genetic study of the variability of forest coffee plants;
- coffee characterization, evaluation for diseases, pests and other abiotic stress;
- diversity of the flora, fauna and micro-organisms:
- investigations on edaphic and climatic factors related to FCE;
- inventory of the standing volume/stock of woody species;
- biology, ecology of selected woody and herbaceous species as well as animals;
- interaction of plants, animals, micro-organisms and their physical environment;
- structure and dynamics of the forests; and
- past and present human impact on the FCE.
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