ADDIS ABABA – Pastoral Community Development Project (PCDP) Office said that it has launched 451 million USD project targeting pastoral communities effective as of this month.
Seid Omer, Coordinator for Lowland Livelihood Resilience Project (LLRP) said that the project is going to be implemented in 100 woredas/districts across the country where pastoral communities reside. The six-year project is also expected to benefit 2.5 million citizens.
The development interventions mainly target pastoral and semi-pastoral communities in the selected areas. “It mainly aims to improve their livelihood,” he said.
The project will be implemented in Oromia, Amhara, Gambela, Afar, Beneshangul Gumuz, Somali and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples states. “Among the 100 woredas, 36 and 20, 18 are found in Somali, Afar, and Oromia states respectively,” he added.
Out of the total 451 million USD budget, the World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have contributed 350 million and 90 million USD respectively. The rest will be raised from the local community in the form of cash and labor.
The project will focus on rangeland development and introduce simple practices of resource management and pasture improvement, as well as soil and water conservation measures through knowledge sharing. “These practices and the awareness-raising activities will ensure the active participation of local communities,” he said.
“They are planned in a way to reduce long-term environmental degradation and vulnerability to climate change.”
The project will also improve access to social services and infrastructure such as clean water, veterinary facilities, bridges, roads, livestock markets, and small scale irrigation.
The project will allow pastoral and semi pastoral communities to utilize resources and improve their life.
It was also recently announced that the Office has concluded a 15 year Pastoralist Community Development Project by benefiting about 5.9 million pastoralist and ago-pastoralists.
The Ethiopian Herald September 19, 2019
BY MULATU BELACHEW
