- Universities, Community nearby developing Choke Mountain
MISGANAW ASNAKE
CHOKE— Ethiopia has to develop water restoration program on fountains and rivers as with a view to restoring water, nurturing degraded land and protecting ecology sustainably, taking the case of choke areas as a startup, scientists said.
Addis Ababa University Hydro-Politician and Lecturer of Political Science and International Relations Prof.Yacob Arsano said: “We should develop and work water restoration program (on fountains and rivers as their volume is decreasing these days) our first work in choke areas and other part of Ethiopia to restore water in a sustainable manner. We immediately apply the hard and social science stream to contain the problem we are facing in choke and other areas of Ethiopia today to restore drying water, fountain and degraded land.”
Regarding to the engagement, he said efforts are being exerted in restoring water on Omo Valley and Gilgel Ghibe river basin in collaboration with Wachamo University to share best experiences for further development at Choke Mountain and its environs.
Debre Markos University, local communities and the government (the three development pillar) should work hand in hand to come up with remarkable development via applying researches in choke areas.
“The DMU should deploy students attending their respective MA and PhD programs to do researches on soil, settlement and forests of local areas combining the hard and social science streams to secure problem solving approaches.”
“The government should support and facilitate fund related issues in order to have satisfactory outcomes and decide what type of tilling method should be applied, what type of trees have to be planted and what pattern should the settlement follow. All these questions are going to be responded the aforesaid research students and local communities together thereby contributing their share to policy formulation,” he said
Prof. Yacob also said that recurrently applying soil erosion protection schemes like terracing and harvesting water can help rescue drying rivers and fountains. In so doing, the volume could be restored within the shortest time.
As to him, our working culture needs to be improved and associating the local communities with universities to help them work hand in glove with a view to bringing about productive restoration of the ecosystem sustainably that can be pass down to the new generation, but there is a problem in relation to failure in making projects sustainable as they are altered with the system change, ” he stressed.
Choke Mountain Development and Research initiative Head and Addis Ababa University Lecture Prof. Belay Simane added that this place can be expanded into lodges and research institutes. “So we all are expected to work together to achieve such targets ranging from the lower to higher level administration.”
“I, as a research institute, promise you we will start soon the research with others to use the REDD plus project effectively and wisely employ the opportunity to develop the area,” he added.
Amhara State Environment, Forest and Wild life Authority, General Director Belayneh Ayele (PhD)on his part stated that they have to manage the planting of trees in specific place when they plant, adding this in order to make livelihood realistic, the source of budget should be identified and the conservation system should be compatible. “We should take, see alternative economic system such as tourism, spices and Micro Tourism in this area and others should be included.
Universities are aggressively working to enhance farmers’ productivity on plots of land they have at hand by adding value and opening industry following what universities propose as other alternatives, he said.
“The government and universities were dichotomy in previous time, but now their difference is bridged. For example, we were researchers in universities, have come to government sector to work together narrowing down the dichotomy.
Understanding the challenges in the area of research, the government has to have the best approach for a common development stride. As many opportunities are available in choke; it can be tourism sector stimulator in Bahir Dar town thus it can also play as bridgeboard for further works. The restoration of water and research work should be done in collaboration with local farmers by consulting and following up their activities,” he noted.
The Ethiopian herald March 5/2021
