[Music] a remarkable transformation is taking place in Ethiopia's Highlands the Rolling Hills are gradually turning from degraded watersheds back to healthy productive lands once again and people's lives have been trans formor too the benefits we have got are for our community our cattle our soil and our environment many still think of Ethiopia as a land of famine but times have changed this is a country healing Landscapes a nation whose people are leading themselves to prosperity and onto Economic Development over the last decade the ambitious sustainable Land Management program has been a key driver of change and the principles behind the program are embedded in Ethiopia's new constitution the farmers and the community are benefiting from it are giving their own testimony how that is also supporting the environment and how that is also supporting their household income the strategy of using sustainable Land Management to eradicate poverty has been very effective planning starts from communities who share a common interest in their own micro watersheds experts support with options and no so the planning is both ways framework planning is developed by the region by the top government but otherwise the final plan endorsement is coming from the bottom at the end of the day it's the communities who decide and implement the solutions of their choice let's now look at how the people are transforming their land from aromia and snnpr in the South to camba Benes shangel gumus and onto amhara and Tigra in the North in hamara Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile but it is under Threat by sediment washed down from its heavily populated Watershed erosion from overgrazed lands is one cause gmau tazu explains a new livestock management system that improves the pastures in hamara just as in other regions the grass you see growing is the result of our work we now cut and carry the bundles to our animals no longer are the cattle allowed to roam freely fed at home they produce more milk and the grasslands get the chance to recover tedi galao appreciates how the environment is improving it used to be exposed to erosion but now has become fertile like a [Music] flower in the Rocky landscape shapes the way that the people live however it has been badly scarred by erosion yet the recovery here is equally dramatic gorgis garia describes the DraStic change in his own attitude before this work it was a place unsuitable for cattle let alone men we were even considering leaving at first I opposed the conservation work but now I am the main defender of the program traditional Stone craftsmanship is a proud cultural heritage in Ethiopia it's reflected in historical monuments Stone buildings and ancient Terraces but indigenous technology is now combined with Innovation one example is wider bench terracing inspired by a visit to China's rehabilitated lur Plateau the benches are wider than the traditional ones capturing more moisture and opening up opportunities for cash crops like onions and fruit [Music] trees aromia is known as the land of forests but deforestation and soul erosion have threatened even the food producing areas now there's better news integrad areas communities use conservation measures such as Earth buns with grass planted to stabilize them trenches above the Buns capture water which sinks into the soil and community-based Forest management has preserved the remaining indigenous woodlands and stimulated natural regeneration together these conservation measures have opened up new livelihood opportunities Miss gebu Tessa is among those who found new income sources that their ancestors could not have dreamed of an expert came to me and suggested fish farming and that is what I have done fish add protein to the diet and cash to the pocket too conservation measures have allowed farming to become more Diversified more resilient to risks from climate change and other [Music] shocks but what are the keys to this extraordinary turnaround first enduring commitment at the highest level addressing degradation and managing land sustainably is allocated top priority the program spans all administrative levels from the very top down to the lowest administrative level The Village or Cabell if we have one C that has good experience to share we take the feedback comile it send it to all other districts and capelles the information reaches about 3,000 capelles in bah within just two or three days in addition the government and development partners are united in their support for the program and its approach second it's demand driven embracing everyone men and women the young and old communities plan their own micro watersheds simultaneously the government launched a program of land certification which gives Farmers increased security and an incentive to invest in conservation third planning based on watersheds moving to a landscape approach one of the approach that we identified and found to be suitable for the Ethiopian landscape is that watered approach and the landscape approach in this example the landscape can be divided into four sections irrigated land on the valley bottom rainfed croplands grazing areas higher up and the eroded upper slopes initially efforts focused on rainfed croplands by building Terraces and other Soil and Water Conservation measures gradually the rehabilitation Works were extended to degraded overgraze communal areas people realized that land could not be restored without managing livestock so areas were enclosed mostly by Community agreement or social Fen ing land enclosure leads to better vegetative growth indigenous biodiversity returns and carbon is captured in the soil and trees the land becomes healthier in turn the improved vegetation can be cut and carried to feed the livestock this helps in producing more milk and fattening cattle Farmers then have more productive livestock reducing the need for free grazing a virtuous cycle is established encouraged by these experiences in recent years efforts have expanded onto the upper slopes by treating gullies and planting trees now rainfall is captured over large areas and the level of water in Wells is rising seasonal Rivers have begun to flow all year too opening opportunities for irrigation and diversification of crops yields and income have increased as a result the farmers used to produce only eight Quints of grain per hect before but now they can produce from 20 to 32 quintals in less than 10 years 10 million hectares have been improved through enclosure 15 million hectar have been treated with conservation measures and at least 30 million people have benefited from the program the environment has profited too biodiversity is back once more it's a living landscape the state Minister sees the approach as integral to a new nation strategy this climate resilient green economy strategy helps the country and also there is a sign that it is helping to ensure Greening the country this will help ensure food security of the country and the poverty reduction Ethiopia has a clear road map for the future and there's a buzz of excitement and a feeling of Pride on this journey into into a Greener and better fed future [Music]