People know me as motivator, people person, fundraiser, true son of the clan, and doer. Some other people think I am simply rich or an investor, they don’t know the processes of fundraising for development.
I have been involved in tree planting schemes for the last two decades. The government has been launching tree planting campaigns year after year in order to green Ethiopia. What makes working on ‘Trees for Life’ different is the addition of art and participation of all age groups from planting to being part of its launch and celebrations. It is like adding sugar into tea - so much sweeter when all the generations are involved and especially youth. Our youth are tomorrow's leaders. Our community values, culture, ecological knowledge and art when placed together can help produce even greater leaders of tomorrow.
Trees grown in the Kofele nursery are selected based on their use and cultural and ecological adaptation values. The arrangement of a permanent tree nursery allows us to scale and add many more trees in our area for ecological and human benefit. The trees grown at the nursery were selected for A) their fast growth and B) their use and cultural value; some are medicinal trees, while others are better suited for fuel and construction use.
Climate change is affecting the Oromo peoples and their farm work in many ways. Climate solutions through tree planting is urgent since
At the tree nursery people have learned practical skills on how to grow large trees from seed stock. How to care for these small tree saplings in the nursery and how to care for these once they are planted out in the field. They have also learned about some indigenous trees which have been lost from our area and about climate change. Most importantly, our community has learned cultural links and values about many of the trees we do have. This programme offers a great opportunity for young boys and girls - our youth to see, observe, and experience how these trees grow.
The establishment of the tree nursery and learning of new skills is helping our and other local communities learn how to copy it. What is done at the nursery can be accomplished at their homestead, too. Tiny seeds to produce fast growing large trees is important knowledge. Families who have planted trees in large numbers and by the thousands can see an economical return within five to six years. If more tree nurseries are established in neighbouring communities these will continue to create more employment and greening opportunities for our poor while restoring our lands. Trees are direct and critical sources to enable soil conservation, and offer shade and windbreaks. Trees are an integral sources of water. Trees offer rural people who have no other access energy and construction materials.
The most valuable aspect of this project for the community is its connection to the cultural and traditional values and the direct involvement of school youth in this. The elders and women (Hadha Sinkee) are motivated because the Trees for Life project reminded them about their past traditions, cultures and values – which were labelled and often still referred to as backwards. Their knowledge was destroyed by the so called “modern western education.” Our youth are motivated by this project as they want to learn traditional ecological knowledge and digital art - these are life lines for their futures and our ancestral ways.
Climate change is the result of development and industrialization. Todays’ poor in the third world have balanced and maintained Nature through their culture and local knowledge for centuries. Tradition ecological and cultural values have been undermined for so long by so-called development processes imposed by outsiders without considering indigenous culture and local knowledge. My message to global readers – Better development can be achieved only if it is connected to local knowledge, culture and values.
I have been involved in tree planting schemes for the last two decades. The government has been launching tree planting campaigns year after year in order to green Ethiopia. What makes working on ‘Trees for Life’ different is the addition of art and participation of all age groups from planting to being part of its launch and celebrations. It is like adding sugar into tea - so much sweeter when all the generations are involved and especially youth. Our youth are tomorrow's leaders. Our community values, culture, ecological knowledge and art when placed together can help produce even greater leaders of tomorrow.
Trees grown in the Kofele nursery are selected based on their use and cultural and ecological adaptation values. The arrangement of a permanent tree nursery allows us to scale and add many more trees in our area for ecological and human benefit. The trees grown at the nursery were selected for A) their fast growth and B) their use and cultural value; some are medicinal trees, while others are better suited for fuel and construction use.
Climate change is affecting the Oromo peoples and their farm work in many ways. Climate solutions through tree planting is urgent since
- Rain patterns are changing; thus, rain distribution is becoming highly irregular and unpredictable
- Increased rain and storm intensities are resulting in significant soil erosion that is literally washing away plants and crops
- Irregular early and late rains are destroying crops and resulting in significant crop and income losses
- Absences of whole rain seasons are resulting in devastating crop and livestock losses. Such food insecurity leads directly to people and animal starvation. This is currently happening in Borena and Bale Zone of Oromia.
- Increased pest infestations and emergence of diseases due to changes of temperatures are causing unpredictable pest and disease epidemics. Some new diseases and pests are also appearing in our area through climate shifts. Application of chemicals by agro-pastoralists to protect their crops from these diseases and pests are adding costs to their farm operations. At the same time this is also adding to environmental pollution.
At the tree nursery people have learned practical skills on how to grow large trees from seed stock. How to care for these small tree saplings in the nursery and how to care for these once they are planted out in the field. They have also learned about some indigenous trees which have been lost from our area and about climate change. Most importantly, our community has learned cultural links and values about many of the trees we do have. This programme offers a great opportunity for young boys and girls - our youth to see, observe, and experience how these trees grow.
The establishment of the tree nursery and learning of new skills is helping our and other local communities learn how to copy it. What is done at the nursery can be accomplished at their homestead, too. Tiny seeds to produce fast growing large trees is important knowledge. Families who have planted trees in large numbers and by the thousands can see an economical return within five to six years. If more tree nurseries are established in neighbouring communities these will continue to create more employment and greening opportunities for our poor while restoring our lands. Trees are direct and critical sources to enable soil conservation, and offer shade and windbreaks. Trees are an integral sources of water. Trees offer rural people who have no other access energy and construction materials.
The most valuable aspect of this project for the community is its connection to the cultural and traditional values and the direct involvement of school youth in this. The elders and women (Hadha Sinkee) are motivated because the Trees for Life project reminded them about their past traditions, cultures and values – which were labelled and often still referred to as backwards. Their knowledge was destroyed by the so called “modern western education.” Our youth are motivated by this project as they want to learn traditional ecological knowledge and digital art - these are life lines for their futures and our ancestral ways.
Climate change is the result of development and industrialization. Todays’ poor in the third world have balanced and maintained Nature through their culture and local knowledge for centuries. Tradition ecological and cultural values have been undermined for so long by so-called development processes imposed by outsiders without considering indigenous culture and local knowledge. My message to global readers – Better development can be achieved only if it is connected to local knowledge, culture and values.
About Hussein Watta
Hussein Watta has more than 20 years of experience with humanitarian aid relief, rehabilitation, and rural development projects in Africa with experience in Ethiopia, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Sudan. Hussein has been the Executive Director of ROBA for the last decade. He has participated in the final evaluations of both the World Vision (Ethiopia program) and Afar Area Development Program and South Wollo Emergency and Rehabilitation Program, ZOA Refugee Care (Ethiopia program). He is an Ethiopian born citizen with a Masters in Horticultural Studies and is fluent in Afan Oromo, Amharic, English and Swahili languages.
About Rural Organization for the Betterment of Agropastoralists (ROBA) | Ethiopia
ROBA was established as a non-profit in 1999 by Kofele elders and community stakeholders. The organization's mandate is to respond to the challenges and root causes of poverty, and expand services to rural communities in order to reduce inequalities and improve the lives of women, children and youth, particularly in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Key organizational areas of specialised delivery include (1) poverty reduction through economic empowerment in agricultural and natural resource management, (2) creation of education and literacy programs (3) promotion of climate adaptation learning to (4) gender/women's rights, and (5) development of emergency response programs to natural and/or health disasters.
Hussein Watta has more than 20 years of experience with humanitarian aid relief, rehabilitation, and rural development projects in Africa with experience in Ethiopia, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Sudan. Hussein has been the Executive Director of ROBA for the last decade. He has participated in the final evaluations of both the World Vision (Ethiopia program) and Afar Area Development Program and South Wollo Emergency and Rehabilitation Program, ZOA Refugee Care (Ethiopia program). He is an Ethiopian born citizen with a Masters in Horticultural Studies and is fluent in Afan Oromo, Amharic, English and Swahili languages.
About Rural Organization for the Betterment of Agropastoralists (ROBA) | Ethiopia
ROBA was established as a non-profit in 1999 by Kofele elders and community stakeholders. The organization's mandate is to respond to the challenges and root causes of poverty, and expand services to rural communities in order to reduce inequalities and improve the lives of women, children and youth, particularly in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Key organizational areas of specialised delivery include (1) poverty reduction through economic empowerment in agricultural and natural resource management, (2) creation of education and literacy programs (3) promotion of climate adaptation learning to (4) gender/women's rights, and (5) development of emergency response programs to natural and/or health disasters.
RESOURCES
Rural Organization for the Betterment of Agropastoralists (ROBA) Ethiopia
www.robaethiopia.org
To learn more about agropastoralists the following article in the World Environmental Library gives an overview to this specialized farming system.
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How to action climate change action in your own area
https://bthechange.com/4-tips-for-conversations-that-help-motivate-climate-action-5a3e14521ffe
Rural Organization for the Betterment of Agropastoralists (ROBA) Ethiopia
www.robaethiopia.org
To learn more about agropastoralists the following article in the World Environmental Library gives an overview to this specialized farming system.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to action climate change action in your own area
https://bthechange.com/4-tips-for-conversations-that-help-motivate-climate-action-5a3e14521ffe