Ongoing Projects
Major On-going Projects
Sustainable tourism based on natural resource management with gender balance towards women (STRONGBOW) (2011 – 2014)
In 2011 the Social and Ecological Partnership Programme leading a consortium of five Ethiopian universities (Jimma, Mizantepi, Arbaminch, Addis Ababa University and Wondo Genet College) in partnership with a consortium of northern universities (Catholic University of Belgium, Central University of South Africa) led by Free University of Amsterdam of the Netherlands secured 3.5 million € capacity building grant from Nuffic to establish graduate programmes in natural resource management and (eco) tourism in the selected five universities. Ten PhD candidates from the five universities are undergoing PhD training at the moment in Belgium and the Netherlands. The project also plans to sponsor 100 MSc/MA demand driven action research in the next three years on natural resource management and ecotourism. The project has a span of three years, and currently it is in the second semester of the first year.
Integrated approach to meet therural household needs of Ethiopia (2011-2015)
In 2011, the Climate Resilient Partnership Program integrated approach to meet the rural household lighting and cooking needs is one of the recipients of the second European Union Energy Facility grant. The objective of the project is to contribute to economic prosperity, well-being, environmental sustainability and climate change and hence to the Millennium Development Goals by creating access to sustainable energy in the rural and peri-urban areas. The project is implemented by 13 partners and associates in six districts ofAmhara, Tigray and Oromia regions. Through the project twenty energy enterprises will be established, and more than a million inhabitants in the target areas will have access to sustainable energy. The project grant is 3.5 million €; currently it is implementing the second year second semester project activities.
Sustainable development of Gambella and Rift Valley landscapes(2012-2016)
The Social-Ecological Partnership Program in collaboration with Climate Resilient and Environmental Governance and Education Partnership Programsmanaged to secure 10 million € from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the sustainable development of Gambella and the Rift Valley landscapes to ensure food security, and adapt to and mitigate climate change. The project has the following set of objectives:
- Guide agricultural investments and development in the selected landscapes through holistic, participatory and integrated land use planning;
- Improve environmental governance in the selected landscapes;
- Sustainably diversify and enhance the livelihood base in the selected landscapes;
- Maintain or restore the resilience and functions of key ecosystems within the selected landscapes.
Carbon credit and financial and administration capacity building project
The project aims to offer climate finance expertise and support to partners in Ethiopia and the Region in order to develop pro-poor and bankable carbon projects. Finally, the benefits of climate finance will be taken to rural communities to improve their livelihoods, while on the other hand promote to reduce degradation of natural resources in the area. The project secured a total of 445,300 Euro to run its business. The project is currently financed by Inter-Church Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO), but intends to be self-supporting in the future.