25 August 2022, Bishoftu
The Oromia REDD+ Steering Committee has reviewed the overall progress of the Oromia Forested Landscape Program during a one day meeting organized in Bishoftu Town, Yatu International Hotel. It was disclosed, that OFLP has so far afforested 9,427 hectares of degraded land and implemented Participatory Forest Management on 207,400 hectares of forest which accounts 104% and 173% of its overall targets respectively.
The meeting was aimed at appraising the overall and status of the program, review OFLP 2022/203 annual plan and provide directives for key activities that need paramount attention and be carried out over the remaining period of program implementation.
Vice director of the Oromia Environmental Protection Authority Ato Bona Yadesa while opening the event said, OFLP progress is promising as it has performed above its targets in the areas of Afforestation/Reforestation and Participatory Forest Management. Hence, he expressed his gratitude to the regional steering committee, key implementing actors and ORCU staff for all the valuable contribution they have made toward the attainment the results. He added that unreserved efforts are still vital to further scale up the results and insure sustainability confirming that the Authority will keep making strong follow up.
On same event, OFLP’s overall progress report and 2022/23 annual plan as well as progress and status of Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement activities were presented by Ato Taye Dugasa, Program Coordinator and Ato Dereje Likisa, OFLP MRV specialist respectively.
It was confirmed that both the on-the-ground activities and ERPA progress are promisingly moving on the right track. The program, over the last four years of its implementation, has made remarkable achievement in the areas of Afforestation/Reforestation and Participatory Forest Management. Accordingly, 9,427 hectares of degraded land has been reforested and PFM has been implemented on 207,400 hectares of forest which account 104% and 173% of its overall targets respectively. Moreover, it was learned that 61,479 people (with 37% female) have directly benefited from the program.
During an intensive discussion made, it was underlined that it is vital to further strengthen and scale up efficacy of the activities, move forward with ERPA activities, deepen coordination and give utmost attention to livelihood enhancement activities. It was also underscored that empowering and further capacitating local Community- Based-Organizations should be among the key issues that should be given supreme attention in order to insure sustainability of on-the-ground OFLP-supported activities.
H.E Ato Abdurahman Abdela, Coordinator of Rural Cluster with the rank of regional vice president, speaking on the event stressed the need to efficient utilization of all available program resources for public benefit. Also, he urged members of the steering committee; key implementing sectors and all responsible bodies to properly thoroughly discharge their responsibilities strengthen coordination to a high level and further capacitate the local community. The steering committee has also discussed OFLP 2022/2023 annual plan and provided directives for OFLP-supported activities to be carried out over the remaining period of program implementation.
The Oromia REDD+ Steering Committee, chaired H.E Vice President of Oromia Regional State is a regional body mandated to oversee and provide strategic guidance and leadership support to OFLP. Its mandate includes: mobilizing sectors to coordinate and collaborate under the OFLP umbrella on “REDD+ relevant interventions” that affect OFLP goals.