July 21, 2026
Bushoftu.
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In a major initiative to protect Ethiopia’s robust forest resources along with high-biodiversity ecosystems while boosting rural economies, Farm Africa and a consortium of environmental organizations have officially launched a large-scale conservation and sustainable development program: “Harnessing Forests and Ecosystems for a Climate-Nature-People Triple Win” (HARNESS).
Financed by the Royal Norwegian Embassy (via NORAD), the multi-year initiative runs through February 2029. The project operates across the ecologically critical biomes of the Oromia and Southwest Ethiopia regions—including the renowned Bale Eco-Region—scaling up tested participatory conservation models to address the dual challenges of climate change and rural poverty.
A STRATEGIC NGO CONSORTIUM
Led by Farm Africa, the HARNESS initiative brings together four of the region’s premier conservation and rural development entities: Farm Africa (Consortium Lead), SOS Sahel Ethiopia, NABU-Ethiopia (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) and Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF).
Building directly on previous successes in Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and landscape governance, the consortium leverages shared expertise in forest policy, geospatial analysis, and market-systems development.
DELIVERING A “TRIPLE WIN”
The HARNESS project is structured to deliver impacts across three intertwined pillars-Climate, Nature, and People.
1. Forest Conservation & Climate Action
To curb deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the project introduces advanced monitoring tools, such as the Landscape Change Tracking System. By utilizing satellite-driven geospatial tracking alongside ground trothing. HARNESS helps protect vital natural forests and secure global carbon sinks.
2. Economic Empowerment & Market Links
To prevent community-driven forest degradation, HARNESS turns local populations into primary guardians by creating viable, eco-friendly businesses. The project supports smallholder farmers and forest-dependent communities in sustainably harvesting and commercializing high-value non-timber forest products—specifically wild forest coffee and specialty honey while introducing climate-smart agricultural practices to existing farmlands.
3. Community Resilience & Direct Reach
The project is set to directly benefit more than 74,000 households, targeting marginalized groups with a strong focus on empowering women and rural youth. By building local enterprise capacity and expanding market access, HARNESS equips communities to absorb climate-induced shocks without relying on unsustainable timber extraction or land clearing.
BUILDING ON PROVEN MODELS
Ethiopia’s natural forests host vital biodiversity and regulate regional watersheds that support tens of millions of people. HARNESS marks a major continuation of interventions like the Bale Eco-Region Phase II and Forests for Sustainable Development (FSD) programs. By linking environmental protection directly to household income generation, the project enforces the core principle that natural resources thrive when local communities have a tangible economic stake in keeping them standing.
Heads of different partnering stakeholders have made speeches at the launching of the workshop. Speaking to officially open the launching workshop, H.E. Mr. Kebede Yimam stated that Ethiopia’s National policy in protecting natural resources has so far registered a land mark achievements.
The “National green legacy” tree planting program is in this regard mentioned as a national flagship program to witness the achievement. Stakeholders also raise issues about how the project operate and related matters. In his concluding remarks H.E. Mr. Kebede forward his heart felt appreciation to all stakeholders in designing and making it ready for implementation and promised that EFD is always ready to support and work together all stakeholders to realize the vision of developing and protecting Ethiopian forest and natural resources at large
