The consultative workshop held on August 27 and 28/2021 in Hawassa town was attended by more than 40 participants including the higher official delegates from EFCCC and OEFCC-Authority, the six forest cooperative representatives, the local administrations from Zone to kebele, experts from relevant government offices, local CBOs, senior staffs of Wondogenet Forestry College, HoAREC&N-AAU and ANCEDA project teams, etc.

A brief welcoming address was presented by Mr. Wondowossen Girmay, representing Dr. Mekuria Argaw, ED, HoAREC&N-AAU. In his message, Dr.Mekuria conveyed his expectation from the workshop and expressed his wishes that the workshop will be a successful event to help gather important inputs towards facilitating the ongoing project activities while stimulating partners to contribute to the efforts intended to achieve the project objectives.

The workshop continued in the presence of Mr. Eyob Tenkir, Senior Safeguard experts representative from EFCCC, Mr. Shumi Negash, Director, Oromia EFCC Authority; Dr. Motuma Tolera, Dean, WGFC. The workshop included deliberation, discussion, and field visit sessions to the project area.

The Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre and Network (HOAREC&N) planned to set up a grouped forestry project under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). As part of its regional program of activity, the “East African Afforestation, Reforestation and Re-vegetation Program (EARRP)” the HoA-REC&N has been actively engaged in the development of a grouped forestry project under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). The first instance carbon project “the Jamma-Urji Farmers Managed Forestry project” has been under development in collaboration with Arsinegele Nature Conservation and Environment Development Association (ANCEDA).

The project area is located in Oromia Region, West Arsi Zone, Shashemene and Shalla weredas. The total action area is 6,593.13 ha (Instance Zone) while the total Instance Area is  5,190.57 ha, eligible under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) to be an Afforestation Reforestation Revegetation (ARR) project. Currently, the project is undertaking the validation, verification, and monitoring process to register the project in the international carbon market. As carbon project development frameworks are dynamic and improving from time to time, organizing consultation and awareness creation meeting, tailor-made capacity building training workshops, etc. is necessary to create a common understanding for effective implementation of project activities. Based on this, the HoA-REC&N organized a 2 days consultation workshop and field observation event for its partners and relevant stakeholders to create awareness on recent development of the Jamaurji Mountains

The workshop reviewed the reports presented, discussed on the agenda and finally reached a consensus on those key issues pertinent to the ongoing carbon project that will contribute to the CRGE agenda and target at local level.

The field visit to the project area/sites provided the workshop participants with an opportunity to make direct observations on the progress of the Jamaurji forest vegetation cover and the efforts made by ANCEDA in collaboration with the local community and forest cooperatives and the relevant sector offices.

Report by Mr. Wondwossen Girmay

Program coordinator