Climate Smart Agriculture under the Resilient Landscapes and Livelihoods Project (RLLP)
The project aims to build resilience in rural Ethiopia by focusing on sustainable land management practices through the Resilient Landscapes and Livelihoods Project (RLLP) within the Sustainable Land Management Program (SLMP). The project emphasizes the importance of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) to strengthen adaptive and transformative capacities, thereby facilitating socio-economic change. It aligns with the overarching goal of improving livelihoods, food security, and economic well-being by addressing the root causes of land degradation and mitigating its negative impacts on ecosystem resources.
The project aims to improve climate resilience, land productivity and carbon storage, while increasing access to diversified livelihoods in rural watersheds. It includes several components, such as investments in green infrastructure, strengthening cooperatives, and improving project management. Through the implementation of participatory approaches, the project seeks to involve communities and local government structures in planning and decision-making.
CSA activities will focus on the adoption and scaling up of appropriate technologies and practices in selected micro-watersheds within larger watersheds. In addition, capacity building, information upgrading and policy development will support resilience-building efforts. The project is expected to directly benefit approximately 36,000 rural households and indirectly benefit additional communities.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MoA) will oversee project implementation, supported by government institutions at the federal, regional and local levels. Governance structures will include steering committees at the national and regional levels to ensure effective coordination and oversight. The financial management of the project will follow established procedures outlined in the Project Implementation Manual (PIM). The methodological approach of the project will be to support key watersheds in implementing Multi-Year Development Plans (MYDPs) and Annual Work Plans (AWPs) for CSA activities. Emphasis will be placed on integrating CSA practices into landscape restoration efforts to ensure sustainable land management and agricultural productivity. Monitoring and evaluation will be critical to track progress and ensure accountability.
