Sor Watershed Project

Sor Watershed Project . The Sor River originates in the highland Montane Forests that straddle the Illubabor Administrative Zone of Oromiya Regional State and of Kaffa Administrative Zone in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples regional State (SNNPRS). The Sor watershed receives high rainfall and is well endowed with natural resources and biodiversity that is still only partially exploited. However, the watershed has the challenge of rising population, influx of refugees, widespread poverty and use of poor agricultural practices. The challenges are leading to increasing pressure on the natural resource and driving deforestation, land degradation, wetland loss, and biodiversity decline, among others.

The objective of the Sor Watershed Project is to promote the sustainable management of the natural resources of the watershed while exploiting them to support livelihoods of the local communities. Project interventions include Participatory landuse planning, training woreda and kebele staff and Water User Associations in sustainable watershed management approaches; promoting participatory forest management approaches; promoting improved farming practices including use of manure and compost, improved tillage; construction of grass strips; establishment of on-farm forage lots for small ruminants; improvement of degraded communal land through construction of cut-off drains, check dams, and tree plantation to stabilize gullies; supporting small-scale irrigation; supporting community member to switch to alternative livelihood activities like beekeeping, operation of nursery for coffee seedlings; processing of agricultural produce; promoting energy-efficient stoves; and establishing Community Development Funds to improve access to access for local enterprises.

The prefeasibility study for the project was carried out in the period 2010-2012 under the Watershed Delineation and Prioritization Project.

Sor Watershed Project . The Sor River originates in the highland Montane Forests that straddle the Illubabor Administrative Zone of Oromiya Regional State and of Kaffa Administrative Zone in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples regional State (SNNPRS). The Sor watershed receives high rainfall and is well endowed with natural resources and biodiversity that is still only partially exploited. However, the watershed has the challenge of rising population, influx of refugees, widespread poverty and use of poor agricultural practices. The challenges are leading to increasing pressure on the natural resource and driving deforestation, land degradation, wetland loss, and biodiversity decline, among others.

The objective of the Sor Watershed Project is to promote the sustainable management of the natural resources of the watershed while exploiting them to support livelihoods of the local communities. Project interventions include Participatory landuse planning, training woreda and kebele staff and Water User Associations in sustainable watershed management approaches; promoting participatory forest management approaches; promoting improved farming practices including use of manure and compost, improved tillage; construction of grass strips; establishment of on-farm forage lots for small ruminants; improvement of degraded communal land through construction of cut-off drains, check dams, and tree plantation to stabilize gullies; supporting small-scale irrigation; supporting community member to switch to alternative livelihood activities like beekeeping, operation of nursery for coffee seedlings; processing of agricultural produce; promoting energy-efficient stoves; and establishing Community Development Funds to improve access to access for local enterprises.

The prefeasibility study for the project was carried out in the period 2010-2012 under the Watershed Delineation and Prioritization Project.

The objective of the Sor Watershed Project is to promote the sustainable management of the natural resources of the watershed while exploiting them to support livelihoods of the local communities. Project interventions include Participatory landuse planning, training woreda and kebele staff and Water User Associations in sustainable watershed management approaches; promoting participatory forest management approaches; promoting improved farming practices including use of manure and compost, improved tillage; construction of grass strips; establishment of on-farm forage lots for small ruminants; improvement of degraded communal land through construction of cut-off drains, check dams, and tree plantation to stabilize gullies; supporting small-scale irrigation; supporting community member to switch to alternative livelihood activities like beekeeping, operation of nursery for coffee seedlings; processing of agricultural produce; promoting energy-efficient stoves; and establishing Community Development Funds to improve access to access for local enterprises.