The Natural Resources Stewardship (NatuReS) Programme partnership, Protecting Lake Hawassa (PLH), was featured in the article “Saving Lake Hawassa from Distress“, published in the InfoNile [30.10.2024].
The Protecting Lake Hawassa (PLH) partnership was established in 2018 with the aim of mitigating the environmental and social risks affecting Lake Hawassa. Supported by the Natural Resources Stewardship Programme, stakeholders from the private, public sector and civil society work together in a participatory process to safeguard the lake and its ecosystem, ensuring sustainable economic growth in Hawassa City and the sub-catchment. The partnership engages in different activities aimed at ecosystem protection, livelihood diversification of communities and awareness raising about natural resources stewardship.
Lake Hawassa, one of Ethiopia’s Rift Valley lakes, faces challenges from rapid urbanization, industrialization, and population growth, which have led to increased pollution, resource over-extraction, and habitat degradation. As a critical water source and ecosystem, the lake supports local industries and agriculture, fishing, and tourism, all of which are vital to the regional economy. All members of the partnership agree ad work on joint action and solutions solutions to reduce the pressures on Lake Hawassa. Through this participatory approach, the stewardship multi-stakeholder partnership especially includes women and marginalized groups in decision-making processes and thus contribute to a Just Transition where no one is left behind.
Find more information about the partnership and its activities, read more here.
Stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships as a catalyst for change
Hosted by partner representatives from the “Partnership for Circular Value Chains in Addis Ababa” in collaboration with the NatuReS team Ethiopia, a two-day regional exchange event in Addis Ababa aimed to showcase how multi-stakeholder partnerships can act as vehicles for collective action for a circular economy.
Members of partnerships that are supported by GIZ NatuReS from Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia came to Ethiopia to learn more about the approach on plastic value chains and circular economy taken in Addis Ababa.
Promoting Circular Solutions: Partnership for Circular Value Chains
A common threat to natural resources that all countries are facing is the pollution of resources like water and soils from waste. Therefore, solutions are needed that transform the economy from a linear approach to a more circular one. The regional exchange event showcased solutions along the recycling value chain for plastic that were developed within the Partnership for Circular Value Chains in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
On the first day of the event, the introduction and overview of the partnership and its members was followed by various presentations from partners sharing important insights from different sectoral perspectives.
Key topics ranged from private sector engagement and circularity policies to gender inclusivity in circular initiatives, exploring the roles of multi-stakeholder partnerships in supporting women-owned MSMEs.
During a sectoral exchange among public, private, and civil society stakeholders, participants were able to exchange on challenges and opportunities, best practises and lessons learned from their respective contexts.
From theory to practise – Field visit along the plastic value chain
To get a better understanding of how the partnerships´ circular economy approach looks like in practise, the participants of the regional exchange event embarked on a field visit journey along the plastic value chain on the second day of the event.
The first stop was a waste transfer station. Due to insufficient separation of waste at the household level, waste collectors bring all sorts of waste to the transfer station where it is separated. Instead of going directly to landfill, valuable materials such as plastic can be extracted and are sold for recycling. By increasing the efficiency of waste management, the amount of waste that ends up in the environment is significantly reduced.
Much of the plastic that is collected are PET bottles. The bottles are shredded into plastic flakes which can be used as a raw material for new products. Through creating business linkages, provision of trainings for small and micro scale enterprises on business skills, and provision of waste management equipment, the partnership promotes and supports a transformation from linear to circular value chains.
The transformation towards a more circular economy must be socially just, taking the rights and needs of all societal actors into consideration to leave no one behind. The partnership supports women who use the recycled plastic that was collected in the transfer station to create their own businesses and generate a basic income through selling upcycled products, such as shopping baskets. These new opportunities significantly increase the women´s quality of life and enables them to have access to basic services.
The private sector also has a strong interest in innovative, sustainable solutions to address the waste problem and to contribute to a circular economy. During the field trip, participants visited the production side of the private company Kubik, a member of the Circular Value Chains partnership, to learn how they use plastic waste to produce building materials for houses, made entirely from recycled plastic.
The opportunity to connect with actors that face similar challenges during the two-day regional exchange was very valuable for all partners. The regional exchange event not only enabled them to network, share and learn together, but also sparked ideas to kickstart the replication of the NatuReS stewardship approach in other circular economy related partnerships across the region within the NatuReS partner countries. Through ongoing exchange and sharing of experiences, stakeholders from all sectors will continue to develop partnerships that can support the transformation towards a circular economy.
Learn more about the Partnership for Circular Value Chains Addis Ababa here.
Ethiopian Lake Hawassa is a beautiful body of water surrounded by lush vegetation and wildlife. The lake serves as a critical source of livelihood for local communities, providing fish, irrigation water, and employment in tourisms for the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, the ecosystem of the lake has been under threat for years due to increased sedimentation, nutrient pollution, and waste accumulation.
Protecting the ecosystem of Lake Hawassa requires collective action from different sectors. One major activity of the Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership is planting trees to reduce soil erosion and restore the ecosystems in the catchment. Currently, 1.5 million tree seedlings of different local varieties are being raised in nurseries, and in the next three months, these will accompany the one million trees already planted under the partnership.
Figure 1 and 2 show a tree nursery growing seven different types of trees for afforestation in the Lake Hawassa catchment. Copyright at GIZ / Hanno Führen
An ecohydrological approach, which involves the integrated management of water, vegetation, and soil, used for stopping the erosion of a gully. Copyright at GIZ/Hanno Führen This picture illustrates a combination of fences and various shrubs and trees used to stabilize the edge of a gully and prevent further erosion. Copyright at GIZ/Hanno Führen
Planting Trees and Building Barriers: The Efforts of the Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership
The harsh climate conditions and increasing periods of drought in the region call for a mix of drought-resistant trees, shrubs, and physical structures to reverse land degradation within the Lake Hawassa catchment. The Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership is working towards this goal by planting trees and erecting physical barriers based on ecohydrology principles designed in collaboration with the local University of Hawassa.
Reversing Land Degradation: The Success of Collaborative Action
One success story of the partnership is the increasing vegetation cover of a previously completely bare gully that drains into the lake. The partnership has demonstrated that it is possible to reverse even significant land degradation by joining forces and taking action. However, reforestation techniques must always respond to the local needs and conditions.
Working with Local Communities: The Partnership’s Approach to Restoration
The partnership is working with farming communities upstream to restore bare and degraded landscapes by combining the construction of ditches to collect runoff rainwater with the planting of trees. Additionally, the community ensures that no livestock enters the protected area, allowing grass to grow and support the micro-climate needed for the trees to thrive.
Protecting the ecosystem of Lake Hawassa is an ongoing effort that requires the involvement of multiple sectors and individuals. The progress made so far by the Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership is a testament to what can be achieved through collective action and collaboration. By planting trees, erecting physical barriers, and working with local communities, the partnership is taking steps towards reversing the land degradation and preserving the ecosystem of the lake.
Here you can see the installation of wooden barriers as part of the ecohydrological approach before the rainsThis shows wooden barriers as part of the ecohydrological approach after the rains, having prevented approximately 6000 m^3 of soil from being washed into the lake
A Call to Action: Protecting Lake Hawassa for Future Generations
It is inspiring to see what can be accomplished when different sectors come together to work towards a common goal. The Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership is setting an example for others to follow in protecting the environment and securing a sustainable future for all.
These pictures show the protection and afforestation of communal lands on the upper catchment of Lake Hawassa, with infiltration ditches and tree planting along the contour lines. Copyright at GIZ/Hanno Führen
Addis Ababa, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, is facing a constant struggle managing the ever-growing amount of waste produced across the city. Most of it is dumped on a landfill, which already exceeded its capacity years ago. This results in the pollution of water and soils, causing serious environmental and public health risks.
Waste management in the city involves collection of garbage at household level, sorting it by hand, delivering recyclable materials to wholesalers, and disposal of the rest. Plastics account for about 15,5% of the waste, and this component of the waste stream is increasingly attracting interest due to the recycling and reselling value of the material. Hundreds of small and micro enterprises (SMEs) are therefore active in this area of waste collection and separation, supplying the plastic recycling value chain.
Enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration for improved waste management
To enhance the efficiency of waste management in the city and thereby protect the environment from pollution, NatuReS supported the establishment of the multi-stakeholder “Partnership for Circular Value Chains”. The partnership offers a forum to strengthen coordination between SMEs working in the waste sector, public authorities, as well as civil society representatives advocating for environmental protection. This prevents the doubling of efforts, miscommunication and inertia that have often impeded effective waste management in the city. Together, partners defined concrete solutions and take actions to improve the plastic value chain in and around Addis Ababa.
Female waste collectors as most vulnerable part of the plastic value chain
The most vulnerable part of the plastic value chain are the waste collectors. Hundreds of people roam the city as informal waste collectors, scavenging for valuable plastics, metals, or carton. Next to these informal collectors, hundreds of formalized SMEs, employing a large number of people, collect waste from households. The price for one kilogram of PET plastic that collectors get paid by wholesalers is currently around 22 Birr (~0,38€).
Among the workforce of waste collectors, there are several groups of marginalized people. Many struggle to make a living from this job, facing harsh working conditions, unstable prices due to inflation and diminishing profit margins. Women are especially affected by these issues. They work all along the plastic value chain, from being collectors at household level to small entrepreneurs in the recycling business. However, in comparison to men, women are underrepresented within SMEs, as they often lack basic technical skills beyond collecting waste and are excluded from decision-making processes.
Enhance waste management skills and business opportunities for women along the plastic value chain
Women economic empowerment along the plastic value chain in Addis Ababa. Copyright: GIZ
The partnership therefore undertakes specific efforts to support women as part of the plastic waste workforce. Currently, 100 women from 16 waste management SMEs across four Addis Ababa sub-cities are capacitated to enhance their waste management skills and increase their business opportunities.
Firstly, during a three-day training, the women are supported in developing necessary business skills to run and grow their businesses. This includes aspects such as bookkeeping, understanding and developing market linkages, as well as the development of sound business plans to enhance their income.
Secondly, during practical sessions, the women receive skill development for diversified income strategies. This focused on plastic upcycling crafts, enabling the participants to make an income beyond collecting and re-selling plastic by upcycling their collected plastic waste themselves. Specifically, the 100 women were trained on techniques for the upcycling of plastic straps out of recycled PET plastic into baskets that can be sold on local markets.
Partnership efforts for female empowerment and more efficient upcycling across Addis Ababa
The training is provided with technical support from “PETCO Recycling Community Organization”, a partner under the partnership. Further support was provided through human resource contributions from the public sector partner, the Addis Ababa Cleansing Management Agency. In total, the training is running for 10 consecutive days, divided in four groups in four locations, to make the content as accessible and targeted to the trainees as possible.
Through the trainings, women are empowered to create a profitable side business along the plastic value chain. Weaving straps out of collected PET plastic waste into baskets will allow the women to diversify their income, mitigate plastic waste price fluctuations and overall strengthen their position as confident part of the recycling value chain.
Planning for a more inclusive future of waste recycling
This specific technique for producing baskets from recycled plastics is only one example, and only the start. The partnership envisions the creation of market linkages between companies and the female waste workers, and the establishment of a new enterprise which will exclusively engage women in upcycling projects. From previous technical trainings provided by partners, they know that the profit margin and demand for such types of upcycling products is high.
The Partnership for Circular Value Chains in Addis Ababa is supported by GIZ’s ‘Natural Resources Stewardship Programme’. GIZ’s ‘Private Sector Development Project in Ethiopia (PSD-E)’ supports the partnership efforts by increasing the resilience of crises-affected micro- , small and medium-sized enterprises within the plastic value chain, while improving their income and employment opportunities.
