Ethiopia – An Economic Growth Leader Threatening its Natural Resources

Partnerships in Ethiopia

• Protecting Lake Hawassa Partnership
• Addis Ababa Circular Partnership (in process)

Ethiopia is experiencing tremendous economic development: Average annual growth rates between 2008 and 2018 reached 9.8 percent according to World Bank figures. At the same time Ethiopia is facing stark population growth, with a doubling taking place roughly every 30 years. Current estimates assume a population of around 115 million people. This poses a huge challenge for the government: it not only needs to extend basic services and infrastructure, but must also provide job opportunities for its increasing population.

Ethiopia is experiencing tremendous economic development: Average annual growth rates between 2008 and 2018 reached 9.8 percent according to World Bank figures. At the same time Ethiopia is facing stark population growth, with a doubling taking place roughly every 30 years. Current estimates assume a population of around 115 million people. This poses a huge challenge for the government: it not only needs to extend basic services and infrastructure, but must also provide job opportunities for its increasing population.

While Ethiopia has plentiful water, the variability of supply over space and time poses a severe risk to its economy and society. According to Vivid economics report of 2018 (Hydro-economic analysis for Ethiopia) the estimated cost of economy-wide impact of floods and droughts might amount to USD 10 billions. Furthermore, institutions for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) are still in their infancy. Lacking knowledge and underfunding makes them unequipped to meet the escalating challenges they are faced with. The private sector, communities and the government agencies mandated to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources are in pressing need to collaborate.

The BMZ strategy for Ethiopia focuses on the following 3 priority areas:

• Sustainable economic development and vocational education
• Agriculture and food security
• Conservation and sustainable use of natural resources

NatuReS goal is to actively engage both national and international companies in Natural Resources Stewardship in Ethiopia, as well as supporting public institutions in policy development and implementation aimed at enhancing natural resources stewardship at national and regional levels.

Location: Lake Hawassa catchment area, Sidama Region

Aim: Protecting Lake Hawassa, which is threatened by population growth, urban and industrial park development, land degradation and improper waste management.

Activities:

• Improving waste management in Hawassa City
  • Capacity building of waste collecting associations – business skills, waste segregation, operation and maintenance of plastic baling machines
  • Supporting a plastic value chain – linking collecting associations with (potential) buyers of PET, HDPE, PP
  • Sensitizing citizens on proper waste disposal
  • Supporting the responsible public agencies with capacity building, stakeholder engagement and small infrastructure – 300 bins across town as well as the rehabilitation of a constructed wetland (small scale water treatment plant)
• Afforestation and soil erosion control activities to fight erosion and siltation from the surrounding small-scale farms on the western side of the lake
• Restoring the degraded land to improve communities’ livelihoods and safeguard investments (Hawassa Airport)
• Supporting the implementation of Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard within Hawassa Industrial Park in order to achieve its AWS certification

NatuReS working areas: Circular Economies, Catchments, Economic Zones

Partners: Rift Valley Lakes Basin Development Office; Hawassa City Administration; Sidama Regional Agricultural Office; Hawassa Zuria and Shalla Woredas (4^th level government); Hawassa University; PVH Corp.; Haile Resort; Association of Friends of Lake Hawassa (AFLAH); CIFA Onlus; Water Witness International

Location: Addis Ababa

Aim: Engaging stakeholders from different sectors to improve the working conditions of waste collectors and to increase the amount of plastic that is collected, recycled and processed for further use.

Activities: In the process of partnership development for plastic waste management and circular economy in Addis Ababa.

NatuReS working areas: Cities, Circular Economies

Partners: Addis Ababa Solid Waste Management Agency; the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission; Coba Impact; CIFA Onlus