This blog is part of a dossier on locally-led adaptation, featuring insights and lessons from the Reversing the Flow (RtF) program. RtF empowers communities in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan to build climate resilience through direct funding and a community-driven, landscape approach.
Reversing the Flow (RtF) is an initiative launched in October 2024 by ORDA Ethiopia, with financial support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), and technical MetaMeta. This project empowers communities in six watersheds of Koti Kebele, Yilmana Densa, North Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, to address environmental and socio-economic challenges. The project aims to restore degraded lands, improve livelihoods, and promote sustainable development.
Koti Kebele comprises six watersheds: Chinchiho, Kurfi, Dewol Washaye, Dawit Degami, Adafit, and Yibaba Gomengie. Spanning 2,735 hectares, these watersheds are home to 1,285 households, including 65 female-headed households. Despite its potential, the area faces significant challenges such as land degradation, erosion, deforestation, and socio-economic issues like youth unemployment and limited opportunities for women.
The RtF project aims to empower the community to take ownership of these challenges by leveraging their knowledge and capacities to implement sustainable solutions. This text outlines the project’s approach, the initial findings from the Community Situation Initial Assessment (CSIA), and the community’s vision for the future.
The Koti Kebele community is grappling with severe land degradation, gully formation, loss of biodiversity, declining soil fertility, and water scarcity. Economic and Social Issues: Reduced agricultural productivity, limited access to drinking water, youth unemployment, and lack of start-up capital for income-generating activities (especially for women). These challenges have significantly impacted livelihoods, making community-driven interventions essential.
In December 2024, ORDA Ethiopia facilitated the CSIA, enabling community members to assess their circumstances and identify actionable solutions. This participatory baseline survey highlighted:
- Communities’ ability to identify challenges, opportunities, and potential interventions.
- Potential for reforestation and erosion control.
- Need for improved access to water resources.
- Urgency in addressing youth unemployment through skill-building and income-generation programs.
- Establishing dedicated committees for project oversight.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of resources among the six watersheds.
- Implementing immediate measures to address critical challenges such as water scarcity.
The prioritization of project activities is still ongoing, and the project emphasizes community ownership, with the following proposed activities:
- Reforestation and gully rehabilitation programs.
- Improved soil and water conservation techniques.
- Providing start-up capital and training for income-generating activities.
- Supporting youth skill development initiatives.
- Ensuring active involvement of women and marginalized groups in decision-making.
- Establishing transparent and accountable community committees to oversee project implementation.
- Training community members in resource management and grant administration.
- Promoting knowledge-sharing among stakeholders.
The CSIA process revealed a strong sense of ownership and eagerness among community members. They:
Expressed confidence in managing the project and its resources. These findings underscore the importance of continuous dialogue and collaboration between the community, ORDA Ethiopia, and local stakeholders.
The RtF project’s initial phase has set the foundation for community empowerment in Koti Kebele. By fostering a sense of ownership and equipping communities with the tools to address their challenges, the project is poised to achieve sustainable development outcomes. The journey to community empowerment in Koti Kebele has begun, driven by the dedication of its residents and the support of RtF partners. Together, these efforts aim to transform challenges into opportunities, paving the way for a sustainable future.
