Although Ethiopia was once known as the Bread Basket of Africa, 30 years of disastrous development strategies and unsustainable land use have left only 3% of the country's forests standing. With more than 80% of the population dependent on wood for their basic energy needs, there is a real crisis in their fuel supply - women and children must walk miles every day to gather a few twigs to cook with, and fuelwood is very expensive!

To Ethiopians returning to their homeland after many years overseas, the most strikingly obvious symbols of all this devastation are the absence of trees, the extensive sheet and gully erosion, and the muddy rivers which carry away hundreds of tons of valuable topsoil annually.

TREES' technicians have made several trips to Ethiopia over the past few years, combining to provide 160 days of on-site technical assistance. Everywhere we have gone, local groups are asking the same thing:“How fast can you get this program started?” People are very interested in sustainable harvesting of fuelwood, fuel-efficient stoves, and confinement rearing of animals – after having seen how livestock have stripped their terrain.

Physical distance, poor roads, and a limited funding have been the main limitations, so we are working to channel our trainings and extension of new ideas through local markets by establishing training/demonstration sites manned by local techniacians and extension agents. If you are interested in funding this project, please Contact Us to learn more.