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Ethiopia
The Ethiopian highlands comprise nearly 45 percent of the total land area and support over 85 percent of the country's 64 million people that are overwhelmingly rural. The highlands are the centre of economic activity of the country and are characterized by enormous ecological, environmental, agricultural and cultural diversity. The Ethiopian highlands have also significant global environmental importance as being the source of some important transboundary rivers, notably the Blue Nile, and host a wide variety of flora and fauna that are rich in biodiversity. There is severe degradation of the natural resources base that is fundamental to the achievement of sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD) and these highlands will not be able to produce and sustain livelihoods if the current trend of intensive cultivation, overgrazing and deforestation, soil erosion and soil fertility decline, lack of water control, shortage of livestock feed continue unabated.
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Read how Ethiopia...
promoted sustainable mountain development during the International Year of Mountains (2002).
Promoting Healthy Mountain Communities Through Coffee
Towards Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in the Ethiopian Highlands,Proceedings of the Technical Workshop on Improving the Natural Resources
Base and Rural Well-being (25 - 27 November 2003, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia).
(in English)
Did you know?
- The Highlands of Ethiopia have an area of 1.13 million square kilometres and occupy 50 percent of the country's total area. Over eighty-five percent of Ethiopia's population - or about 60 million people - live there.
- The Ethiopian Highlands represent 95 percent of the regularly cropped land, and are the source of 90 percent of the national economy.
