Majang Forest

Description

Its richness in natural resources makes the area attractive for agricultural development. Hence, there is a growing demand for agricultural land expansion by smallholder farmers as well as large-scale agricultural investment. Deforestation for agriculture, coupled with current trend of climate change, considered as threats to biodiversity and the traditional livelihoods of the local community. The Majang zone administration and the Gambella regional state joined hands with MELCA Ethiopian in 2012 to explore and adopt sustainable development options. After conducting baseline studies and evaluation of different development approaches, it adopted the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve approach. The Majang G4F II Natural Resource Management for Resilience and Economic Development Program is conservation-based sustainable rural development in Majang forest ecosystem and surrounding landscape, an area of high ecological and socio-economic importance facing a severe threat of deforestation and degradation where conservatio