In support of a recent book published on Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Highlands of Eastern African, Ethiopian scientist Tilahun Amede discusses lessons from the working on natural resources management in the region. Dr. Amede, who has a joint appointment with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the CGIAR Challenge Programme on Water and Food (CPWF), expands upon the institutional structures and coordination needed for natural resources management to work for smallholder farmers. This African Highlands Initiative has evolved over ten years from focusing on improving soil fertility to adopting a more integrated approach to natural resource management. One of the key lessons from the study is the importance of going “beyond hydrologic boundaries” – bringing together different stakeholders, and linking the interests, rules, and social priorities of communities at a landscape scale. From the project, farmers have benefitted from knowledge generated and exchanged across the region, which has helped build strong ties between farmers. Learn more.
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