The CDG conducted launching of a project titled “Fruit Trees for Mitigation of Climate Change Impacts in the Semi-Urban Areas of Shaggar City” in Kura – Jidda Sub City of Shaggar City. The launching was attended by Administrator of the Sub City, Agriculture Experts, Horticulture Expert, and other various sectors representatives.
Obbo Amanuel Adinew, Executive Director of the Center for Development and Governance welcomed participants and introduced the CDG in brief. He said the CDG has been in operation for 14 years working on issues relevant to sustainable Peace and Development, implemented projects that aimed at improving lives of communities life in various sectors including agriculture related sectors like innovative Urban Agriculture. Again since start of the reform the CDG focused on rights issues and democratic governance in connection to attaining lasting peace, he said.
After his briefing, Obbo Amanuel Adinew invited Administrator of Kura – Jidda Sub City Obbo Tamam Hussein to make opening speech. At the outset Obbo Taman Hussein started his speech as saying it was a surprise, which he didn’t expect such noble activity so pertinent to the Sub City to be implemented jointly. He said Kura – Jidda largely cover farmers who couldn’t get attention in areas of climate change mitigation in their agricultural activities. In this connection, he disclosed that Kura – Jidda is source of 60% water supply to Addis Ababa, which obviously demand protection and rehabilitation of vegetation cover so the rain water percolate into the ground preventing wastage in the form of runoff. In this connection he appreciated the planning of developing fruit bearing trees that would have dual benefits to community members. He underscored that experts of the field are expected to highly contribute towards success of the project.
Following the speech by the Administrator, staff of the CDG presented brief about the project in which he said the objective is to develop fruit tree seedlings which would benefit the farming community while contributing to mitigating harmful effects of climate change. He stated that preliminary activities like fencing the selected site and arrangement of safeguarding structure put in place. Among initials activities to follow he said are selection of appropriate fruit tree seedlings and selection of 160 direct beneficiaries from among the community in close collaboration with the administration, he said.
Later, participants of the Project Inauguration held lively discussion over the issue from different perspectives. Experts and officials from different sectors expressed their determination to collaborate with the CDG towards successful implementation of the project so that there would be replication of efforts to other adjacent areas.
