[WLRC, March 2026] The Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC), through the BRIGHT Project, has launched Soil and Water Conservation Works (SWC) across the Woshi Catchment in the Omo-Ghibe Basin. The activities began in the second week of March 2026 in six selected kebeles of Gimbo and Shashoende Woredas in Kaffa Zone as a quick-win intervention ahead of the upcoming rainy season.
The initiative mobilizes local communities to implement immediate conservation measures aimed at reducing soil erosion and landslides, improving land productivity, and strengthening the resilience of local livelihoods. The intervention is designed to address urgent environmental challenges in the watershed before the onset of the seasonal rains.
The launch follows a series of community consultations conducted from March 5–7, 2026, which engaged community members and government institutions in discussions on watershed rehabilitation and sustainable land and water management.
During the launching events, local government leaders and BRIGHT Project coordinators stressed the urgency of addressing environmental degradation in the area. They noted that soil erosion, declining agricultural productivity, and environmental vulnerability are increasingly affecting the livelihoods of local communities. They emphasized that the conservation works provide an immediate opportunity to restore degraded landscapes and improve the environmental health of the Woshi Catchment.
The quick-win intervention focuses on practical soil and water conservation measures that can rapidly protect farmland and natural resources. The Kaffa Zone administration and woreda agriculture offices are working closely with the BRIGHT Project to ensure effective implementation of the quick-win activities.
Community mobilization is being coordinated by Watershed Rehabilitation Committees established in each kebele. The implementation also follows locally agreed community bylaws, which guide participation and ensure collective responsibility in carrying out the conservation works.
The quick-win works are starting at six kebeles across two woredas—Shashoende and Gimbo. The kebeles include Wareta, Dukira Woshi, Ufa Genet, and Gida in Shashoende Woreda, and Bita Chega and Yeyibito in Gimbo Woreda.