US Forest Service Technical Assistance Trip to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia In Support to USAID-Ethiopia for Assistance in Rangeland Management Support to the Pastoralist Livelihoods Initiative for USAID-Ethiopia Office of Business Environment Agriculture & Trade Training in Rangeland Ecology and Management for Improved Rangeland Health and Forage Productivity Final Report – April 2007 Mission Dates: March 18-31, 2007 Pastoralist woman at river crossing in Oromia. Dave Bradford 10/06 Report Submitted by: Nancy Prall Range Management Specialist USDA Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe N.F. Elko, Nevada 89801 (775) 778-6113 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 BACKGROUND 3 MISSION ACTIVITIES 3 RECOMMENDATIONS 4 Suggested audience for the Ethiopian Range Management School 4 Suggested topics for Ethiopian Range Management School 4 Collaboration with Tufts University/IIED course 5 Tailoring the schools to local areas 6 Proposed locations for the May range schools 6 Recommended length and format of the schools 7 Needs for the May Range Management Schools 8 NEXT STEPS 8 Future locations for range schools 8 Technical college and university curriculum development 9 CONCLUSIONS 9 Appendix 1: Actual Mission Itinerary for USFS Team 10 Appendix 2: Scope of Work 13 Appendix 3: List of organizations and individuals involved in REM 3 16 Appendix 4: NEW CONTACT INFORMATION 17 Appendix 5: List of instructor participants at Gewane ATVET college 19 Appendix 6. List of participants at partner presentation 29 March 2007 20 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Rangeland Ecology and Management (REM) mission was conducted by Range Management Specialist Nancy Prall from March 18-31, 2007 to gain support and prepare for the Ethiopian Range Management Schools to be held in Gewane (ATVET college) and Yabello (YAPDARC – Yabello Pastoral and Dryland Agriculture Research Center) in May 2007. The purpose of these range schools is to work with Ethiopian counterparts to share information on rangeland management that we have learned in our respective experiences. The approach to the PLI Range School is modeled on a set of curriculum used in the western US. An important distinction, however, is that Ethiopia-specific data, examples, issues, projects, and challenges will be used in the PLI Range Schools to the extent possible. Once the materials and methods are available to Ethiopian range managers, they can then make a decision as to whether the schools will be useful as short courses to hold in their area, and if so, they can modify the course to their needs. At that time, more pastoralist knowledge from the local area can be incorporated into each individual school, and the future role of the Forest Service will be to exchange new information and support efforts by Ethiopians to tailor the schools to their local needs and to conduct the 2 day schools. BACKGROUND This is the second REM assignment, and is a continuation of the mission conducted by Range Management Specialists Dave Bradford and Nancy Prall from October 20 to November 5, 2006. The first mission resulted in a number of recommendations that may be found in the final trip report. The main finding reflected in the first report was that Ethiopian pastoralists / range management professionals need more information on the basic science of rangeland management. It was recommended that the next REM missions work toward implementing two day Range Management Schools in both Gewane and Yabello. These schools will use the US course as a template but incorporate Ethiopian photos, data, and examples as much as possible. The Ethiopian schools to be held in May will be based on Range Management Schools originally developed in Colorado, USA and modified throughout the western US to address specific issues and ecosystems in several states including Nevada. Dave Bradford, Nancy Prall, and Faith Ryan are working on presentations that will be customized for Ethiopia, using photographs, scientific research, and other information from the Afar and Oromia regions to the extent possible. MISSION ACTIVITIES During this mission, the main goal was to plan, prepare, and gain support for the Range Management Schools to be held in May 2007. The activities of this 2 week period had four distinct dimensions: 1. Meetings were held with NGO, GoE, USAID, ATVET college instructors and students in Gewane, and PLI partners to gain support, ask for help with field session locations, and identify classrooms for the May schools. 3 2. Requests and searches were for books, data, and photographs that could be included in the classroom (power point) session on day 1 of the school. 3. Visits were made to PLI partners, government agencies, and into the field to assist and learn from the invasive species mission being simultaneously conducted by Range Management Specialist Hans Bastian. This work with the invasives team is valuable because we plan to incorporate a session on invasives into the range school. 4. Nancy also discussed field sessions (day 2 of the school) with local on-the-ground personnel where rangeland management (rangeland issues, exclosures, grazing systems, or other practices, either successful or unsuccessful) and/or research are in progress. RECOMMENDATIONS Suggested audience for the Ethiopian Range Management School: The schools are open to any interested individuals, especially on the ground practitioners who are working with pastoralists on rangelands. A good audience could include NGO personnel; GoE personnel at federal, regional, and woreda levels (and any others, although some individuals have concerns that this audience is not focused enough); ATVET/other technical college students and instructors; university students and technicians; research center personnel; and pastoralists (particularly during the field session). If we include students from the ATVET college in Gewane, early May is best due to the fact that the students have exams later in May. However, it may be best with these first schools to target instructors. Another suggestion that should be considered is the idea of presenting the range school first to PLI partners before the school is brought out to places such as Gewane or Yabello. This initial presentation would give partners the opportunity to critique the school. This decision should be made by key personnel at USAID and the FS before the team arrives in May. The main intent of the school is to share information about basic rangeland principles and livestock management with people who are learning the science of rangeland management. A notebook and/or CD will also be provided to all students, which will contain relevant journal articles, contacts, and other information for individuals who wish to pursue the topic further. Suggested topics for Ethiopian Range Management School: The following topics will be taught with examples from both the US and Ethiopia, with discussion about successes, failures, and lessons learned from what we have discovered and accomplished as we observe, study and manage rangelands. Day 1: Classroom session 1. Invasive species – focus on prevention; early detection; control/eliminate spread; long term management, monitoring, rehabilitation for prosopis, acacia species, and other invasives that occur in Ethiopia. It was suggested at the ATVET college that we also incorporate examples of US invasive species management. We will coordinate with Forest Service invasive species missions and others such as Farm Africa for materials. 4 2. Prescribed fire as a management tool – we will coordinate with the fire missions and others for materials. 3. Plant physiology and growth – focusing on Ethiopian ecosystems and the dynamic equilibrium of rangeland ecosystems. 4. Rangeland monitoring techniques 5. Livestock nutrition – include Ethiopian breeds of cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, and camels and their interactions with local plants. 6. Animal behavior – we will talk to Dr. Fred Provenza of Utah State University to obtain permission to use the BEHAVE program materials. 7. Grazing systems and mixed species grazing 8. Conflict management – We will speak with Dr. Jeff Mosley and Dr. Tracie Brewer at Montana State University, Steve Smith (USAID Democracy & Government specialist), and Adrian Cullis of Save the Children US to obtain appropriate information to present in this section. 9. Agropastoralism vs. pastoral mobility – why pastoral mobility is so critical, how resources are managed in more sedentary ranching/agricultural systems. 10. People and issues on rangelands – The people side of rangelands is specifically addressed during the field session when we observe and discuss local issues with pastoralists and other “on the ground” practitioners. The field sessions will also provide an opportunity to discuss connections between pastoralist traditions, technical information, and policy development. Day 2: Field session The location and topics for the field sessions will be decided by local on the ground practitioners in Yabello and Gewane. When speaking with the instructors and NGO personnel in the Afar region (in Gewane), and with Ato Samuel Tuffa Kawa in Yabello, I communicated our need for help with this part of the course, since they know the local pastoralists, rangelands, issues, projects, and other items that would make good discussion in the field. Yacob Wondimkun (USAID, BEAT) is also aware of our need for help in this part of the school and has agreed to assist with field session preparation. Collaboration with Tufts University/IIED course: Three important items