The development objective of the project is to promote sustainable management of natural resources and to promote food self-sufficiency of small farmers through integrated Watershed Management (IWM) based on active involvement of local target group. Integrated watershed management provides a comprehensive framework for sustainability of natural resources in the life of local communities.

The project is aimed at strengthening the efforts of local communities in managing natural resources that are part of intense efforts to achieve sustainable food self-sufficiency. This effort will be accompanied by adequate capacity building of local farmers on integrated water resources management and by promoting the development of livelihoods that are complementary to efforts to protect natural resources. The target group will be households of poor and very poor farmers in selected basins of Woreda river who feel the effects of the above described problem the most. The project is being implemented in Kembata Tembaro region in Kachabira Woreda. For this area, a high level of soil degradation caused by the mismanagement of natural resources, overgrazing and cutting of trees is typical.

In the most affected places, closure areas were established to avoid further soil erosion and degradation. A cut and carry system was introduced to reduce the overgrazing of grass, plucking of roots and cutting down the trees, which led to erosion. The affected areas were planted with grass and tree seedlings and in areas with severe degradation, gabions were built. Furthermore, new activities for the diversification of families´ income (beekeeping, pottery or livestock farming) were introduced. The project team, the government and the communities worked together on undertaking these activities.