How Ethiopia's Gedeo people protect local forests

DW (English)

An ethnic group in Ethiopia safeguards its forest with a traditional, community-driven approach to conservation. Cutting down trees risks social exclusion, a powerful deterrent in Gedeo society.

Transcript

00:00As they proceed through the forest, the elders sing their praises to God Menego.

00:07They are giving thanks to the forest for their people's well-being and for the protection of the forest.

00:15In the Gedeo culture, the forest is revered like a human life.

00:19According to our traditional law, not a single tree can be felled without prior community consultation and consent

00:25or without planting new saplings for each tree that's cut down.

00:30The elders pay a visit to every family in the forest.

00:34In Gedeo culture, coffee is a symbol of hospitality and respect.

00:38The visitors get the family's latest news, but they also inquire whether there have been any unusual happenings,

00:46for example, if there has been any illegal logging nearby.

00:52If there is anyone felling trees and violating this order, he has to go before the assembly of elders called Songo,

01:03and he is advised not to bring hunger on us by cutting down the trees.

01:07The Gedeo people are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia.

01:14Up to 1.5 million people are estimated to live on an area some 1,200 square kilometers,

01:21which make it one of the most densely populated regions of the country.

01:26Large parts of the Gedeo zone, as it's called, are forested areas, which are conserved by traditional knowledge and practices.

01:34The Gedeo people's spiritual connection with nature dates back to prehistoric times.

01:39Located on their territory is Odola-Galma rock.

01:43Its animal depictions, which probably represent cattle, are about 3,000 years old.

01:50Large standing stones symbolize fertility and growth.

01:55They play an important role in community ceremonies. Some also mark graves.

02:00Wood that's been illegally logged, chopped down for firewood, and forest cleared to create new fields.

02:08Neither can be completely prevented, even though the Gedeo community's punishments are draconian.

02:16If he does not change his ways or accept advice from elders, he will be punished with social sanctions.

02:22The whole community punishes him by excluding him from social events.

02:27Gedeo-style forest conservation doesn't just work due to social pressure, but also because of sustainable agriculture.

02:35Farmer Yitagusu Tesfaye and his family live in the middle of the forest.

02:41Here they cultivate Yirgacheffe coffee, which is hailed as one of the best coffees in the world.

02:47Papaya and sugar cane also thrive here.

02:50Growing several different types of plants together helps preserve the fertility of the soil and cut the risk of soil erosion.

02:58The forest always comes first.

03:04We, the Gedeo community, before we do agricultural work in the forest,

03:11we make sure that the condition of the forest is protected.

03:19A small colony of bees produces honey. It's another source of income for the family.

03:24Many people here earn their living like this.

03:28The total productivity of the area is very high.

03:31This is the secret of this amount of people living here in a sustainable manner.

03:38In 2023, UNESCO made the Gedeo cultural landscape a World Heritage Site in recognition of the people's ancient agroforestry practices.

03:47These customs are derived from the community's great respect for nature that they hold sacred.

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