Abstract:
The Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiativ:
is an initiative on the economic benefits of land
an land-based ecosystems. The initiative highlights
the value of sustainable land management
a n : provides a global approach for analysis of the
economics of land degradation. This report summarizes
the findings of a case study of the ELD Initia
ive in Ethiopia. The case study was commissioned
by GIZ and carried out by the Centre for
Development and Environment (CDE) and the
Water and Land Resource Centre (WLRC) from January
to July 2014.
Ethiopia is known for its historic agriculture, but
also for the associated, widespread, and on-going
lane degradation. The older agricultural areas of
the northeast have long been particularly affected,
but the highest soil erosion rates are currently
being observed in the western parts of the highlands.
The processes of soil erosion and measures to
reduce it have been researched extensively in Ethiopi:
since the 1970s; research activities include
lonc-term monitoring of catchments and experiments
of various spatial extents. On this basis of
understanding and data availability, Ethiopia
offe-ed a unigue setting for an ELD case study.
