Urban Green Space Planning, Policy Implementation, and Challenges: The Case of Addis Ababa

Urban forestry and green spaces have less priority in urban planning. This research intends to assess the policy and planning of urban green spaces with their potential implementation status and challenges in planning and implementation. The general objective is to assess urban green space planning, policy, and implementation strategies and challenges encountered in Addis Ababa. The primary data was collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and field observation; secondary data from a literature review along with examining policy and masterplans of Addis Ababa has been used. The mapping of stakeholder and institutional arrangements is analyzed using stakeholders’ consultation. Triangulation is used for data validation and analysis. Existing policy and proclamations must be supported by legislative regulations and implementation frameworks that provide the basis for concrete action plans. The incentives stipulated by the forest policy are not implemented to the required level. The 10th masterplan of the city (2017–2027) shows that the city will increase its green area development and public recreation coverage to 30% by 2020. Principles, such as multi-functionality, connectivity, green-grey interaction, and social inclusiveness, are considered in the planning of the green space development in the 10th masterplan. The research concludes that regulations and directives are not clearly drafted by responsible bodies, and low enforcement is hardly applied with respect to the green space development of Addis Ababa.Peer Reviewe

Contribution of Dry Forests and Forest Products to Climate Change Adaptation in Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Despite their ecological importance, dry forests’ contribution to climate change adaptation is often neglected. Hence, this study was initiated to assess the socioeconomic contribution of dry forests to climate change adaptation in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. A mixed quantitative and qualitative research design was used to examine the role of dry forests in climate change adaptation. Household questionnaire survey, key informants, and a focus group discussion were used to collect data. The results indicated that 94% of all households visited a dry forest at least once a month to access the forest and forest products. While the dry forest income level varied significantly (p < 0.05), the overall dry forest income level contributed to 16.8% of the total household income. Dry forest income enabled the reduction of the area between the line of equality and the Lorenz curve by 21% in dry evergreen Afromontane Forest users, by 3.02% in Combretum–Terminalia woodland users, and by 3% in Acacia–Commiphora woodland users. Gender, occupation, wealth status, and distance from the forest to their homes are all factors that significantly affected Combretum–Terminalia woodland users’ income level. Among Acacia–Commiphora woodland users, the respondents’ age influenced the dry forest income level, whereas, among dry evergreen Afromontane Forest users, the family size of the household influenced the dry forest income level. The findings of this study could help policy makers understand the crucial role of dry forest income in the livelihood of the community and in climate change adaptation. Policymakers could reduce the pressure on dry forests by introducing policies that recognize the role of dry forest income in reducing poverty and income inequality and by establishing farmer cooperation in commercializing the non-timber forest products which support the long-term coping and adaptation strategy. Further research is needed to understand the increasing role of dry forest products in climate change adaptation over time and its contribution to the national economy at large

Experimental evaluation of a passive indirect solar dryer for agricultural products in Central Mozambique

ABSTRACT: Post-harvest losses are one of the major livelihood challenges for farmers in the Global South. The use of drying technologies to preserve agricultural products has been promoted as a particular solution to address this challenge. In this regard, we designed and tested a passive indirect solar dryer for drying agricultural products as an alternative to open sun drying (OSD) in Gurue district, Central Mozambique, using amaranth leaves and maize. In addition, a sensorial analysis was conducted by randomly selecting a group of 60 adults who evaluated the texture, aroma and color of dried amaranth and maize grains. Compared to OSD, the passive indirect solar dryer reduced drying time and increased the thermal efficiency. Evaluation of sensory quality attributes showed that passive indirect solar drying outperforms OSD. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study evaluates the performance of a passive indirect solar dryer, a sustainable alternative to conventional food preservation technologies (e.g., refrigeration) that are not affordable to resource-constrained communities. The use of passive solar dryers, if carried out correctly, creates the possibility for poor rural households to safely store and increase shelf life of food. In addition, the acceptability of products dried in the passive indirect solar dryer is evaluated. Thus, the study also provides insights on passive solar dryer potential for preserving the quality of the final product