Impact of Forest Landscape Restoration on livelihoods of rural households: A case study from Sodo District, Central Ethiopia

Ethiopia has pledged to restore 22 million ha of degraded and deforested lands by 2030. To this end, Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) efforts are underway. But empirical studies that critically evaluated the effectiveness of FLR in the country are scanty. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of FLR initiatives on rural households' livelihoods in Sodo district, Southern Central Ethiopia. A two-stage random sampling technique was used to draw 260 sample households (120 households from FLR participating and 140 households from non-FLR participating). Using a structured questionnaire, data on socio-demographic characteristics such as on household heads, household assets, access to credit, land size, household income and related expenditures were gathered. Besides formal survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, direct field observations, and review project documents and official reports were used to gather data. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique. The results showed that FLR participants are likely to gain higher total and crop income than non-FLR participants. The average off-farm income of FLR participants also increased by 10,252.4 ETB (200 USD). The number of beehives and the amount of honey produced was higher with FLR participants. FLR participants received more training and had better access to credit and engaged more in rearing sheep and poultry. In conclusion, to maximize impact on livelihoods, FLR initiatives should be combined with agricultural intensification and diversification as well as with business-oriented forest development activities.