Ethio-Japan Partnership Seminar Proceeding - CRDA Ethiopia

experience through exchange visits to Borana where similar projects are beingimplemented. Elaborations to the intervention areas were given with the help ofpictures shared.Under the section of Environment protection and rehabilitation, Mr. Gizawshared that in order to minimize adverse effects and maximize benefits in thearid Karayu land all GTF’s projects considers grassroots knowledge and EIA asessential component. At this point he also mentioned his concern that ODA in itsfunding support doesn’t address, as criteria, the EIA which is the majorcomponent for environment protection. Continuing his presentation on‘environment’ he shared the following activities which GTF has spearheaded inthe area of Karayu:• GTF is the first NGO that has successful nursery site in the land of Karayu.• GTF is the first successful NGO thus far to distributes seedlings and followtheir status on the land of Karayu.• GTF is successful in preparing drought resistant & Multi – purposeseedlingsPictures of nursery sights, seedlings and afforestration - trees in the desert werealso presented to elaborate the above explanations.He further shared the foundation’s experience in using the Grassroots Grantfund from the Japanese government. In doing so the following were presented:Projects financed by Africa Rikai & Japan embassy• Establishment of pedagogical & environmental center• Enhancing girls education ( sponsorship support for girls)• Essay competition among pastoralist Karayu students• Construction of additional classrooms & provision of furniture,• Construction & provision of furniture for laboratory• Construction and provision of furniture for library• With these & other projects GTF benefited more than 1,156,878 pastoralpeople in the Karayu community14