ORDA Ethiopia’s Land for Life Project Stakeholder’s Regional Conference is held in Bahir Dar City.

ORDA Ethiopia’s Land for Life Project is being implemented in two selected woredas of the Amhara Region; Debre Elias and Wenberma woredas, in partnership with its longtime partner, Welthungerhilfe, with financial support from GIZ. The project is playing an important role by establishing a multi-actor forum at the regional level, and at the woreda and kebele level, a Community, Investor and Government Forum (CIGF) in order to achieve fair use of land and solve problems, and resolve land use and ownership issues through mediation without going to court.

The project regional stakeholders’ conference is held in Bahir Dar city on 27 March 2023. Including ORDA Ethiopia’s executive directors, higher regional government officials, investors, representatives of civil society organizations, zonal and woreda level land administration heads and experts, vulnerable groups from target woredas coordinators of donors and other stakeholders have participated in the regional conference.

The Executive director of ORDA Ethiopia Alemayehu Wassie (Ph.D.) on his conference opening speech said that land is not expandable for additional population, and what should be done is using properly. Thus, in order to have effective land administration and land use, different stakeholders and individuals should contribute their role accordingly, the director said. The executive director also added that by identifying problems, it is better to solve problems which are created in relation to investment and challenges for the farmers due to investment. On this regard, “Land for Life” project has been implemented by ORDA Ethiopia with its stakeholders organizations in East Gojam zone Debre Elias and West Gojam zone Wonberma woredas by considering investment on land, land administration and use and other land related issues, said the executive director. Furthermore, Dr. Alemayehu explained that in target woredas of the project, vulnerable groups and other individuals who lost their land tenure right and land use right have got the right to use their land and get land tenure rights due to the project.

The honored guest of the conference, and the Head of Amhara Region Industry and Investment Bureau Ato Endris Abidu said that Land is a base for any development and it should be used properly. Furthermore, such kinds of projects play a vital role to create good relation between the investors and the farmers during investment and investors should invest by prioritizing the benefits of the farmers, said Ato Endris.

On the conference, it was explained that Multi Actor Partnership /MAP/ has been organized by having 14 members from various organizations so as to make the project effective and sustainable.