ABSTRACT
In the face of growing population pressures and a decline in cultivable area, farmers of the Harerge Highlands in Ethiopia have become increasingly reliant on a unique set of soil and water conservation (SWC) techniques. These techniques enable them to exploit local resources sustainably and to survive in their rugged terrain. However, owing to perceptions that the area is exposed to a high risk of land degradation, the Harerge Highlands have been targeted by outside donor and government agencies for assistance with large-scale SWC programmes. As we argue in this paper, project interventions often fail to address the diversity of local circumstances and needs, and can undermine the flexibility of traditional approaches to Swc.
