“Restoration and conservation of globally endangered Cordeauxia
edulis woody species in the drylands of Ethiopia’s Somali Region”
Implemented by: Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI)

Presenter: Dese Yadeta Edesa
The SDM Project Coordinator and Focal Contact Point at EBI
29 January 2024

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Location of the project site - Ethiopia’s Somali Region

Bookh district
Somali Region

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SEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Ecosystems➢Drylands

Drylands➢Arid and semi-arid climates➢Grasslands and shrublands➢Acacia-Commiphora woodland
Acacia-Commiphora woodland

Grasslands and shrub lands

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SEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Livelihoods➢More than 85% of the local community is

Goats and Sheeppastoralist and the main their livelihood islivestock husbandry
Camels

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Cattle4

SEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Cordeauxia edulis (Yeheb)❖Cordeauxia edulis (Yeheb)➢A small tree/shrub endemic to Ethiopia and Somalia➢Drought-resilient and climate-smart wild crop➢Specific location in Ethiopia: found only in the Bookh
district of Somali Region bordering with Puntland
State of Somalia➢Altitudinal range: grows between 400 - 500m

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Cordeauxia edulis grows naturally on red sandy
soil- in dryland and multi-stemmed evergreen
5throught the year with low moistureSEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Cordeauxia edulis (Yeheb)❖Importance of Yeheb➢ 1. Food security and economic benefits to local pastoralists
o Most expensive wild crop next to coffee in Ethiopia
o 100kg = > 30,000 to 40,000 Ethiopian birr ≈ 500 to 700USD➢ 2. Medicinal purpose: traditionally local communities use Yeheb
seeds to treat:

Selling C.edulis seeds at Gambareey Village Center▪ gastric secretion (anti-inflammatory), diabetes,AIDS/HIV(improving immunity), bone elbow, improveendurance during sexual intercourse

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SEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Cordeauxia edulis (Yeheb)❖Importance of Yeheb (cont.)➢ 3. Construction materialso House, fences, etc
o Fuel wood
➢ 4. Fodder
o For livestock at dry time

Camels browsing C.edulis tree inGambareey Village
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A house & fence built of C.edulis
trees in Gambareey Village

7SEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Cordeauxia edulis (Yeheb)
Rest under the shade of Yeheb trees in
Gambareey Village while taking
inventory❖Importance of Yeheb (cont.)➢ 5. Ecological/ecosystem services
o Living spaces [shelter, and shade] for people, livestock andwildlife{birds, rodents,…}o Regulation - climate and heato Protect and control- flood, soil erosion, storm, and windo Soil formation and nutrient cycling (can fix Nitrogen (N2) )Rodents create holes and live
underneath Yeheb trees
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Camel resting in the shade of Yehebtrees in Gambareey Village
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SEPLS of Ethiopia’s Somali Region - Challenges❖Multiple combined threats to C.edulis:• Overexploitation• Overgrazing, prolonged drought• Habitat loss due to lack of integrated landscape management systems• Known in the wild- no adaptation trial in other ecologies• Restricted to a narrow geographic range• Open access-common resource• Lack of infrastructure & alternative livelihood❖Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species)

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Project objective and activities❖The overall objective of the project was to restore and conserve globally endangered
Cordeauxia edulis and associated habitats in the drylands of Ethiopia’s Somali Region❖Project Activities➢We applied a three-pronged approach (RAP):* Research-survey and make an inventory for mapping the distribution of existing
population, understanding the current conditions, etc.
* Action- capacity strengthening, awareness-raising, ins-situ conservation, tree planting* Partnerships – collaboration with stakeholders

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Project Results
1. Capacity strengthening was conducted➢ A two-day workshop was held with the participation ofstakeholders from various disciplines and professionals➢ At least 1,000 people attended workshop, capacity-building,and awareness raising➢ 2,000 households (> 8,000 families) benefiting from theproject➢ Proceeding of the workshop was submitted to IPSI
Participants of the workshop and capacity-building

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Project Results (cont.)➢ 2. Mapping Cordeauxia edulis➢ Research (Survey and inventory) was conducted➢ GIS maps were created for the designated area of OECMs, field gene bank and nursery Site

In-situ/OECMs map
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Field gene bank map

Nursery site map
12Project Results(cont.)➢ 3. In-situ conservation site/OECMs, Field gene bank, and Nursery establishment▪ 504 ha of a potential OECMs was established and uses as legally protected▪ OECMs brought under ecological restoration for policy support and uptake▪ MoU was signed to confirm the registration and official recognition by the government▪ MoU serve as a conservation law enforcement framework▪ Nursery was established and more than 170,000 seedlings of Yeheb were raised for the nextplantation▪ The project website was created (http://geo.portal.ebi.gov.et/sdm/activities/activities/)

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Project Results(cont.)➢ MoU was signed among EBI, Bookh district and Gambareey Village Administration➢ The MoU document was submitted to IPSI

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Lessons Learned➢ Lack of species action plans, research, public awareness, and landscape approaches are contributing
to biodiversity loss
➢ Integrating research, action, and partnerships - crucial for long-term biodiversity conservation goals➢ Financial support, Strengthening capacity and raising awareness - plays a critical role in halting andreversing biodiversity loss
➢ Livelihood diversification (economic or in-kind incentives) crucial to improve biodiversity loss andclimate change adaptation➢ Designing nature-based solutions (NbS) - crucial in ecological restoration and conservationinterventions

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Monitoring of the long‐term sustainability of the project
EBI will persist in its endeavors to conserve and monitor the project area
Research/reassessment (field surveys and inventories)

Participatory monitoring programs (citizen science)
Frequent communication with local governments
Strengthening institutional capacity and local communitiesUpdate information over time
Document lesson learned, share and disseminate

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Outreach & Communication• IPSI website https://sdm.satoyama-initiative.org/projects/2022_ethiopia/• Our Project website (http://geo.portal.ebi.gov.et/sdm/activities/) - data and information will beupdated• The project's outputs & lessons learned will be disseminated & communicated to stakeholders
through various communication platforms

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Message
Biodiversity is a shared resource that is everyone’s responsibility to protect and live in harmony
with nature
Nature does not have an own prosecutor, so we should act as its prosecutor
Contact address:• Email: dyebishoftu@gmail.com / dese.yadeta@ebi.gov.et• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dese-yadeta-edesa-275140107

Thank you very much for your attention!!

29 January 2024
Online
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