Ethiopia
A proud history of culture and diversity, a future at risk of crisis and change
Ethiopia stands at a critical crossroads. Once celebrated solely for its vibrant cultures, ancient heritage, and resilient communities, the country now faces escalating challenges -conflict, climate shocks, and widespread food insecurity are putting immense pressure on families and the land they depend on. Millions have been displaced, crops are failing, and livelihoods hang in the balance. Yet, amid the adversity, hope endures. Across the country, communities are determined to adapt, rebuild, and protect their future - rooted in strength, and ready for change.
Key challenges
Hunger and malnutrition remain critical concerns for many Ethiopians, as highlighted by the World Food Programme. These issues are worsened by ongoing conflict and extreme weather events, with 3 million people displaced due to the severe political, economic, and climate-related challenges.
A significant majority of Ethiopia’s population depends on agriculture, with the Food and Agriculture Organization estimating that an astonishing 85% of employed people work in the sector. This heavy reliance poses a major challenge, as much of the agriculture is rain-fed and highly vulnerable to an increasingly unpredictable climate.
Over half of Ethiopia's land is experiencing degradation, and according to Reuters, 11 million hectares of land are at risk of desertification (that's bigger than Portugal!). This threatens the lives of smallholder farmers who rely on land to make a living, and severely weakens Ethiopia’s ecosystems leading to a great loss of native species.
Melesse Berhanu, Ripple Effect Ethiopia Country Director
Our role in growing a resilient future for Ethiopia
Ripple Effect is working with Ethiopian communities to create sustainable, long-term change in the face of urgent hunger, conflict and climate challenges. Our programmes tackle these issues head-on: supporting farmers with climate-smart agriculture and livestock practices that boost nutrition and income, restoring degraded land through integrated natural resource management, and improving access to water and sanitation.
By including and empowering women, youth, and vulnerable groups, we’re not only addressing immediate needs but also strengthening community resilience for the future. This is how we’re helping to regenerate land, rebuild livelihoods, and fight hunger - with sustainable solutions, one community at a time.
Current projects:
- Responsible Carbon Sequestration - Wolaita zone - 2025-2028
- Dairy for Nutrition & Income (phase II) - Wolaita zone - 2023-2027
- Resilient and Empowered Women and Girls (phase II) - Bensa district - 2024-2027
- Wonchi Improved Nutrition and Income - Wonchi district - 2022-2025
- Working Animal Welfare and Household Livelihood Development - Wonchi district - 2024-2025
- Wonchi Equine Welfare for Livelihood Development - Wonchi district - 2023-2025
- Scaling Innovations for Reduced and Redistributed Women's Unpaid Work - Bayra Koysha district - 2024-2027
This project, funded by Riverford Organic Farmers, focuses on offsetting carbon while feeding communities. Avocado, mango and apple trees will be planted in various kebeles in Wolaita, sequestring over 20,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in their first 15 years.
This project has been extended thanks to its previous success. The project is monitored and supported by our local delivery partner, the Terepeza Development Association, and carbon sequestration is verified by UK-based Climate Stewards.
In the coffee-growing areas of Bensa district, smallholder farming families face serious levels of hunger, poverty and vulnerability to climate shocks. Women and girls are particularly affected by these challenges, but due to traditional gender norms and socio-cultural barriers they lack access to skills and opportunities to improve their situation. Funded by The Starbucks Foundation, this project will empower women and girls in improving their own wellbeing and build a brighter future for their families and communities through:
- Improved gender relations and women’s leadership
- Families producing safe and nutritious food using climate-smart practices
- Diverse and sustainable income sources for families to build economic resiliency
- Sustainable community structures which deliver development benefits for all
Funded by Guernsey Overseas Aid and Samworth Foundation, this project located in Wonchi aimes to increase families’ access to nutritious food, and improve community access to saving and credit systems and formal financial services.
Farmers are being trained in sustainable farming practices, gender and social inclusion, water sanitation an hygiene, and enterprise development.
Ethiopia has the largest working animal population in Africa. However, the welfare of working animals often receives inadequate attention due to a limited understanding and knowledge gap among owners regarding proper handling, management, and sustainable feed. These factors contribute to the overall poor health and wellbeing of livestock.
We are committed to improving human, animal and environmental health, which are interconnected. This project, funded by SPANA, works with communities to support them in learning how to take good care of their animals for:
- Improved welfare and management of working animals
- Improved food security and diversified income streams for working animal owners
Equines play an important role in the socioeconomic structure of Dawro zone in Southwest region, contributing significantly to rural families' lives. They are used by local communities for a variety of purposes, including human transportation, construction materials, water carriage, and crop production, as well as agricultural operations like as traction and tilling. However, the community's understanding of equine welfare has been limited. Funded by Brooke, equine welfare specialists, this project continues previous successes in working with communities to take better care of their horses and donkeys. This will benefit equines' wellbeing, and owners' livelihoods.
Funded by IDRC, this project seeks to lighten women’s workload and contribute to shifting gender norms towards a more equitable division of unpaid care responsibilities. Women and girls conduct a disproportionate share of unpaid care work in their households (World Bank 2014 estimates 16 hours per day) – this limits their ability to participate in income generating activities such as livestock rearing. Our approach leans into social and gender work with households and communities to shift perspectives, and in the integration of technologies to help reduce women's unpaid workloads. This will empower women to make decisions with regards to the source of their family's income and benefit from improvements as much as the rest of their family.
Our partners
With the vital support of our funding partners, and in close collaboration with local communities, government bodies, and grassroots organisations, we’re delivering programmes that make a lasting difference. We also work with respected research partners, such as the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), to ensure our approaches are evidence-based and effective. Together, these partnerships enable us to scale our impact, reach the most vulnerable, and build a more resilient and food-secure future for Ethiopia.
Our current projects are funded by:
Get in touch
Office address:
SA Building, 7th floor
Kazanchis, Menelik II Avenue (between Eilly International Hotle and ECA)
P.O BOX 19453
Addis Abeba
Ethiopia
Tel: +251-116-477233/34
Email: ethiopia@rippleeffect.org
More about our work in Ethiopia...
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