An opinion note on population growth and land degradation in Ethiopia

Population pressure is the most important underlying cause of land degradation in Ethiopia. While large-scale investments have been made for landscape restoration over years and commendable results are achieved, implementation of the national population policy has been unsatisfactory and the population has continued to grow fast. This challenge needs to be addressed if Ethiopia is to achieve environmental sustainability and socioeconomic development. This opinion note argues that the ongoing landscape restoration initiatives can be used as an effective platform to integrate and promote voluntary use of family planning and reproductive health services, because it is community-based, well-funded, participatory, and inclusive. Women are already key actors in the landscape restoration activities including representation in community leadership positions. This will facilitate buy-in and ownership of family planning and reproductive health services by enhancing community awareness and women’s empowerment to exercise their reproductive health rights if delivered as a component of the already established participatory landscape restoration activities implemented by co-leadership of community institutions.