Best practices on Development and Utilization of Acacia decurrens in Fagta Lekoma district, Awi zone, Amhara region

Tree biomass is one of the main energy sources widely used in Ethiopia in the form of fuel wood and charcoal. In addition to naturally existing forests/vegetation, establishment of plantation forest has been promoted for long to provide sustainable biomass energy sources. The existing forest policy and strategy and the revised forest proclamation of the 2018 ensures the sustainable development, conservation and utilization of forests fostering to maximize its economic, social and environmental contribution. Hence, the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission (EFCCC) is working on increasing the area coverage of plantation forests to enhance the supply of forest products, including for biomass energy supply. According to the recent estimation of forest resource mapping and regional reports, there is nearly one million hectare of plantation forest and the majority of these plantations are found in Amhara national regional state. These plantations are owned by small holder farmers as wood lots, community and state forests mainly administered by Amhara forest enterprise. Therefore, Amahara regional state has a huge potential for establishing commercial plantations for the supply of industrial and non-industrial forest products. Eucalyptus is the dominant plantation species in the region and largely established by small holders as wood lots and community providing forest products that are widely used locally and exported to Sudan¿s market for construction material.