The Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) (www.Africa.FSC.org) is launching the Interim Forest Stewardship Standard (IFSS) for Ethiopia today at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa. The standard is poised to strengthen Ethiopia’s forestry sector and provide access to niche global markets for certified forest products and increase the value of verified ecosystem services impact (Verified Impact) especially carbon, water, biodiversity, recreation, and culture.
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Verified Impact (formerly Ecosystem Services Claims) (http://apo-opa.co/4ggjQlh) is a process set up by FSC that monitors and improves the conservation of ecosystem services in forests. It helps businesses, governments, and forest managers access and share data about the impact of their forest management actions in FSC-certified forests.
The new FSC IFSS for Ethiopia, promotes responsible forest management through FSC certification and would strengthen the conservation of Ethiopia’s rich biodiversity. By conforming with the standard’s requirements, smallholders and communities can increase the benefits they generate from the forest resources they manage.
“For Ethiopia, this standard is more than a certification—it is a commitment to our shared future,” said Meseret Shiferaw, Certification Officer for FSC in Ethiopia. “With this milestone, Ethiopia is setting the stage to protect its precious resources while empowering communities and strengthening our economy. As our forests earn a place on the world stage, they bring with them stories of resilience, stewardship, and respect for nature’s bounty.”
FSC certification is a core steppingstone to align with the European Union (EU) Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), a legislation requiring companies to ensure their products are not linked to deforestation and forest degradation. This alignment, once applied by Ethiopian stakeholders using the FSC certification system allows their forest products including bamboo to compete on the growing market for sustainably sourced forest goods and other Non- Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as coffee, honey, and spices.
“The FSC-standard has a broader approach to address the gaps in social, economic, ecological, and environmental aspects in a participatory manner so that all the stakeholders would benefit at the end of the day,” said Dr. Yirgadu Mulatu, Senior Research Scientist, Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD).
The Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD) is an autonomous federal institution, established by the federal government of Ethiopia council of ministers. EFD was resulted by merging (the Ethiopian Environment and Forest Research Institute (EEFRI) and the Forestry sector from the then Environment, Forest and climate change commission).
Ethiopia boasts over 17 million hectares of forests comprised of moist and dry tropical Afromontane, woodlands and shrub lands, plantations (industrial and small-scale woodlots) and is home to two-thirds of Africa ‘s bamboo resources. This includes two species: the highland bamboo (Yushania alpina) and lowland bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica)– growing in both natural forests and on farms.
The country has set an ambitious climate target of restoring 15 million hectares of degraded forest lands by 2025 and aims to leverage these forest resources to become a middle-income nation by 2030.
“With the FSC-forest stewardship standard in place, we will maintain sustainable management of bamboo resources and ethical business practices,” said Dr. Tamirat Teshome Shibeshi-Head of Bamboo Development and Technology, Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD).
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)’s Forest Stewardship Standards (FSS) are a set of guidelines that ensure forests are managed in a way that is environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable. Read more (http://apo-opa.co/3Z7Ow0Q).
Embracing the new FSC standard for Ethiopia offers a lifeline for protecting these restored resources, promoting long-term environmental sustainability. This could create a pathway for the Ethiopian government, communities, the private sector, and development partners to unleash the potential of the country’s forest sector in general, and particularly the bamboo subsector. “This standard will enable unlocking the potential of bamboo to propel green economic development and green jobs to youth and women with associated environmental development, ‘’said Jayaraman Durai, Director Global Programmes, International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR). The International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) is an intergovernmental development organization that promotes environmentally sustainable development using bamboo and rattan.
Annah Agasha, FSC Coordinator for Eastern Africa at FSC, said this launch is monumental. “The approval of the IFSS for Ethiopia is a profound achievement, reflecting years of collaboration and shared vision. FSC Eastern Africa is committed to working with the Ethiopian government, communities, and partners to implement this standard across the relevant sectors. We owe tremendous gratitude to the Soil Association for leading the development process, the Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD), the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), Forests of the World (FoW), and the Ethio Wetlands and Natural Resources Association (EWNRA) for their unwavering support. Together, we are writing a new chapter for Ethiopia’s forests,” she added.
The IFSS for Ethiopia (English version) is available for download here: http://apo-opa.co/3Z7OwOo
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Forest Stewardship Council.
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Media contacts:
Frida Salim,
Marketing and Communications Specialist,
FSC Eastern Africa
f.salim@fsc.org
Israel Bionyi
Senior Regional Communication Manager,
FSC Africa
i.bionyi@fsc.org
FSC Africa
www.Africa.FSC.org
About FSC:
The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) is the world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution. FSC has over 30 years of experience in setting the gold standard for sustainable forest management around the world. FSC’s unique democratic standard-setting process enables forest owners, communities, and businesses to jointly make decisions on issues impacting forests today and in the future. This ensures inclusivity in finding the best solutions. Through our global standard, unrivaled stakeholder engagement, and support from businesses and NGOs, we are the world’s most credible solution for sustainable forest management; trusted to secure better outcomes for the markets, communities, and forests for today and future generations.
