The Role of Forest Ecosystems for Carbon Sequestration and Poverty Alleviation in Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective of the review was to examine and document the contributions of forests in Ethiopia to both climate change mitigation and poverty alleviation. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, encompassing several research articles from reputable journals and international report papers. The findings of the review reveal that Chilimo-Gaji forest exhibited the highest levels of above- and belowground biomass carbon sequestration, while the Egdu forest area demonstrated the highest soil organic carbon content. The variations in carbon sequestration capacity among forest areas can be attributed to several factors, including forest density, variation in diameter at breast height (DBH) among trees, tree height classes, altitude, slope, and aspect, which significantly influence carbon concentration. Furthermore, discrepancies in the application of allometric models to estimate forest biomass also contribute to these variations. In addition to their role in climate change mitigation, forests play an invaluable role in poverty alleviation, particularly in developing countries. Ethiopia has implemented various afforestation strategies to enhance the contribution of forest ecosystems to climate change mitigation and poverty alleviation.