There are numerous ways in which the Ethiopian government can improve its conservation- and protected-area program. Some of the more important solutions include abandoning its exclusionary protected-area policy and adopting a community-based protection-area strategy (Jacobs and Schloeder, 1993; MoA, 1993). Training at all institutional levels, and the recruitment of qualified and experienced personnel, are important as well. The need for in-depth research to understand the extent of Ethiopia's wildlife and plant resources, and the issues that concern them (e.g., quality, quantity, distribution, and habitat requirements), cannot be overstated (Ståhl and Wood, 1989; IUCN, 1990; EFAP, 1991; SIDA, 1991; Ethiopian Government, 1992; Hillman, 1993a; Jacobs and Schloeder, 1993; MoA, 1993; MoNRDEP, 1995; EU, 1998). Hillman (1993a) also has suggested revising existing conservation- and wildlife-legislation policies and bylaws and promoting public awareness of Ethiopia's conservation challenges. The following highlights some of the more essential solutions.
Legislation and Institutional Solutions
Legislative and institutional solutions include (Hillman, 1993a; Jacobs and Schloeder, 1993):
For the purpose of establishing a clear definition of wildlife, the managing authorities' responsibilities, and to ensure legal protection of all wildlife, protected areas, and their assets.
This was of particular importance with respect to the Awash National Park, as it facilitated an understanding of the challenges facing this protected area, in addition to the specific social, economic, and political problems plaguing the Kereyu and Ittu. The means of gaining this understanding came as a variety of quantitative and qualitative data were being analyzed in the context of the larger cultural, social, economic, political, and environmental landscape. The data were derived from numerous investigations, including social surveys, wildlife and vegetation surveys, grazing experiments, aerial photography, and satellite imagery. The results then were supplemented with information obtained during meetings with government organizations and NGOs, and from documents (published and unpublished) and interviews with park staff and local people.
Decentralization of Conservation and Protected-Authority and Assets
Hillman (1993a) proposed decentralization of Ethiopia's conservation-and protected-area program as an important management solutions. Furthermore, he suggested that Ethiopia employ indigenous people, when appropriate, to work in the country's protected areas. While decentralization already has taken place (see Text Box 2), most of the personnel working in the regions are not necessarily indigenous to the place where they work or the protected areas for which they are responsible. Additionally, current regional personnel are former EWCO employees, which does not necessarily endear them to the local populace any more than when they worked for the EWCO.
Development, Finance, and Training
No solution presented here will be viable over the long run without significant and sustainable economic growth and development throughout the country. Furthermore, the provision of adequate funding of all conservation- and protected-area programs is imperative to the success of any program in Ethiopia, as is the retention of earnings by a protected area, the region, and the EWCO (e.g., wildlife farming, tourism, etc.). Adequate funding, whether it comes from the government or the donor community, would enable an increase in manpower and salaries, provide for repairs, improvements, new developments, and training.
Training particularly is essential to improve personnel skills at all government levels, in administration, supervision, management, technical fields, research, and conservation. Likewise, it is key to increase Ethiopia's participatory organization capacity. This could be accomplished somewhat by the adoption of a wildlife curriculum at Addis Ababa University, and, to a greater extent, by training overseas. In the interim, the recruitment of qualified and experienced personnel serves as a short-term solution and a means of providing on-site training.
Increasing Tourism and Education
Increasing tourism also is of importance to in-situ conservation in that it brings revenue to the community and area while establishing an interest in resources. This would require developments and improvements in infrastructure throughout Ethiopia, in addition to what is needed in Ethiopia's protected areas. Additionally, conservation education is of utmost importance because without it, many will remain naive to its benefits and ways in which they can participate. Both of these measures would require a substantial investment of funds and expertise in order to succeed, however, in addition to community involvement.
Specific Protected-Area Solutions
Another essential solution to successful conservation of Ethiopia's protected areas is the adoption of legislation that would enable local communities to participate in the development of protected area management strategies and their implementation (Hillman, 1993a; MoNRDEP, 1995). Community participation not only would facilitate an understanding of the residents' needs, but also would involve them in obtaining solutions by recognizing their capabilities. It also would guarantee the provision of tangible benefits, both directly and indirectly. Community involvement in conservation will not be possible in Ethiopia, however, without the transfer of land rights and security of tenure (MoA, 1993). Without these, the indigenous and resident peoples of Ethiopia have no way of controlling access or use of their land, little negotiating power, and no security.
Acknowledgment of indigenous peoples' rights also requires recognition and acceptance of IUCN conservation-area descriptions and guidelines as being impractical for countries like Ethiopia, given the current level of resource dependency. Along these same lines, national and expatriate conservationists in Ethiopia must be willing to accept community involvement in the management of Ethiopia's protected areas, be adaptive when required, and be supportive of bans on forced resettlement. This last solution is important as it recognizes that forced resettlement of indigenous people is a violation of their rights (Turton, 1987). It also serves to recognize the role that indigenous people play in the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity (Western, 1982; Sandford, 1983; Enghoff, 1990; Jacobs and Schloeder, 1993).
In the event that indigenous people do obtain land rights and security, and the right to participate in the development of protected-area management strategies, the following would be required to ensure the success of any protected area program: