Nature-based solutions for human and environmental resilience: the case of Dolo Ado and Bokolmayo districts, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

The Somali Region of Ethiopia is prone to climate-induced displacement and hosts the highest number of internally displaced people (IDPs) due to drought nationwide. Addressing the vulnerability of local communities (i.e., refugees, IDPs, and host communities in this study) to natural hazards, such as drought and floods as well as environmental (soil, vegetation) degradation, requires humanitarian and development strategies to reconcile life-saving objectives and environmental safeguarding. With this consideration, implementing nature-based solutions (NbS) could be one option to balance the objectives of life-saving and environmental management activities.

Therefore, the present study was conducted in the Dolo Ado and Bokolmayo districts, Somali Region, Ethiopia to: (i) identify NbS to address the vulnerability of refugees, IDPs, and host communities to natural hazards, and (ii) map potential areas for implementing the interventions. It used multiple methods, such as an inception workshop, reconnaissance surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and remote sensing techniques to collect and analyze data. In addition, it used two frameworks — the IUCN Global Standard for NbS and the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM) — to identify, design, and verify NbS.

The results suggest that the study area experienced significant landscape alteration in the last 15 years. Specifically, the increase in farmlands at the expense of forestland, grasslands, and shrublands reflects an evolving agricultural landscape that demands attention to sustainable practices. It is also detected that a considerable proportion (28%) of the land area is degraded, suggesting the need for targeted interventions, especially in grasslands and bare lands, to mitigate or at least reduce degradation risks and natural hazards such as drought and floods.

This study identified several context-specific NbS options, which can be classified as water harvesting measures, ecological restoration measures, agroforestry practices, and buffer zone management practices. The NbS vary in cost, trajectory, and specific economic and social outcomes. Most of the NbS were found to be economically viable, environmentally friendly, and socially acceptable. Existing favorable policies and frameworks, active participation of stakeholders in humanitarian and resilience-building activities, enormous government interest, and the possibilities of establishing early warning systems in refugees, IDPs, and host communities can be considered as opportunities for wider implementation of NbS. We offered key recommendations for future actions in the areas of coordination and active participation of stakeholders, capacity building and learning, natural resources management, empowerment of local communities, enforcement of existing policies, the use of adaptive management tools and approaches, and financing mechanisms of NbS. Overall, the study underscores the importance of integrated NbS tailored to local environmental conditions and socioeconomic contexts to better address societal challenges, such as drought and flood.

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