In the Ziway-Shalla landscape of Ethiopia, building resilient wetlands is going beyond restoring individual sites. Wetlands 4 Resilience (W4R) is working to strengthen the systems, institutions, and local capacities that can sustain wetland management and climate resilience over the long term.

The approach is recognising that the health of wetlands is closely connected to what is happening across the surrounding landscape. Farming practices, soil erosion, water management, and the capacity of local institutions and communities are all influencing the resilience of the wetland system.

W4R is therefore bringing these different elements together, from strengthening agricultural practices and restoring watersheds to improving institutional capacity and creating new opportunities for community-led investment.

Strengthening climate-adapted agriculture

Agriculture is playing an important role in the relationship between communities and wetlands. As climate pressures increase, farmers are needing approaches that can maintain productivity while protecting the natural resources on which their livelihoods depend.

W4R is supporting the uptake of Ecological Organic Agriculture and climate-adapted farming practices through existing institutions. Twenty-seven government and private-sector representatives have been trained in Ecological Organic Agriculture, with their knowledge scores increasing from 58% to 96%.

The initiative is also working directly with farmers and agricultural extension actors. One hundred model farmers and extension actors have been trained in soil fertility management, vermicomposting and integrated pest management.

By building knowledge among institutions, extension actors and farmers, W4R is helping create a stronger foundation for agricultural practices that are better adapted to changing environmental conditions.

Protecting the landscape around the wetlands

Wetland resilience is not stopping at the edge of a wetland.

The Swati and Lenchota watersheds are feeding into the wider Ziway-Shalla wetland system, meaning activities taking place within these watersheds are also influencing the condition of the wetlands downstream.

Communities are establishing 9.6 kilometres of new soil and water conservation structures, alongside 5,503 plantation pits and 1,400 micro-basins. These measures are helping reduce erosion and runoff while supporting agricultural landscapes that are becoming more resilient to climate pressures.

The work is demonstrating the importance of looking at wetlands as part of a wider landscape rather than as isolated ecosystems.

Investing in communities

W4R is also taking a different approach to supporting community-led restoration through performance-based community finance.

Five community-based organisations have received seed capital after their restoration work was verified. This approach is connecting financial support with demonstrated action, encouraging communities to invest in activities that are improving their local landscapes.

But providing funding is only one part of building sustainable community organisations. Eighteen executive members of community-based organisations have also been trained in governance, financial management and marketing.

These skills are helping organisations strengthen their ability to manage investments, make informed decisions and sustain their activities over time.

Building resilience beyond the project

The work in Ziway-Shalla is highlighting an important lesson: wetland resilience is depending on more than restoration activities alone.

It is also depending on whether communities have the knowledge to manage their natural resources, whether institutions have the capacity to support sustainable practices and whether local organisations have the financial and organisational systems needed to continue their work.

By connecting climate-adapted agriculture, watershed restoration, institutional capacity-building and community finance, W4R is addressing these different dimensions together.

Creating a foundation for long-term resilience

The changes taking place in the Ziway-Shalla landscape are contributing to a broader approach to wetland resilience—one that is placing communities and institutions at the centre of long-term environmental management.

Through improved agricultural practices, strengthened watersheds and greater community capacity, W4R is helping create conditions in which restoration efforts can continue delivering benefits beyond individual interventions and project cycles.

Ultimately, building resilient wetlands is also about building resilient communities and systems. In Ziway-Shalla, W4R is demonstrating how investing in knowledge, local institutions, sustainable agriculture and community-led finance can help create the foundations for wetlands and the people who depend on them to thrive over the long