The Place

The area is part of the two administrative districts of Adaba and Dodola in the West Arsi Zone (part of former Bale Zone) of the Regional State of Oromia. The combined population of both districts is about 200,000. The district capitals of Adaba and Dodola have 15,000 and 20,000 inhabitants respectively. The ethnicity of the population is Oromo and predominantly Muslim.

Farming has attracted most of the rural population to the level cropping areas facing the forested mountain ranges. Cropping has replaced the former livelihood system of pastoral livestock herding. Farmers grow wheat, barley, maize, linseed and faba beans, as well as the cereal teff, which is used to prepare injera, the staple food in many areas.

In the forest itself, there are about 4,000 scattered homesteads. For them, cattle, sheep and goats continue to provide the major basis of subsistence. Horses are the major means of transport. Donkeys are widely used in the plains, but the chilly and moist highlands are only suitable for horses. Honey production is an important sideline activity in the forests. More and more fields are being opened up in the forest. This is partly due to the ever-increasing population density. A stronger motive is the intention to claim ownership of land in the forest, which is considered to be ownerless although it is a District Forest Priority Area belonging to the Districts of Adaba and Dodola.