Punctuated by an intricate pattern of upland and downland terracing systems, the agricultural landscape of the Konso-Karata people in south-western Ethiopia constitutes a unique repertoire of the complex set of traditional soil conservation practices in this region and a significant example of indigenous knowledge for coping with environmental variability, population growth and climate change. All this, unfortunately, is rapidly disappearing due to profound changes in the labour market that generate gaps in the transmission of traditional knowledge.
This project aims to document the distinctive construction, maintenance and utilisation techniques of Konso-Karata’s stone and earth terraces. Through interviews, participatory observations, film footage and photographs, we will capture the material aspects as well as the linguistic, social and ritual dimensions related to the construction of the terraces and life around them. This is likely to help promote awareness and plan strategies for the preservation of a system of knowledge and technical skills that originated in the distant past and have been progressively refined over the centuries.
Principal Investigator:
Luisa Sernicola
Collaborator:
Alemseged Beldados Aleho
Research Assistant:
Fikadu Adegna
Location of Research:
Karata, Konso, Ethiopia
Host Institution:
ISMEO – The International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies, Italy
Top Banner Image: Terraced hills at Gamole, Konso-Karata Zone, 2022. Photo credit: Luisa Sernicola.