The certification, awarded to Angeo Kola PFM Cooperative in Kafa Zone, covers 1,040 hectares of highland bamboo forest. Angelo Kola PFM is the first organization to apply the FSC Interim Forest Stewardship Standard (IFSS) of Ethiopia in 2024.
This achievement marks a new beginning for community-managed forests which can now use FSC as a tool to show the value of their forest management efforts to nature, people and the local economy as well as access timber markets and sustainability credit markets.
For the country, this achievement proves that local stewardship, built over time, can meet international standards and unlock new opportunities. For years, participatory forest management has played a central role in how forests are conserved and used in Ethiopia.
Angeo Kola is one of the community cooperatives that has not only adopted the participatory, community-based forest management approach practiced in the country but has also demonstrated a strong commitment to higher standards and responsible management.
FSC certification comes as a recognition of that long -standing effort and creates a pathway for their bamboo products to reach markets that increasingly demand proof of sustainable sourcing.
“This recognition means a lot to our community,” said a Tesfaye Enkusilasie, Group Manager at Angeo Kola PFM Cooperative.
“We have always depended on this forest, and now we have a way to manage it responsibly while also improving our livelihoods.” Unlocking the potential of bamboo Bamboo has long been one of Ethiopia’s most abundant and promising forest resources.
Yet its role in formal markets has remained limited. This certification begins to change that. It positions Ethiopian bamboo as a credible, responsibly sourced material and creates a stronger foundation for value chain development. It also reinforces bamboo’s role in supporting livelihoods, strengthening local economies, and contributing to climate-resilient development.
Biruk Kebede, Acting Director, East Africa Regional Office, International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), added: “Bamboo has enormous potential to support sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, and green economic growth in Ethiopia and across Africa. This certification demonstrates how responsible management and internationally recognized standards can help strengthen sustainable bamboo value chains while creating new opportunities for communities and markets alike.”
The achievement comes at a critical moment for Ethiopia’s forest sector, with Ethiopian Forestry Department (EFD), working to bring more forests under FSC certification. As the country advances its Green Legacy Initiative, which aims to plant over 7 billion indigenous trees, the government is seeking to bring more forest areas under certification to demonstrate their value and sustainability.
H.E. Ato Kebede Yimam, Director General of the Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD), said: “This certification is an important milestone for Ethiopia’s forestry sector and demonstrates the growing potential for responsible forest management within community-based systems. It shows that Ethiopia’s forests can meet internationally recognized sustainability standards while creating economic opportunities for local communities and supporting the country’s long-term restoration and green development ambitions.”
What this certification shows is that the standard is already delivering in practice. It demonstrates that FSC requirements are not only understood but workable within community-based systems. More importantly, it shows that certification is not out of reach. With the right structure and support, communities can meet these standards and take part in responsible supply chains.
As Meseret Shiferaw, Certification Officer for Ethiopia, explains, “This certification is an important step for Ethiopia. It shows that community forest management systems can meet FSC requirements, and it gives confidence to other groups who are now considering certification under the national standard.”
Reaching this milestone required steady work on the ground. Forest managers, community members, and local institutions strengthened governance systems, improved documentation, and prepared for independent assessment. At the same time, awareness around FSC requirements helped ensure that the process was understood and owned locally. This effort has done more than deliver a certificate.
It has built the systems needed for responsible forest management to continue over the long term. This is a starting point. The certification of Angeo Kola provides a practical example of how FSC can work in Ethiopia.
It offers a model that can be applied across other forest landscapes and products, from bamboo to forest coffee, honey, timber, and other non-timber forest products.
It also sends a clear message to the market. Ethiopia is building the systems needed to support credible, traceable, and responsibly sourced forest products.
For FSC in Africa, this is what progress looks like. Real work on the ground, led by communities, and connected to a wider shift toward sustainable supply chains.