article · Heliyon
Non-formal environmental education delivered through project-based learning can equip rural communities with critical capabilities and knowledge. An evaluation of community initiatives in Ethiopia shows that such programmes effectively support out-of-school youth and adults, many of whom had no prior literacy. Local development organisations mobilised participants through awareness campaigns, delivering technical skills through workshops, training, and experience sharing. Greening campaigns proved vital to sustaining rural livelihoods. Although implementation faced several obstacles, the knowledge gained enabled community members to improve local environmental quality, farming techniques, and living standards. The findings indicate that grounding community development initiatives in project-based environmental education strengthens agency and improves environmental performance across rural settings.
Rural development initiatives often struggle to engage populations with low literacy levels. Demonstrating that project-based environmental education successfully imparts practical farming and conservation skills offers development practitioners and policymakers an effective, tested framework. This approach empowers vulnerable groups to actively participate in addressing environmental challenges while improving their own economic and food security.
The abstract does not indicate a direct pathway for technology commercialisation or product development. Instead, it describes applied community training models and knowledge management strategies for non-governmental organisations, development agencies, and rural extension services seeking to improve agricultural practices and environmental management.
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This study examined non-formal Environmental Education (EE) is employed in interventions aimed at empowering rural society in Ethiopia. The study focused on a relatively less explored area of how non-formal EE in the form of project-based learning and how it was used to equip the community with skills and knowledge. Using qualitative data collection methods and thematic analysis was employed as an analytical strategy, the study produced evidence of the importance of community programs to out-of-school youths and adults in the acquisition of fundamental skills and knowledge. Greening campaigns were found to be essential in sustaining the lives of the rural communities. As demonstrated in the study, community projects aimed at enhancing learning are in sync with theory of project-based learning. Assisted by relevant conceptualization, the organization which motivated this study, develops insights for knowledge management for further implementation strategies. Its major focus is on empowering poor communities and their institutions by ensuring environmental security and livelihoods. As crucial stakeholders, communities received knowledge and technical skills through experience sharing, training, and workshops. Findings further indicated that most of the project community members were illiterate prior to their engagement in the project activities, which demonstrated that they needed to acquire basic knowledge and skills enact agency. Many community members became part of the project because of the mobilization and awareness creation campaign by the local development organization. However, there have been several roadblocks to the implementation of the community projects. But most importantly the study shows, skills and knowledge imparted through EE were important to implement community projects, helping to enhance community participation in raising environmental quality, thereby improving environmental performance, farming methods, and livelihood situations. We suggest project-based learning be used as a tool for community empowerment initiatives aimed at responding to environmental problems.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09127
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