The study was conducted in Dallo Mana and Dodola districts, southeastern Ethiopia with the objectives to i) assess existing opportunities to establish Community-based MRV (CBMRV) and ii) examine factors that determine the participation of rural communities in CBMRV. A total of 154 sampled households had been interviewed and secondary data were obtained through a review of relevant literature. The study identified that 27.9% of sampled households were participating in forest patrolling, 1.3% of the respondents could take GPS readings and 12.3% of the respondents could record both illegal actions and forest development activities including regeneration status. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that sex (p=.049), MRV know-how (p=.000), awareness of climate change and REDD+ (p=.019) and MRV training (p=.042) were factors affecting local community participation in CBMRV significantly. As a result of the REDD+ initiative and capacity-building actions by this project, communities of Bale Eco-region were practicing CBMRV activities. However, capacity of local communities to undertake CBMRV should be enhanced; particularly local communities should be trained on the skills needed to undertake CBMRV. Besides, appropriate technologies and lessons from other areas should be considered and adopted. Fair benefit sharing from forest carbon sales and other sources should also be created because the current study indicated that the income source for sampled households was limited to crop production.

Keywords: Community-based MRV; Incentive; Opportunities and Challenges; Participatory Forest Management; REDD+