FAO/Italy/NGARA approach in

restoration of degraded lands in sub Saharan Africa: Lessons learnt from

Kenya and Niger

Meshack Muga (NPC Kenya) and Masharou Abdou (NPC Niger)

Acacia Operation Project: Regional project in six countries

Project supporting Food

Security, Fight against

Poverty and Soil

Degradation in six Gums

and Resins Producing

Countries (Burkina Faso,

Senegal, Chad, Sudan,

Niger and Kenya)

Why forest restoration actions are needed

• 41% of the earth land cover affected by

Desertification

• Some 70% percent of the 5.2 billion ha of dry

lands used for agriculture are already degraded

and threatened by desertification.

•Desertification directly affects 250 million people,

particularly in Africa where two-thirds of the

continent are dry lands and deserts.

•In Kenya, arid and semi-arid areas (ASALs) cover

about 80% of the total land surface;

•In Niger, ASALs cover 75% of the total land

surface;.

•The ASALs are prone to periodic droughts ,

deforestation and chronic desertification

Objectives

Long term and development objective

To contribute to sustainable development, food security,

poverty reduction and fight against desertification

through promotion and integration of gums and resins in

rural economies in Africa.

Immediate objective

To strengthen analytical and operational capacity of six

pilot countries to address food security and

desertification problems through the improvement of the

agro-silvo-pastoral systems and sustainable

development of gums and resin sectors

PROJECT COMPONENTS

1: Pilot project activities

2: Preparation of a 10-year Plan

3: Assistance to NGARA

Strategy/Approach

• Improve regional cooperation for gums and

resins producing countries

• Develop regional activities on training,

exchange of information and technology on

sustainable management of natural

resources

• Rehabilitation of arid and semiarid lands and

establishment of agro-silvo-pastoral systems

Key partners

Government

Project

ITALY/FAO

Local

Community

CTA NPC

Field Tech.

Team PMC

Government

Private sector

NGOs

Research institutions

Participatory Approach of the local community

• Identification of the sites by the Steering Committee

• Visit of the sites by the experts and consultation with local authority

• Community mobilisation by the Technical Team

• Preparation of intervention programme

Participatory approach of the local community

• Community meetings

• Carrying out Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Baseline socio-economic surveys

• Starting of field activities

Field activities

• Ploughing of

the selected

areas

• Training of

tractor

drivers and

technicians

on water

harvesting

technology

Mechanised Water harvesting

Section of micro basin created by the Delfino

plough

Volume of soil

removed and

calculated

superior to 1 m3

per micro basin

Planting

• Direct sowing of

seeds: Done in

selected areas

before the rainy

season

• Planting of

seedlings:

Carried out

during the rains

Project Results and Impacts in Kenya

• About 36.6 ha planted with A. senegal and agricultural crops in 4 sites in Marsabit and Samburu Districts.

• An additional 54 ha in the Southern rangelands ploughed and planted with Melia volkensii, Jatropha curcas, Mangifera indica and Agricultural crops (maize, cowpeas and sunflower).

Project Results and Impacts in Kenya

• Community members

and CBOs embraced

the project and

established their own

nurseries, small tree

farms and kitchen

gardens.

• Enhanced appreciation for

crop farming as an

alternative food security

option by pure pastoral

communities

1.

Régions Départements Superficies (ha) Vocation du site

Zinder Mirriah 400 Pastorale

Maradi Aguié 410 Agrosylvopastorale

Tahoua Madaoua 250 Sylvopastorale

Tillabery Say 205 SylvoPastorale

500 Agrosylvicole (Public et

privé)

Kollo 80 Sylvo-pastorale

220 Agropastorale

Plateau de Kouré 850 Restauration de la brousse

tigrée (Sylvopastorale)

Ouallam (Koné) 120 Agrosylvicole

TOTAL 3 035

+2 000 ha

PLCE/BN

Project Results and Impacts in

Niger

• Recovery of biodiversity as evidenced by the long list of herbaceous

inventoried in the various sites;

• An increase in biomass in the different study sites ranging from 523.38 kg/ha

and 952.38 kg/ha of dry matter;

• An increase in agricultural production (millet, sorghum and cowpea)

evaluated in Dan kada-Dodo

Project Results and Impacts in

Niger

Direct sowing of woody plants has yielded interesting results in terms of germination and survival rates evaluated three (3) months after germination and 1 year growth;

Seeding of palatable grasses may help control the spread of harmful invasive species such as Sida cordifolia;

Project Results and Impacts in

Niger

Global Project impact

• 7.500 ha of ploughed areas in 100 sites in the 6

countries for the establishment of agro-sylvo-

pastoral systems

• 2.400.000 seedlings planted and 2.000 ha planted

using direct seeding method

• 350.000 people living in rural areas under the

threshold of poverty involved in the project

• More than 3.5 million of people benefit in terms

of the production/marketing of gums and resins

Global Project impact

Capacity building

• More than 600 people from local community trained in agriculture production, nurseries management, forestry, fodder production and storage through study tours, local training and workshops.

Global Project impact

Capacity building

Establishment of focal points in 13 countries and strengthening of the NGARA network (exchange of information and publications)

Global Project impact

Market development

Establishment of National

Associations on gums and resins in each country to develop national policy on management of the resources and development of markets

• stakeholders of the sector

• shared benefits

• price stability

• market opportunity

• stabilization of the supply

• certification of exported products

Key constraints

Poverty, lack of

infrastructures,

water supply

Key constraints

Protection of

the sites:

• metallic or

vegetable

fences,

• watchmen

• community

Key constraints

Logistic for the use of

equipment:

diesel, spare parts, tyres, mobility

of the equipment etc.

Lessons Learnt

• Need for careful planning to avoid overstretching of project capacity

• Need to work fewer sites but larger areas for greater impact

• Need to use simpler equipment for intervention in small areas

• Improvement of equipment and spare parts

• Protection and management of intervention sites to be ensured

• Harmonization of approaches of different projects/ institutions working in the pilot areas is critical for impact

Way Forward

• Based on the lessons learnt a long term programme has been elaborated to up-scale the good results of the Acacia operation project -

• ‘Restoration of the productive potential of degraded agro-sylvo-pastoral landscapes for food security, combating desertification, mitigation and adaptation to climate change’. This programme is linked to the GGWSSI

• Restore the production potential of degraded agro-

sylvo-pastoral landscapes while addressing multi-

sectoral policy and markets related issues which are

affecting the livelihoods of rural people depending

on the products and ecosystems services they

provide.

• Improve the livelihoods of rural communities and

enhancing the diversity and resilience of their agro-

sylvo-pastoral systems to adapt to climate and

socio-economic changes and pressures.

AOP II: OBJECTIVES

Expected outcome:

• Enhanced capacity and collaboration in

the 8 countries and across the GGWSSI

countries in agro-sylvo-pastoral systems

planning, management and restoration to

address food security, desertification

control, climate changes and socio-

economic challenges.

Contribute, through reforestation

activities, restoration of food

production systems and

development of natural potential,

the control of advancing desert and

to the development of Sahara

Sahelian areas to ensure their

transformation and create

conditions for economic

emergence of the sub region.

LINKS WITH THE PANAFRICAN INITIATIVE: GGWSSI

MAIN OUTCOME S

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AWAITED IMPACTS OF THE GGWSSI

• Re s t o r a t i o n , p r o t e c t i o n a n d

r e co v e r y o f d e g r a d e d

e co sy s t e m s a n d s i l v o p a s t o r a l

l a n d sca p s a n d

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f b e s t

p r a c t i ce s o f p a s t o r a l i sm ,

a g r i cu l t u r e , i n f r a s t r u c t u r e ) ;

• Si g n i f i ca n t a n d su s t a i n a b l e

i m p r o v e m e n t o f t h e

p r o d u c t i v i t y o f a g r o -

s i l v o p a s t o r a l s y s t e m s b y

a c t i n g o n t h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e s

su p p o r t i n g t h e p r o d u c t i o n ;

• I m p r o v e d t e ch n i q u e s a n d

p r a c t i ce s a n d ca p a b i l i t i e s o f

r e so u r ce m a n a g e m e n t a n d

l o ca l g o v e r n a n ce . 31

RESOURCE MOBILISATION GGWI

Harmonized strategy at regional and international levels for

resource mobilization for the implement GGWI, through:

Training of executives cadres responsible for drafting bankable

projects and negotiation for mobilizing external funds;

Upgrading of existing partnership on SLM and SFM;

Designing tools for decision support and development of

advocacy;

Diversification of funding sources (internal and external);

Valuation of funding opportunities available through international

mechanisms, multi and bi-lateral Cooperations;

Promotion of value chains of NWFPs.

Th a n k Yo u