Onchocerciasis Control Programme in the Volta Rivcr Basin area

Programme de Lutte contre I'Onchooercose dans la R6gion du Bassin de la Volta

JOINT PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

Office of the Chairman

JOINT PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

Fifth SessionNiamey, 3-6 December 1984

JPC.CCPCOMITE CONJOINT DU PROGRAMME

Bureau du Pr6sident

JPC5.4AORIGINAL: FRXNCH

September 1984

Provi s ional asenda iten 11 PLANNING CELL FOR THE

ONCHOCERCIASIS CONTROLLED AREAS

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BENINPROJECT BEN/80/002

MINISTRY OF PLANNING, STATISTICSAND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

DIVISION OF PROGRAMMING AND

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

REPORT ON THE SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE

ONCHOCERC IAS I S-CONTROLLED AREAS(ATACORA AND BORCOU PROVINCES)

INTRODUCTION

The present report on the development of the areas where onchocerciasis has been broughtunder control reviews the various activicies scheduled or in progress within t.he provincesconcerned, Atacora and Borgou, under the National Development Plan, and describes thespecific activities being carried out by the national Ce11 responsible for developing thecontrolled areas. These Iatter acEivities, far from competing with those scheduled under thePlan, are aimed at strengthening them by creating the necessary conditions for the rapidexploitation of certain fertile onchocerciasis-controlled 1ands.

The sheer size of t.hese various socioeconomic projects illustraEes the high prioriEygiven by the Plan to such areas, on account of their inrnense agriculEural potential and theneed t.o promote balanced, integrated and harmonious national development.

I. BASIC DATA

1. Some characterist.ics of Ehe zone

The provinces of Atacora and Borgou, currenEly covered by the regional OnchocerciasisControl Programre (OcP) have a total area of 81 300 kmz, i.e. 72.27. of the total area ofBenin (see maps annexed).

According to the latest estimates of the National InstiEute of Statistics and EconomrcAnalysis, these two provinces had a population of 1 054 820 in 1983, i.e., 282 of the totalpopulation of the country. The mean population density is estimated aE 13 inhabitantsper kmz.. 17 per kmz in Atacora and 11 per kmz in Borgou. These figures illustraEe thelow space occupancy in these areas of relatively fertile land. Indeed, out of the3 754 000 ha of cultivable land, 66.97 of the countryrs total, only 8% is at present undercult ivat ion.

This northern part of the country is characterized by extremely scattered human

settlement.s - resulting in the serious isolation of certain large producing regions - and bya severe lack of equipment and facilities.

These provinces, which are prime areas for long-term agricultural development on accountof their tremendous potential, are at present seriously threatened by drought and by thedrift frorn the land.

I

l

rl

JPC5.4APage 2

2. The objectives of the Second Plan for 1983-1987

Benin has a self-focused and self-mainEained developmenE strategy constructed around twoessential objectives:

(i) creation of an adequate internal demand;

(ii) creation of an adequate surplus that can be mobilized for the formation of capital.

1 Objectives within the rural sector

The development of this major sector involves modification of the pattern of productionand the development of the labour force. It is advisable to bring about a gradual change-over from a closed rural comnunity to an open social system that involves trade, widespreaduse of money, reduction of home consumption, etc. Up to now the surplus created bv theagricultural sector is still lirnited, despite the sizeable agricultural and human potential.The increase in this surplus during the Second Plan will be brought about by means of afour-dimensional programne :

- intensification of production;

- mobilization of the available labour force;

- expansion of outlets',

- modern exploitation of unused land in order to produce self-sufficiency in food.

The State will contribute by providing means of production and loans and by engaging incormnunity education and extension work. Altogether Ehe development activities in theagricultural sector should from now on be based upon:

(a) modification of the pattern of production, which calls for a strengthening ofinstitutional resources ;

(b) integrated acEivities to increase producEion capacity: these should be applied toentire natural regions, should involve the local population, and should undertake thedevelopment of areas of high potential on Ehe basis of experimental units.

2.2 Objectives within the industrial sector

,

2

2

- Exploitation of natural resources;

- meeting the needs of the home market.

3 Objectives within the public works sector

Development activities in the public works sector will be aimed at. tvro objectives duringthe Five-Year Plan:

(i) to strengthen the comparative advantage of Benin as a transit route'

(ii) to develop the socioeconomic and spatial integration of Benin.

On account of the present state of the road network, some provinces like Borgou andAtacora with high agricultural potential are stiIl cut off from the rest of Ehe country.During the period of the Plan the tarring of the main roads from Savalou Eo Porga, and fromDassa to Parakou, together with the construction of a number of untarred roads, will make itpossible to transport marketable agricultural surpluses tordards the south and theneighbouring countries.

{

JPC5.44Psge 3

2.4 Obiectives within the social sector

As regards basic education, the objectives of the Second Plan include the constructionof 2000 classrooms in order to improve conditions of work and the prevention of a drop in thequality of teaching by providing basic and refresher training for teachers.

As regards health the general strategy remains the same as that defined in L972, whichis fully in line with the concerns of WHO, i.e. the development of primary health care in thelight of the social objective of "health for all by the year 2000rr. In order Eo provideaccess to health care for the entire population, the Plan provides for:

- establishment of a network of decentralized health facilities at village and comunelevel, with the aid of village initiatives;

- provision of mass medicine that is essentially prevent.ive in character by means of a

progranxme of vaccination and control of the rnajor endemic diseases;

- combination of modern and traditional medicine to improve t.he well-being of Ehe masses;

- t.raining of personnel at, all leveIs;

provision of appropriaEe equipment and satisfact.ory and regular supplies of essentialdrugs for all health unitsl

- strengthening of the provincial hospitals so as to enable them to provide the publicwith all essential services in the provincial capitals;

- implementation of health programnes.

II. REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES IN PROGRESS IN THE ZONE

In order to achieve the objectives laid down by the Nat.ional Development Plan, a numberof projects are in progress in the two provinces currently covered by OCP, and these projectscontribute directly or indirectly to the development of the controlled areas. These aremainly the projects in the rural, village lrater supply, road infrastructure and health andeducational facilities sectors, the irunediate or long-term effects of which are the trostsignficant indicators of development in these areea.

1. Agricultural projects

Title of project Cost in millionsof CFA francs

Fundingsources State of progress

Development of forestryresourc es

Development of theforest economy andtimber production

Integrated ruraldevelopment of Borgouprov ince

Rural developmentof Atacoraprovince

Development ofIivestock farming:smal1 ruminants

500UNDP

Benin

Federal Republicof Gernany (FRG)Benin

AIDIFADBenin

IFADOPEC

Benin

Council of theEntenteBenin

In progress

In progress

In progress

3 798

8 625

5 800

439

In progress

JPC5.4APage 4

Title of project Cost in millionsof CFA francs

Fundingsources State of progress

Ranch for productionand fattening of cat.tle,B6t6rou

Ranch for productionand fattening of cattle,Tobr€

Teak plantation,southern Borgou

673

626

To be found

To be found

Under study

Under study

Development of animalproduction in Atacoraprovince 1 I00 FRG In progress

2 085 Benin In progress

As the above table shows, a number of projects concerned with forestry, crops andlivestock production are in progress in Atacora and Borgou provinces. However, the majorones are the Borgou rural development project financed with funds from AID, the World Bankand the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (8625 nillion CFA francs)(198I-1985) and the Atacora rural developnent project funded by IFAD and the OPEC fund(5800 rnillion CFA francs) (1983-1988) which, bearing in mind Ehe type of activities plannedand the resources being implemented, are effectively contributing to t.he development of theonchocerciasis-controlled areas. These projects are primarily aimed at improvingagricult.ural production by supporting the comnunity education structures, by rnaking greateruse of the inputs and by applying modern cultivation techniques. They are also involved inthe strengthening of certain economic infrastructures (roads, shops) or social facilitiessuch as cornrnunity water supply. For example, the Borgou rural development project has givena remarkable boost Eo cotton production and had a significant impact on the spread of animaltraction. Cotton producEion in Borgou province has risen from 10 440 tons in year I of theproject to 36 220 tons in year 3, i.e. 677 of national production. The increase in food cropproduction has been less marked on account of extremeLy unfavourable climat.ic condiEions.

Altogether these projects are helping to increase the income of the rural populaEion, as

can be seen from the tables of agricultural production in the Progranrne area during the lastthree years (see Annexes I and 2).

2. Road infrasEructure projecEs

One of the main characE.erisEics or consE.raints of the areas at present covered by OCP inBenin is the fact that many places are virtually cut off from each other and from the outsideworld. This is accounted for partly by the size of AE.acora and Borgou provinces (72.22 of.the area of Benin) and partly by the facE that the rural inhabitants are extremelyscattered. Under the 1983-1987 Plan a number of projects for the improvement of unEarred,roads, integrated with E.he rural development projects of the Ewo provinces, are being carriedouE. Since the road is a det.erminant of population, Ehe implementation of the variousscheduled prograrmes for untarred roads (700 km) will promote Ehe marketing of agriculEuralproduce and the exploitacion of Ehe new land where onchocerciasis has recently been broughEunder control. The results of the survey conducted by the Planning Cell in some districts ofthe trro provinces show that the main constraints to development in these areas are short.ageof water and the inadequacy and bad state of the roads.

I

a

JPC5.4APage 5

The state of progress of road construction nork as et 31 December 1983 was ea follows:

Untarred roads Length(km) Funding St.ate of progress

(December 1983)

At,acora province

Nat i t ingou-Boukomb6Boukomb6-Koronti'ireBoukomb6-MantaNatitingou-KouarfaKouarfa-KotopoungaToukoutouna-PeperkouBor ibous i f a-Tokakal a1 ouWansoukou-DikibourniPirni-Tchoumi-Tc houmiBirni-Kouand6Tchoumi-Tc h oumi-PermaTch oumi-Tch oumi-Anand anaTan6ka-Koko-AnandanaT an6ka-Koko-Tch a 1 ang aAnandana-TchalangaTangui6ta-BatiaTi6 16-Mat6r i-Gouand6Kouand6-Damouti

Total

Borgou province

Bori-SonoumonBori-SErouGando-ToumEGu6n6-KarimamaBodj6cal i-GarouAngara-Saa-KandiAngara-FouayFonougou-Kand6rouGogounou-Bou1iBagou-SonsoroBagou-Sori

4313222418L7

8101646

6151513t7423935

AIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDUNCDFUNCDFUNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

EDF

EDFEDF

AIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAIDAID

CompletedComplet.edCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedConop 1e EedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompleted

11 krn

375 km

CompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCorupletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompletedCompleted

399

193529.545223316232l3219.5

Total 295 295 km

Despite the extent of the work carried out in recent years under Ehe Plan, the problemof roads remains quite worrying, particularly in Atacora province. Towns and villages inthis province are cut off from each other and from the outside world during the rainy season,and this problem needs to be tackled urgently in order Eo increase the efficiency of thevarious activities being carried out in this area.

The technical and economic studies regarding the major routes, i.e. Dassa Eo Parakou,Savalou to Porga, and Parakou to Djougou, have now been completed. The t.arring of theDassa-Parakou road could begin during 1985.

3. Village rrater suoolv oroiects

As part of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, Benin hasdrasn up an initial minimum programe of. 2400 weter points to be implemented in the various

JPC5.4APage 6

provinces of the country between 1981 and 1990. This programne provides for only one

iacility (borehole or well) for each village assigned priority, whatever the size of itspopulation above 500 inhabitants.

In the northern provinces currently covered by OCP, Ehe problem of rural water supply isone of both quantity and quality. In these arees the majority of t.he EradiEional or modernwells are liab1e to dry up in the dry season. Accordingly, under Ehis ten-year Progrnnne twomajor village uat.er resource projects are being implemented in Atacora and Borgou provinces.

These are the projects financed by the Council of Ehe Entente, the Central Fund forEconomic Cooperation (CCCE), the French Fund for Aid and Cooperation (fAC) and the EuropeanDevelopment Fund (EDF). The objectives of t,hese two projects are as follolrs:

- to provide rural populations with a perruanent sater supply of satisfactory quantityand quality;

- to secure the villagersr participation in constructing the facilities and inmaintaining the handpumps ;

- to train people at all levels, from Ehe village.to the Water Board in order toguarantee the success of the projecE and the maintenance of the facilities.

The objective of the fiEntente projectt' for village water supplies is to sink330 boreholes: 80 in Atacora province, 190 in Borgou province and 60 in Ou6m6 province. The

objective of the project financed by EDF is to sink 305 boreholes, 190 of Ehem in thenorthern part of Atacora province.

The situation regarding implementaEion of these two projects in the OCP area can be

surnmarized as follows:

Tirle Cos EFundingsource

Facilitiesper district

EDF village watersupply project 4.5 million ECU EDF

Atacora Province

ToucouEounaKouand6P6hunc oNat i t ingouBoukomb6Tangui6ta

6

19L716

8

6

72

Entente villagewaEer supply project

I 600 million CFA

franc sFACcccEBenin

Borgou Province

ParakouPETETENrDaliNikkiKa1a16Bemb6rEkESinend6

14342639342923

L99

JPC5.4APage 7

Tirle Cost Fund ingsource

Facilitiesper district

Atacora Province

CopargoOuak6BassilaDjougou (rural

and urban)

111919

4L

Total

Besides the projects mentioned above, projects for sinking of artesian wells are beingcarried out in some villeges in the disCricts of S€gbana, Sinend€, BembdrEk}, Kouandd Bassilaand Natitingou by the Dutch and German volunteer services. Ihe cost of t.hese prograrmes may

be assessed at over 300 million CFA francs.

Moreover, a programme for 30 boreholes financed by UNICEF has jusE got under way inSdgbana rural dist.rict, and another prograrune for 240 boreholes financed by CCCE could begintowards the end of 1984 in Gogounou, Kandi, Banikoara, Malanville and Karimama districts(Borgou province).

Once they have been completed Ehese various projects will undoubtedly produce a majorimpact on the rural populations concerned, but they will by no means cover the needs. Otherprojects need to be selected and carried out in order to reduce the effects of the drought,r"rhich is becoming increasingly persistent in these areas.

4. Health projects

In order to achieve the objectives set. under the national primary health care strategy,major efforts have been rnade both by the population and by the State to build up the healthinfrastructure (village health units, conmune health complexes and district health centres)and Eo equip these structures.

Priority has been given Eo the most isolaEed rural areas of Atacora and Borgou provinces.

The experiment of constructing village health units (VHUts) during the three-year planfor 1978-1980 has continued in these two provinces, thanks partly to increased publicawareness of the importance of health education and partly to financial assistance frmthe Netherlands for training village health workers (VHws)and for equipping these unit.s. AVHU comprises a treatment room, a delivery room, a village pharmacy kit, a drinking-waEerpoint, and a collective latrine system.

The present status of the VHUs, as the first link in Ehe naEional health system in thesetwo provinces, is as follows:

District No. of VHUs

in operationNo. of VHWs t.rained

90

Atacora Province

Djougou ruralBoukomb€Cob lyCopargoMat6ri

4840404836

121010t2

9

JPC5.4APage 8

District No. of VHUs

in operationNo. VHWs trained

Borgou Province

TchaourouBEmbErEkEN'DaIiBanikoara

7

103

9

2836t236

Total 82 324

In the cormnunes stress has been laid on the construction and fitting-out ofcommune health complexes (CHCs) in the rural areas. A CHC is a health unit in thechief locality of the commune, serving a population of between 5000 and 8000

inhabitants and consisting of a maEernity unit, a dispensary, a sales outlet of theNational Pharmacy Office, a weIl and a sysEem of latrines.

The CHC provides the link between the VHU and the disE.rict health centre (DHC).

Those constructed in recent years in the onchocerciasis-controlled areas rrere Primarilyfinanced by the United Narions Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). The Present situationregarding implementation of this project, by district, is as follows:

District No. of CHCs Source of finance State of progress

Atacora Province

Toukout.ounaNatit ingouCob 1yMat6riTangui6 taK6rouP6huncoBassilaDjougou rural

Borgou Province

ParakouBenbErEkESinend6NikkiPETETEBanikoaraS€gbanaGogounouKa1a16

1

II2

1

1

1

I1

UNCDF

UNCDFUNCDFUNCDFUNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDFUNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDF

UNCDFUNCDFUNCDF

CompleEedIn progressConpletedCompleted

In progressIn progressIn progressIn progressIn progress

Comple tedComp le t edCompletedConple ted

In progressIn progressCompletedCompleted

In progress

1

2

1

I1

1

III

ToEaI 20

The total cosg of the 20 cournune health complexes is around 400 million CFA francs.

JPC5.4APege 9

The situation regarding the construction of disErict health cent,res is as follows:

District Source of finance State of progress

Atacora Province

Kouand6 DHC

Bessila DHC

Borgou Prqvince

Tchaourou DHC

Banikoara DHC

Malanville DHC

FRG

FRG

SwiEzerland

FRG

FRG

CornpletedCompleted

Negotiations inProgressConpleted

Negot,iations inProgre ss

A DHC is a rural hospital with a few beds, couprising:

- a paediat,ric departnent

- a surgery depart,menE with an obstetrics section

- a Eaternity unit

- a laboratory

- a small radiology service

- a dental surgery and ENT department

- a wat,er-supply system

- a set of latrines.

To supplement this health infrastructure building programtre at all levels, thePeoplers Republic of Benin has implemenEed netionwide an expanded prograrmre on imnunization,a malaria control programtre and a basic environmental sanitation prograrune. These programnesillustrate the prioriEy given by Benin to preventive health activities over curative healthactivities in order to attain the social objective adopted by WHO: I'health for all by theyear 2000. rr

5 Eclugalional projects

The situation regarding infrastruc.ture and equipment for basic education remainsworrying. As a result of the increaee in the number of schoolchildren and the many newschools established in recent yeers, 601 of schools are housed in temporary buildings. Themedium-term objective is to build pernanent structures to house 707 of the primary schools.1rrq major school construction projects in rural areas, covering Ehe entire country, are beingimplemented, thanks partly to financial assistance from the UNCDF and the Nethertands andpartly to contributions in kind and in manporrer from Ehe recipient populations.

The present situation regarding the implementation of these projects in Atacora andBorgou provinces is as follows:

JPC5.4APage 10

No. of schools builtLoc at ion

UNCDF project Netherlands project

Atacora Province

Bassila districtBoukomb6 districtCobly districtDjougou rural districtK6rou districtMat6ri districtNatitingou districtP6hunco districtOuak6 districtTangui6ta districtToucountouna districtCopargo district

Banikoara districtBenb6rEk} districtGogounou districtKalal6 districtNikki districtKandi districtKarimama districtMalanville districtNrDsIi districtTchaourouParakou districtPlrErES6gbana

:

;

3

2

1

1

1

1

2

1

2

1

l

;3

7

5

3

;5

1

I1

I1

1

1

zI1

2II

Total 28 46

These building projecEs have led to an improvement in the conditions of work of teachersand schoolchildren in these areas.

As regards inEermediate, general, t,echnical and professional education, the NationalDevelopment Plan provides for the construction and equipping of two polytechnic complexes atNatitingou and Parakou. One is funded by the African Development Fund, and the other by theEuropean Development Fund, and construction could begin in the course of 1985. Moreover,negoiiations are under way with the WorId Bank for financing the construction of integretedteacher training colleges at the chief towns of Atacora and Borgou provinces. Finally, a

funding agreement for an amount of 660 million CFA francs was signed in 1983 between Beninand the Islamic Development Bank for the construction and equipping of an agriculturalcollege aE Natitingou in order to strengthen and intensify agricultural training in theseprovinces.

III. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ONCHNERCIASIS-CONTROLLED AREAS

1. Current status of implementation of the FAO/ IBRD nethodolosv

In accordance with the methodology suggest.ed in 1975 by a joint World Bank/FAO missionfor the rapid development of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas, the following four studieshave now been completed and are available from the Oncho CelI:

(1) invenEory of natural resources by remote sensing;

Borgou Province

JPC5.4APage 11

(2) suitable crops for the soils of Atacora and Borgou;

(3) demographic study of Atacora and Borgou;

(4) socioeconomic study of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas.

These studies come within the first phase of this met,hodology, i.e. constitution of thedata bank on the controlled areas. They have demonstrated the iruuenge agricultural potentialof Atacora and Borgou provinces.

In spite of the delay in carrying out this imporEant phase, the second phase concernedwith the preparation of a l0-year development plan for the controlled areas can now be set inmoEion in order to determine which areas and activities should be given priority.

For the purpose of long-term planning, therefore, it is necessary to draw up t.his plandefining the priority areas for action, toget.her with an infrasEructure and water resourcesprogramme. The persistence of the drought and the high population growth rate(2.82 per annum) in these areas nake it necessary to seek and promote possible settlementareas that offer potent.iel for production, either naturally or afEer the improvement ofcertain river basins on behalf of the under-privileged populations. However, t.he currentdifficulties resulting from the lack of finance are threatening to delay this phase as weI1,thus jeopardizing the future of the FAO/IBRD methodology at the national level.

To deal with this situation it is necessary for the sponsoring agencies of the ProgranmeEo evaluate the implementation of this methodology in each country concerned in order toidentify the main bottle-necks and to formulate recortrnendations backed up by appropriatefinancial support. This will pernit speedy utilization of the various studies carried outfor the data bank, the cost of wtrich rnay be estimated at over 600 million CFA francs.

The second National Development, Plan assigns high priority to the developnent of t,herural sector and the northern part of the countryr rrhere the agricultural potential isunder-used. Better coordination of the activities Eo develop these areas, through theformulation of a l0-year plan, should make possible a substantial increase in agriculturaland forestry production, t,hus helping t,o meet the basic needs of a fast-expanding population.

2. Identification and formulation of a pilot proiect for intesrated rural development

Following the survey which the Cel1 responsible for the developmenE of theonchocerciasis-controlled areas organized in August 1982 in Cob1y, Mat.€ri, P6hunco and K6roudistricts (Atacora province) and in Sinend6 and Sdgbana districEs (Borgou province) on thesocioeconomic needs of those dist.ricts, a mission from the FAO Investment Centre visitedBenin from 28 September to 27 Oct,ober 1983. Anong the purposes of this mission were theselection of the priority intervention zone from the six districts of Atacore and Borgouwhich had been surveyed and the preparation of pilot projects to be promoted in the zoneselected.

.1 Results of the mission

1.1 The a oach

The mission fu1ly subscribed to the strategy of self-focused and self-maintaineddevelopment as formulated in the second National Development Plan. Wtrat needs t.o be done,therefore, is to identify a project direcced at the problems and needs revealed by the surveyand which can be carried out and administered by the local people. On account of thediversity of such problems, ic will have to be a horizontally integrat.ed project covering aIlareas and based on the participation of the population concerned.

2,1.2 Selection of a zone

The Ce11 reeponsible for planning the development of the onchocerciasis-cont.rolled areesgrouped the six districts in three homogeneous zones, from which the mission should selectone for the pilot action (see map).

2

2

JPC5.4APage 12

For the piloc experiment Ehe mission ruled out the urest zone (Cobly and Mat6ri) and theeast zone (Sfgbana), which seemed too specific. On the other hand, the mission was

particularly ittracted by the central zone (K6rou, P6hunco and Sinend€) on account of itsgeographical situation and acceptable poEential. In spite of Lhese important advantages' the,ir"io" had reservat.ions about covering this entire cenEral zone by the pilot project. The

desire to keep the pilot experiment smalI and avoid spreading resources too thinly, togetherwith financial consEraint.s, led the mission to opt for a single district within this zone,namely P6hunco district.

Accordingly the mission prepared an integrated rural development Project for Pdhunco, a

district with an area of 1900 kmz and a population of about 25 000.

2.L.3 The Pilot proiect

2.1.3.1 Objectives

The objectives of the pilot projecE for integrated rural development are as follows;

- to eliminate Ehe main bottle-necks holding up development of the zone;

- to speed up the exploitation of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas;

- to curb the drift from the land which is affecting this zone, by providing beEterliving conditions, spare-time activities and work opportuniEies;

- to open up the isolated villages by improving the road infrastructure;

- to improve drinking-wager supplies by providing new wells and boreholes and seEting uP

a PumP management and repair system;

- to improve health and education faciliEies for Ehe rural cournunities;

- to provide incentives for rural handicrafts;

- to proEote, in the medium or long term, voluntary emigration by people from

overpopulated regions towards this underpopulaEed and fertile region.

2.L.3.2 Components of the Project

The piloE project, designed Eo supplement the activities in progress PresenEed above,

consists of several ParEs:

(a) Improv ements of untarred roads

About 100 km of intarred roads are to be resurfaced; maintenance will be in Ehe hands

of the local population, organized in squads under the supervision of experts from the PublicWorks Department.

(b) WaEer supplies

A campaign to dig 34 wells will be undert.aken to supplement. Ehe activities in progress

to improve^prriti" watlr supply, in order to attain in this zone the national objective of one

well for every 500 inhabitanEs.

(c) rmprovement of pasture land

The prograrrne of reservoirs for livestock will be supported by activities Eo promore the

development of natural or irrigated Pasture land'

(d) Improvement of school infrastructure

It is planned to provide classrooms with furniture and t.eaching equipment and to build

new schools or dwellinls for teachers where such facilities are lacking'

I

I

JPC 5 .4APage 13

(e) Improvement of health infrastructure

In the health field emphasis will be placed on the strengthening of the cornmune andvillage health units (CHCs and VHUs); at the same time the district health centre will beprovided with an ambulance for taking patients to the tordn of Kouand€ 30 km away.

(f) Construction of the P6hunco market

Since P6hunco is a major crossroads, it is planned to strengthen the regional role ofits market by improving the facilities.

(e ) Trainins of local craftsmen

The construction and maintenance of the various items of infrastructure provided for inthe project call for the ski11s of specialist craftsmen; the project will therefore attendto the training of those who are already plying Eheir trade on the spot.

(h) Provision of credits

Three types of credit are provided for under the project:

- credits to craftsmen, whether unionized or not;

- credits for improvement of human setElements;

- credits for diversification of agriculture, granted to t.he RevoluEionary CooperativeGroups (GRVC) and to individual farmers who have displayed initiative.

(i) Leisure activities

It is intended to constructof educational fiIms.

playgrounds in each commune and to arrange regular showings

2.1.3.3 Cost of the project

The cost of the project is estimated aE US$ 2.5 million. Financing is being negotiatedwith UNDP, FAO and UNCDF.

2.1.3.4 Duration

This projecE, which is to last four years, could begin in 1985. During its operationthe Ce11 responsible for the development of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas should followthis experiment, learning lessons from it in order to work out an appropriate mechod for thedevelopment of all the onchocerciasis-controlled areas. The Oncho Ce11 will need Eechnicaland financial support from the sponsoring agencies and donor countries so that it canstrengthen its capability for intervention in the zones concerned.

3. Migratory movements

The Ce11 responsible for the development of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas askedProfessor O. J. Igue, of Benin National University to carry out a study on t'populationmigrations in northern Benin and their socioeconomic impact'r. The conclusions of this studyshow the extent and causes of migratory movements in Atacora and Borgou provinces. Thesemovements affect about L0-I5Z of the population. The study also revealed:

the variety of internal movemenrs;

the predominance of irmnigration from Nigeria over inunigration from oEher countriesthe subregion;

( 1)

(2)of

(3) the special involvement of Atacora Province in this process.

JPC 5 .4APaEe 14

These various migraEion movements affect virt.ually all sociocultural grouPs. GeneralIyspeaking, however, the Fulani (Peulh) migrate only for the seasonal changing of pastures,r.,1"r" ih"y r." forced to do so by natural disasters such as drought, rinderpest, etc. Insuch cases the entire encampment moves to a new location, sometimes permanently.

The mosE affected groups are first. of all Ehe Betarmnaribe (singular Otamari) of theAtacora massif, closely followed by the Lokpa and Yowa of the rural districts of Ouake and

Copargo, then by the Xltotoli, Bariba and NagoE. These last three grouPs are more affectedby foreign emigration.

This remark is all the more ingeresEing as it indicates which ethnic grouPs may be

motivated to take part in experiments in agricultural settlement. By comparison with thepast it may be stated that (ipart from the major period of Ghanian emigration) populationmovements are on the increase. In 1974, for example, only 1689 people had left BassiladisCrict voluntarily. It is now estimated that some I0 742 people have left the disErict.This gives "n

in"rea"e between 1974 and 1982 of 9053, i.e. 5362 in a period of eight years.Even If this figure based on a simpte estimaEe appears disputable, the count made of people

expelled from Nigeria showed that more people (2885) were rePatriated to Bassila than to any

other district in the country excepE So-Ava in Aclantic Province. Comparison of these2885 people wirh the 1689 emigrants in 1974 shows that emigration had at any rate definitelyinc reased .

However, it needs to be pointed out that Bassila district is particularly affected by

emigration to Nigeria. The involvement of other local government areas is much 1ower,although unfortunat.ely the lack of information Prevents comparisons.

While emigration to Nigeria has increased (at least until the expulsions of 1983),situaEion is quite different as regards the efforts at agricultural settlemenE. None ofexperiments t;ied have met with much success. A number of problems arose which meritthorough consideration:

selecEed for the set.Element experiment are ttfragilet' areas, whichinstability of the indigenous populations. Indeed, it is worthexpected Eo live comfortably in an environment thaE the localfrom. There must be some severe drawbacks that were not properly

t

theEhe

FirsE of all the areasaccount for the very markedasking how strangers can bepeople are Erying to escaperealized at the ouEset.

For example, Bassila district, which was given priority in this Programne, has threemajor drawbacks:

- the disEance of the seEtlers from their area of origin, together with the remotenessof the districE from the rnain political decision-making cenEres of che region;

- rhe hist.oric fragility that has always militated against ethnic cohesion and led to a

strong feeling of loneliness and abandonment;

- the strong hold of onchocerciasis in combination with underpopulation and Ehe largearea of forest.

Besides the environmenEal difficulties, failure to provide material and moral back-upfor rhis experiment hras an obstacle to success.

Whatever the problems raised by the drift away from the rural areas of northern Benin,migrations always promote better mixing of populations, producing very deep feelings of human

brotherhood and tolerance. As a result of these population movements the varioussociocultural groups in the north have achieved a certain degree of ethnic integraEion, whichmay encourage them to consider spontaneous populaEion Eransfers from one region to another.However, such transfers can only produce good results if Ehey are to areas with good

communications and basic infrastrucEure so that seE.tlers can carry out their economicactivities more efficiently and can feel fully integraEed both with the host environment and

with the outside world.

I

JPC5.4APage 15

4. Village agricultural training project

While on the subject of activities promoted by the Oncho Cell reference should be madeto the .rillqge "gricrr1t.rr.1 trai (Atacora Province). Onthe basis of the survey carried out by the Oncho Cell in August 1982,ACTION ACORD selected this project which has the following objectives:

a mission from Euro

to improve agricultural production so as to help the rural population of Mat6riachieve long-term self-sufficiency in food;

to give priority to village orgaaizaLions such as the cooperative revolutionary groupsand the 4-D clubs in the supply of agricultural equipment and inpuEs;

- to encourage ful1 participation by women in the rural development process, withemphasis on training and the granting of loans;

- to help reduce the drift from the land, etc.

This project, which is funded by the nongovernmental organization Euro ACTION ACORD upto a total amount of 110 million CFA francs , is now in progress.

According to the beneficiary populations and the authorities of Mat6ri district thisproject will make it possible to slow down considerably the drift from the land and toimprove productivity.

CONCLUSION

Substantial progress has been made in the developmenc of Atacora and Borgou provincesduring the last two years. As regards agricultural production, especially food crops,greater progress could have been made but for the persistence and worsening of the drought inthe northern part of the country. The various activities being carried out in theseprovinces need to be continued and strengthened.

Agricultural production could increase rapidly if the present bottle-necks (poor stateof the roads, shortage of water, drift from the land, unreliable c1imat.e, inadequate healthinfrastructure) are properly understood and are dealt with in a rational and integrat.edmanner.

Accordingly, the present action programtres need t.o be supplemented by other programmesdirected at these baeic medium- and long-term problems. It is irnportant to continue toanalyse and solve these problems as a prerequisite for any genuine development of these areasand to draw up policies and action prograrmes.

A well-conducted policy could increase the efficiency of the sectoral projects under wayand turn these onchocerciasis-controlled areas (two-thirds of the countryts area) into areasof the future for national development.

This approach by the CelL, responsible for the development of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas, needs to be supported both by the sponsoring agencies of OCP and by thefinancial backers already active in these areas.

Nco

I

oo\

o!tr

o.0)lr

$

(!

0)

lra.

oo(aocoNO\

q

!Ctro0)EuOtlooocro-cA!

lraa$o

&,!qoqi!

trool]o.! c.)

Cl(J!

coo!@UO\<a

Ii6l(!cotro,od.;@lJOJtrd<l

ootr

a

6-)rccl\ortn\tr

-tcicoiOrtl\OCOON\O-r\OHtrlGlCn

\O \O

t'\ $ Nca \o -toao\N'{H

o\ t'\ d (') co co rn co -t o\t^coo-ro@coo\e'f,\O6\Or\rlntnO\\OO

FT\

oo'/\c!oN(Yr(f|O

r.l.r -)

\OO(v)(')dC!O\O t O\ CO l-\ (r) dO\ONca-r#O

(\Oa\OO\Oo\rroocoNNoo-rdC)OrO\OCOCit.l:rn\o

N

r\O\O\rr\o0o\o\n.J-rN

Nrro\NoOcO(Y)F\@Gl@ Or O r i O\

r@O\\ONC')$(.)sdi

\oo\oN\f\o(f)oNrtrni

icc)(\s\oooCa tn \, \O CO c{ -ti-t\OrOC.)@iN\.oO\\O(n-)n.J(Y.li

rnO\O\OF\r@(7)r!\0orr^;o(?)@o-1 nrOtY1.$r-f,6$@6r

rco

iO\COt6lNOcO.f,@

-t \o

oo:!E 6 @ GE: tr

3 ; $ ! k! ! cZ o o qr o tttr E o5o q ri N o. Da o ? uf, i o .; 3 H Eo o o u; ki o o 6 .'r 6rli tr od, t (J) E (J E rQoo & c, (J

d\O(f)Nrl€d)oNri

GT

oon\oroo@\o\o(.) c.)

Otnr-N/OC!+cOOc'\\OC')\Orn-@tnO\OC')

ul\ONO\rrdN6r)Oir-t-tlN\OO\O\a')@r\O@\tO\c!-t\, (?) d

6t'\No-t\oNN\OrdN

(!^o(!11 E

!dOJ\

'd@>l

o.il^uootr,oE, {JOvlrA

!.!o\.d@> .ti

o.d uootrJO!!ovtiA

E(6rEq)\.r CO

>.1l

o'tL̂)OOF,o!+JOvtlA

$^o(!!-d<v

(!^o(EtiE<v

oogQ

-,coo\

CNcoo\

(')@o\

c!@o\

N@o\

@o\

JPC5. 4Apage 1 6

ANNEX I

azoatdU)

tdrI]frFr

FIA

Fl

E]EHfrttlold(JzH

o&o{

&o(Jts

7H

zoHF()

o&AJdFr.1(-)He,(J

zIt

azrd&F

JPC5.4APage 17

Annex I

Generally speaking the areae sown with crops have increased regularly, except for thearea under groundnuts nhich decreased during the period; the area under sorghum feII in1982-1983 and the areas under cowpea and rice were reduced the folLowing season.

Yields of all crops felI during the last season on account of the lack of rainfall inAugust 1983 and the premature end of the rainy season.

0)o

.J

o!A.

o0lro

u

Aoc)

0,A

$!&tloqr

c)LlDc0)O

o

(,)

ooccrd,

q)otr

oa

oc.)(.)

co.J

c.l

NOJ

\o\or

ooFr

OD\OrCC-)tntntn-)@NO-t-fdcaorOciNL^6N6-tN\O

N-ti-t-+@(aernoN\ooo-f,Lr\\oNoOr\O\OF\dd

6C,@-f,\tNC.)-$NNfis.lN i

i (..1 6 \t O r/\ \O -t('] (\o\rnNO\r\,dO\Nr^$S]\O-,st\oc)(f)o\c.l(')o6ti6dH

d

ooooooooo$oooooornrno(Y]6ortca

r/1 C)(?)ooor^o\+O\\ONiO\Or-\O CO .f, (vt O rr\ \O \t

cc)rrl d

\OCY)@N\O-f,O\NO\O\C!l'-O(Y)H-tnNr)(']O(n\OO

co rt\

Gtdoc^lrtri\rrnOrO\NNr6-to\ o @ d (7) @ o\ do\@o\ri6-tr^-ta.tdd6{

rN(nrNNO\Or0\6OO{No.lc'lo\cil'\\to\@r-t

O\ca@N-?i.f,\O(f) N a

c'rr^€@o\o(7)o\O(]\t-rre.l-f,6icaorr\@ro\o.rd@O\(ninO\coNi

o:Eoca>EC.cOo$troooNocooJulr ./ E $ o u O !o$(E0JCE.d!o

-+@

I

COo\

ca@o\

Ic.lco

Nco

I

@o\

\,oo\

I(acoo\

CN

@o\

INcoo\

N6o\

I

coo\

$coo\

I

@o\

@o\

IN@o\

N6o,

I

@o\

oo!

.i!o

ouo.

d

b0x!o)

$

o0)tr

l'l(.)

JPC5.4Apage 1B

A.IiNEX II

tJ)zoU)

lrlU)

frlIrI&:EHFraJfrl

Fdlrl

rd()zH

odOr

o(J/,ln

zH

zoHFOoo&Or

Jd=FJ(JH&(,

JPC5.4APage 19

Annex II

The arees cultivated with each crop, except for groundnuts, have increased steadily.AlEhough Ehe mean annual rate of increase in area during the period was 17.4O7., tl:.e figurefor sorghum was L5.872 wtrile the figure for cotton was 58.732.

As regards quality, the marked improvement in yields between 1981-1982 and 1982-1983could not be mainEained during the 1983-1984 season on account of the Iow rainfal1. Iherewas not enough rainfall anywhere to ensure proper growth of the plants.

I

I

POPULAIRE OU BENIN

ATACORA - BORGOU

REPUBLIQUE

PROVINCES : ZONES ONCHO

,REGAST N

t+t

+tI

xI*

IrB{

++Itt++

trII

t

E

CT

ESU

E

R

o

DJ

U

L

N

oAR

t+++

,It+++r-

TT

II,

I

CTAU

E

P

R

S

U

R

E

E

R

D

S

TC

U

YH

o

CR

E

U

oU

t

R

FRD

GA

TS

N

L

ASER

TEL

R

R

D

E

V

NT

S

I

A

TSER

T HW

ETA

HEALL LAGE

JoPRSAN

tt+++i++++t+++t,I++

4tI

irst,

xt

t+++++t+

MAMAARK

i

tt,Yt+ia

t+

F

V

{ i II I

II/

LLEMALANVIIV

Ix

o

.Yx

+r+rr(t

,,*

-++,t

t

{

at+

*r-I+I+r

(D@

TA

o

\t.

,l

]'*ffiM*

i?,\\^

x

^ax\

I

ANDI^O

ococouN

rilioEANIKOARAo

+

t+1*I x

++i \tx

".' ry/,qt/. t' +,+

K.Lt

I'E

,tx

It

+r+IE,GBA

" /,'<

+*

'^5r()'

.+,,'t

+,++

+'

xx

* AN+tt (

t_rl

ILa-

/ xouo

i'.++

tOU t

)

4t,/,|,,/tt'tr

i

,Lt,

Atrt

@.Lt,

rli

)

I

I

tI

+*f,1',++l,

ili

'*'*9*

it',.,,i/,

UNTOo trTOUF NA-U

\

AND

I*

++

4

f

+++I

@

,*l*

@

I++I+

tl+

IKKI

o

LAo

Kralr

oT

NATIT

o:'tNGOti

z--. Ip-8--l .\. _)l

I

o

o****

tlt,,*

eEMB

@N OALI\.

O

*tt+++++

uRou i

-'''-a.t

(,

I(-

-'-l-./' f++++t++++,

*+++

t;I

EEREKE,i r

^1,,'1.,'.1A+,.{-I(

o

.Lt@

I+ BASSILAtot+rI*. t--++++++++

I{ t tN

,Lt

o

i*t- -'( \+ .- --+ KoPaRc,l Ii, o !

1 ..-.-..- 6rooo,p'\

iouAKE It\+'.*,* I1\

1- , -,-../ \.._

++

tI

I

U

@'rt

+f,

I

' -\..

)

T,at++

_+++t

T+

Orih.* E

(.I

q'!

It_

Ato

(. pa\.i

IIx

\I

-':--.J

E,

lr,

(9

Ix

t.r.r+ + +It t

LEGENDE

OTCHAO

(9

o

z ou

tl

+++**

+++

++++Lrhrla d. Frontrira - _

do P r ovlnca

da Dr strrct

Cho, lrau d. Provlhca

dc Dislrrcl

Foao Ca d. P u rtr

C.nrrG Communot dr Sonti( CCS ) Trrmtni

ilililInon larmtna

Zona Pi lota

C.nrr. d. Sontj d. Dtstnct (CSD) T.rmlna

ll ll ll .n coun dr n6goaorron

To

.LT'e

W z6Nzm o

HO>flLt

+

+

z

F

a

\..\. (\r

\r'-\..-..,'

)

rt

tr

,:

\.\

I

i. /

I

I

,,/,

'f i,r

I

t

rarolof,! sadiDl!

ta?Jr^old sal sl Lrr'l

JaDDuauo o a!1oU

z

6)

m

n

++I

+]

+++

+++t+I++++

alunlsrxc al(lossorlor aln.)i

aa,rnllB ol n"d

saiolid seuaz

gunwuoJ

lcrrtt ro aF

AcUr^Old aP nPl )'!l

:cr'rlcl-f

-(. ,,/ .4

aoI

++++++++++t

{

o6)

o

++t.rr

./f'-.-

+

+++Vli::',d

r*+1++!++ t

++

++--..-'. +++

x

./,\.+

x t.v

**xI

\++

II

I

If tvno++

L'I

II

It

++

++<^,'\ txrtN

)

4OpOUV

,//,//

ta:(a tx

x

r+ , ti**r++++++rr

t+r

o

o

SICSTOUd 3U NICNUISVU J NIC]VOU CNV IOOHSS

SSU3IINOU J.3 SSUIV-]O3S

ssunrsnursvuJNti,o sr3noud

I: g rlnovnoS

c,r9rluoro)l

noouog'vuofvtv, Srilt^oud

4r*'|F

//

t*+3-lv lv+

*t

VoIo8

xlt

,(xt-+++:a

**

x Ix

/'

C

o

r l(I

xxr !l-lII

t++t+++++++

++++II

*

tt

VU

*.]\ x

$x

//tt

xxxx

IItttIt\

xt+Y\ti+tt

xt x

I+I

tooatpoB

'{).F. r

1 I.r{ }

+t I

++{+

+*t

I+++

*+*

V nVr1,J,1

++t+ ).++

<+i

a ttzr, t<

€f

t)

l1''I

I

n

i

(

+-!' )

.{\

ruJrS

\

/

/ii li

/!

€I9

1l

l> 3u 38 14

Nnocn!,r'

lt

l /

iro

olosuos

no0 Dg

&.)

o/

oHcNo s3NOZ

\rN38 nA fdrvtndod SnOlrSndr!

G) \i/

DISTRICT RURAL DE PEHUNCOPEHUNCO RURAL DISTRICT

JPC5 .4APaBe 22

ANNEX V

R

/OU

,/

D

\

{

KER

\

BonrgouroJ

\..-..A..

\\

oon

E,

I Er

/

II

{

Soyokiou

IC,

Soodou

8rb, tou ,

,ur,'

Elz

TOBRE

tI

I

UJ

oz

f!-

oY

/,/

aI I

-(-

t Ktto

Ez

t r,. I

\

UJ

oztJJ

=@

(ts

c;

-"I \\

'jI'{I

+\,r-----*

I\

t (/i

.'4

I'

6

3

tr gadrou

Bej;ou oosou \

\

o lpak@ i

i( 1-

\

(:

I

--\..,/,)

Bou^daI

\ D R DJOIJGOU

,. D. R. N,DALI

LEOEIIIOE

\

/f

6\t

: FOUI! \ATI\NALE

/////i//,

@ "*e. ,,e, x o ..",.tl, cHEr L]EU o€ coMMu(a

lD vrureor

I ronae #r, t,uo. FOFAG€ PiME ILE C*'FI'u ,NDp[ LE Dyft DE ffiffst

PN 7

Y.rara

r'8( ial

E'somporari.a ooh

E,

,,/, ,,

I

/, ,,i,

I

El'

Ez

II

\-;-