Natural Resources Management in West Africa : Taking Stock

Debriefing on the Results of the NRM Stock-taking Workshop, Koudougou, Dec 6-10,1999

Value Added of Koudougou

• NRM success is achievable and is being achieved

• 10 years after Segou, movement from promising approaches to proven results

• environmental rhetoric overtaken by economic realities

Context for Stock-taking

• Tens of millions of dollars invested in NRM programs across Africa

• Results of investments poorly documented and little “capitalized”

• Investments in “capitalizing” experiments have produced results (e.g. PADLOS, ASDGII, CBNRM programs)

Segou Action Agenda - 1989

• ecological restoration• share responsibility with local communities• decentralization• land tenure reform• increase local investment• women’s participation• information and training• population policies

Koudougou NRM Workshop• Take stock of progress in addressing Segou

agenda and in implementing action plan• Provide senior West African specialists

with opportunity to take stock of NRM in the subregion over a thirty-year period

• Identify approaches and tools to accelerate progress in NRM

• Strengthen recognition of NRM contributions to economic development

Workshop Overview• Representatives from 5 countries and five

NRM sub-sectors

• 25 papers presented by senior West African specialists

• Identified changes, impacts, contributing factors, and perspectives (synthesis forthcoming)

• Assessed tools to capture, monitor and capitalize on results

Observed Changes

• Role of the State (from policeman to partner)

• Legislative reforms (NRM led decentralization and devolution of authority to CBO’s)

• Models tested and proven (NFM, CES/DRS, CBNRM)

• Recognition of NRM linkages to livelihood and income generation (NRM based enterprises)

• Demonstrated effectiveness in managing conflicts (Twi kilibo)

Observed changes (continued)

• NRM is increasingly integrated into agricultural intensification (OHV, PSN/FIDA)

• Shift from technocratic, top-down to participatory approach (GTV)

• Willingness and capacity of local groups to invest in NRM (Goure, KAED, OHV)

• Localized reduction of degradation and restoration of NR productivity

Forest Management

• Succession of projects triggered by deforestation, fuelwood shortages, etc.

• shift from plantations to woodlots to managed natural forests (now 394,000 ha.)

• forestry codes reformed in most countries

• 235 groupement de gestion forestiere in BF

• billions CFA in income for woodcutters

Range Management• State and projects had undermined local control

and failed to slow range degradation• Promising breakthrough in rehabilitation and

management of pastures in Niger, Chad (gestion holistique - PPP)

• on 13,000 ha near Abalak, Niger: 1997-99- 43% increase in vegetation cover- area of bare soil reduced from 68% to 35%- tripled biomass production from 667 to 1683 kg/ha- milk production increased from 1.5 to 4 liters/day

Wildlife Management

• Initial pilot activity - Nazinga game ranch

• Large ungulates in Nazinga increased from 1,000 to 20,000 1979-1991

• Growth in local fisheries, gamemeat production, tourism revenues, employment

• Multiple new initiatives regionally, nationally, locally in Burkina, associated with GEF, GTV, ADEFA

Historical Perspective

Common Elements From the 25 Workshop Technical Papers

1935: Colonial Forestry Laws Centralizing Authority

1960: Independence for many West African States

1967-72: Drought

1935: Colonial Forestry Laws Centralizing Authority

1960: Independence for many West African States

1967-72: Drought

Explosion of Initiatives and Experiments

1935: Colonial Forestry Laws Centralizing Authority

1960: Independence for many West African States

1967-72: Drought

Explosion of Initiatives and Experiments

1987-89: Taking Stock of Experiences and Lessons

1935: Colonial Forestry Laws Centralizing Authority

1960: Independence for many West African States

1967-72: Drought

Explosion of Initiatives and Experiments

1987-89: Taking Stock of Experiences and Lessons

1989: Sub-Regional Meeting at Segou

1935: Colonial Forestry Laws Centralizing Authority

1960: Independence for many West African States

1967-72: Drought

Explosion of Initiatives and Experiments

1987-89: Taking Stock of Experiences and Lessons

1989: Sub-Regional Meeting at Segou

1990-96: After 55 Years of C&C, Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, and Mali All Change Role of State From Policeman to Partner

Constraints and Shortcomings

• Implementation of policy reforms hampered by institutional inertia

• Limited application of some promising NRM models

• Lack of resources to track and evaluate impacts

• Continued dependence on external aid (“trop grand attentisme”)

What’s New?

• From experimentation to adoption

• Not yet enough to offset larger degradation

• Zones where degradation perceptibly altered

• Striking consensus on impact of economic incentives and economic drivers

• We know enough to spread results

What’s New? (continued)

• Importance of local advocacy and local facilitators

• Impact being achieved via new “project” / facilitation and assistance approaches

• Not just more money, but more effective use of resources

• Replication depends on policy and governance framework

Findings

• Results achieved in 90’s are rooted in the experiments of the 70’s and 80’s, and bore fruit through persistence

• Shift in focus from “sensitizing” farmers about the need for NRM to “sensitizing” decision-makers about the incentives farmers need to invest in NRM

Findings (continued)

• Effective advocacy comes from within and requires persistent and coordinated efforts

• Reformers are more effective as a group working together vs as individuals working separately

• There is value added in working across countries and across sectors

Next Steps

• Papers synthesized by WA-based specialists

• Proceedings, syntheses and technical papers to be finalized and disseminated to decision makers and posted on the web

• Systems for information exchange established in the subregion

Next Steps (continued)

• Participants networked and actively contributing all relevant fora

• Presentation to FRAME Contact Group (Dakar, May 2000)

• IUCN Workshop

• Bobo Meetings

• Possible Segou II?

Implications for USAID

• Tension between role of problem solver vs. facilitator (Reporting challenges)

• Tension between scaling up rapidly using prescriptive approaches vs. progressively establishing enabling environment, building capacity, facilitation of stakeholders, etc.

Implications for USAID (cont)

• Tension between tracking trends (as proof of

concept) vs tracking absolute changes