Natural Resources Management in West Africa : Taking Stock

1. Natural Resources Management in West Africa : Taking Stock Debriefing on the Results of the NRM Stock-taking Workshop, Koudougou, Dec 6-10,1999

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Historical Perspective Common Elements From the 25 Workshop Technical Papers

18. 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”)

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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?

25. 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.

26. Implications for USAID (cont) • Tension between tracking trends (as proof of concept) vs tracking absolute changes