INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATION ITTO PRE-PROJECT PROPOSAL TITLE STUDY FOR THE CONSERVATION, REHABILITATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF MANGROVES IN TOGO SERIAL NUMBER PPD 37/02 Rev.1 (F) COMMITTEE REFORESTATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT SUBMITTED BY GOVERNMENT OF TOGO r ORIGINAL LANGUAGE FRENCH [ SUMMARY The coastal area of Togo used to be a mangrove area 'par excellence'. However, as a result of intensive ( agricultural activities and energy wood harvesting, these mangrove forest formations have been devastated. During the past few years, this has caused a significant change in climatic factors, resulting in a reduction in agricultural production, an increase in the energy crisis and the pauperization of rural populations. This pre-project aims to assess the current situation in order to prepare a project document for the ( conservation and rehabilitation of mangroves with a view eliminating the negative effects linked to the destruction of mangroves and contributing to the improvement of living conditions of the population I concerned. EXECUTING AGENCY The Association "REweil de la Jeunesse Rurale" (RJR) COOPERATING GOVERNMENTS DURATION Nine (9) months APPROXIMATE STARTING DATE To be determined BUDGET AND PROPOSED Source Contribution Equivalent in SOURCE OF FINANCE (in $US) local currency ITTO 62794 Togo(RJR Association) 32174 TOTAL 94968 r [ ABBREVIATIONS ITTA: International Tropical Timber Agreement ITTO: International Tropical Timber Organization FAO: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization GTZ: German Technical Cooperation NFAP: National Forest Action Plan NEAP: National Environmental Action Plan [ TOR: Terms of Reference NC: National Coordinator f HP: Head of Project NGO: Non-Governmental Organization DGPD: Department of Planning and Development ( UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development GEF: Global Environment Facility [ CCD: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification PACIPE-BNC: Environmental Assistance, Communication, Information and Protection Programme 1 MERF: Ministry of the Environment and Forest Resources L RJR: Reveil de la Jeunesse Rurale CRCD: Centre de recherche concertee pour le developpement [ APDP: Association for the promotion of farmers' rights PART I: CONTEXT 1. Origin Actions undertaken so far in Togo for the sustainable management of natural forest resources have been sporadic and have only applied to a few isolated natural forest stands such as Haho-Baloa, Missahoa, Bato, etc. With regard to natural mangrove formations, a reforestation action led by a local NGO in the villages of Agouegan, Sako, Djata and Agbanakin, is contributing to the sustainable rehabilitation of the resource. Furthermore, the communities of different localities in the mangrove area of Togo have on several occasions expressed their desire to reconstitute the forest canopy of their respective environments, following the permanent and worrying degradation of these natural stands, which is preventing economic development in the region. Their expressed desire is motivated by the steady fall in production of their main agricultural activities (rice growing, fishing, fish farming, crafts, etc.) which were an important source of revenue to these populations, a fall in production that is due to the deterioration of environmental conditions (climate, soils, [ plant canopy, etc.). As a result, preliminary meetings have taken place between the communities of the area and the authorities of the RJR Association and the Forest Administration, in order to discuss the problems of environmental degradation in the area and the concerns of neighbouring communities. During these meetings, the population considered the participatory approach to be the best and opted for it. Indeed, local communities are very much aware of the state of degradation of their environment and are completely in favour of the proposed project idea. I Decision 9(XXIX) of the International Tropical Timber Council on the mangrove conservation and rehabilitation programme is an asset and strengthens the objectives of the proposed pre-project. I 2. Sectoral Policies Togo is mainly an agricultural country, the deforestation of which is constantly increasing. In 1990, the closed forest of Togo covered an area of 499000 ha. Today, it is estimated at approximately 130 000 ha I (UNIC, 1994) and remains directly under threat. Mangrove stands have also been severely damaged by the activities of the rural population, to the extent that today, the only mangrove region to retain the interest of the rural population is the coastal region. Faced with such levels of gradual degradation of its natural resources and environment, Togo has committed itself to an environmental planning and management process, in the form of the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP), adopted in June 1999. The NEAP is conceived as a strategic framework for discussion, consultation, planning and action, making it possible to identify and prioritise environmental actions, with a view to developing the planning and management of natural resources and the environment from a sustainable development viewpoint. The fact that any good or bad changes in the environment depend mostly on local communities is very striking. Consultation between the government and the rural population is therefore essential to the I strengthening of sustainable environmental management. Studies carried out on rural development efforts have shown that such attempts can only be successful if they are clearly based on the requirements of local communities, on their own perception of their problems and on their capacity to deal with them. With this in mind, the NFAP (National Forest Action Plan) particularly emphasizes a participatory approach and the optimal and conservational utilization of forest resources, taking into account its present status and its future needs (NFAP, 1994). It aims to ensure the sustainable management of natural forest stands and the extension of the forest heritage through the rehabilitation and development of natural and man-made mangrove forests. I With this strategy, Togo aims to guarantee national production, to promote the sustainable utilization of mangroves, and thereby contribute to the development of the country's economy. The objectives of the proposed pre-project are therefore very much in line with national policy on mangrove production and biodiversity conservation. Moreover, it meets the national concern regarding the fight against poverty, one of the objectives of which is the fight against deforestation the environmental degradation (DGPD, 1990). 3. Programmes and Operational Activities This pre-project complies with the aims of national policy, as stated in the National Forest Action Plan Report. This programme emphasizes the development of reserved and private forest land with the motivated participation of rural communities, gradually granted the responsibility for the sustainable management of their own environment. Through this programme, the Government of Togo proposes to increase the existing forest canopy from its present 8% of the national territory to 30%, as recommended by FAO, and to increase timber production through: • The management of natural forest stands and the reforestation of degraded and/or new land. • Applying national policies aimed at the rational utilization and sustainable conservation of the region's genetic resources. In addition to the programmes developed in the context of the National Forest Action Plan (NFAP) and the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) nearing completion, there are other national plans such as the [ fight against poverty and the fight against desertification, which are in agreement with the objectives of the proposed pre-project, underlining the need to combat deforestation and environmental degradation, as well as the need for economic improvement of rural areas. In placing an emphasis on the conservation and rehabilitation of mangroves, this pre-project is in line with the main projects and pre-projects implemented or under implementation in the country and financed through ITTO; I • PO 204/91 Rev.1 (F): "Identification and study of a plantation project for the production of timber in the reserved forest of Haho-Baloe (Plateaux Region) - Togo. • PPO 7/98 Rev. 2(F): "Support to the population of Akposso for the development of a participatory approach to forest management in the Bato area (North Amou)". • PPO 11/96 Rev.2 (F): "Identification and planning of measures for the sustainable management of the Kloto community forests in the reserved forest of Missahoe with the participation of rural I communities". • PPO 14/95 Rev. 3 (F) "Identification and planning of measures for the sustainable management of Togo's teak plantations". • PO 30/96 Rev.3 (F): "2500 ha plantation project in the reserved forest of Haho-baloe (Plateaux Region-Togo )". • PO 9/99 Rev.2 (F): "Sustainable and participatory forest resource management in the reserved forest of Missahoe and neighbouring rural communities with a view to an optimal production of industrial timber - Togo". In particular, this pre-project has noteworthy links with a number of previous ITTO projects and pre-projects for the rehabilitation and sustainable management of natural forests with the participation of neighbouring communities. These are: • Project PO 9/99 Rev.2 (F): "Sustainable and participatory forest resource management in the reserved forest of Missahoe and neighbouring rural communities with a view to an optimal production of industrial