JPC.CCP Bureau Du Pr6sident
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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 COMITE CONJOINT DU PROGRAMME Office of the Chairman JPC.CCP Bureau du Pr6sident JOINT PROGRAMME COMMITTEE JPC5.4A Fifth Session ORIGINAL: FRXNCH Niamey, 3-6 December 1984 September 1984 Provi s ional asenda iten 11 PLANNING CELL FOR THE ONCHOCERCIASIS CONTROLLED AREAS PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BENIN PROJECT BEN/80/002 MINISTRY OF PLANNING, STATISTICS AND 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 brought under control reviews the various activicies scheduled or in progress within t.he provinces concerned, Atacora and Borgou, under the National Development Plan, and describes the specific activities being carried out by the national Ce11 responsible for developing the controlled areas. These Iatter acEivities, far from competing with those scheduled under the Plan, are aimed at strengthening them by creating the necessary conditions for the rapid exploitation of certain fertile onchocerciasis-controlled 1ands. The sheer size of t.hese various socioeconomic projects illustraEes the high prioriEy given by the Plan to such areas, on account of their inrnense agriculEural potential and the need 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 Onchocerciasis Control Programre (OcP) have a total area of 81 300 kmz, i.e. 72.27. of the total area of Benin (see maps annexed). According to the latest estimates of the National InstiEute of Statistics and Economrc Analysis, these two provinces had a population of 1 054 820 in 1983, i.e., 282 of the total population of the country. The mean population density is estimated aE 13 inhabitants per kmz.. 17 per kmz in Atacora and 11 per kmz in Borgou. These figures illustraEe the low space occupancy in these areas of relatively fertile land. Indeed, out of the 3 754 000 ha of cultivable land, 66.97 of the countryrs total, only 8% is at present under cult 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 by a severe lack of equipment and facilities. These provinces, which are prime areas for long-term agricultural development on account of their tremendous potential, are at present seriously threatened by drought and by the drift frorn the land. I l rl JPC5.4A Page 2 2. The objectives of the Second Plan for 1983-1987 Benin has a self-focused and self-mainEained developmenE strategy constructed around two essential objectives: (i) creation of an adequate internal demand; (ii) creation of an adequate surplus that can be mobilized for the formation of capital. , 2 1 Objectives within the rural sector The development of this major sector involves modification of the pattern of production { and 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, widespread use of money, reduction of home consumption, etc. Up to now the surplus created bv the agricultural 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 a four-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 in cormnunity education and extension work. Altogether Ehe development activities in the agricultural sector should from now on be based upon: (a) modification of the pattern of production, which calls for a strengthening of institutional resources ; (b) integrated acEivities to increase producEion capacity: these should be applied to entire natural regions, should involve the local population, and should undertake the development of areas of high potential on Ehe basis of experimental units. 2.2 Objectives within the industrial sector - Exploitation of natural resources; - meeting the needs of the home market. 2 3 Objectives within the public works sector Development activities in the public works sector will be aimed at. tvro objectives during the 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 and Atacora 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 from Dassa to Parakou, together with the construction of a number of untarred roads, will make it possible to transport marketable agricultural surpluses tordards the south and the neighbouring countries. JPC5.44 Psge 3 2.4 Obiectives within the social sector As regards basic education, the objectives of the Second Plan include the construction of 2000 classrooms in order to improve conditions of work and the prevention of a drop in the quality of teaching by providing basic and refresher training for teachers. As regards health the general strategy remains the same as that defined in L972, which is fully in line with the concerns of WHO, i.e. the development of primary health care in the light of the social objective of "health for all by the year 2000rr. In order Eo provide access to health care for the entire population, the Plan provides for: - establishment of a network of decentralized health facilities at village and comune level, 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 essential drugs for all health unitsl - strengthening of the provincial hospitals so as to enable them to provide the public with 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 number of projects are in progress in the two provinces currently covered by OCP, and these projects contribute directly or indirectly to the development of the controlled areas. These are mainly the projects in the rural, village lrater supply, road infrastructure and health and educational facilities sectors, the irunediate or long-term effects of which are the trost signficant indicators of development in these areea. 1. Agricultural projects Cost Funding Title of project in millions progress of CFA francs sources State of Development of forestry UNDP resourc es 500 Benin In progress Development of the Federal Republic forest economy and of Gernany (FRG) timber production 3 798 Benin In progress Integrated rural AID development of Borgou IFAD prov ince 8 625 Benin In progress Rural development IFAD of Atacora OPEC province 5 800 Benin In progress Development of Council of the Iivestock farming: Entente smal1 ruminants 439 Benin JPC5.4A Page 4 Title of project Cost in millions Funding of CFA francs sources State of progress Ranch for production and fattening of cat.tle, B6t6rou 673 To found be Under study I Ranch for production and fattening of cattle, Tobr€ 626 To be found Under study a Development of animal production in Atacora province 1 I00 FRG In progress Teak plantation, southern Borgou 2 085 Benin In progress As the above table shows, a number of projects concerned with forestry, crops and livestock production are in progress in Atacora and Borgou provinces. However, the major ones are the Borgou rural development project financed with funds from AID, the World Bank and 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 planned and the resources being implemented, are effectively contributing to t.he development of the onchocerciasis-controlled areas. These projects are primarily aimed at improving agricult.ural production by supporting the comnunity education structures, by rnaking greater use of the inputs and by applying modern cultivation techniques. They are also involved in the strengthening of certain economic infrastructures (roads, shops) or social facilities such as cornrnunity water supply. For example, the Borgou rural development project has given a remarkable boost Eo cotton production and had a significant impact on the spread of animal traction. Cotton producEion in Borgou province has risen from 10 440 tons in year I of the project to 36 220 tons in year 3, i.e. 677 of national production. The increase in food crop production 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 last three 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 in Benin is the fact that many places are virtually cut off from each other and from the outside world.