USAID-Wula Nafaa Program FINAL REPORT AUGUST 2008 – AUGUST 2013 August 2013 This publication was produced by the United States Agency for International Development by International Resources Group (IRG). International Resources Group page i AGRICULTURE - NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WULA NAFAA FINAL REPORT AUGUST 2008 – AUGUST 2013 CONTRACT NO. 685-C-00-03-00008-00 International Resources Group 1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 202-289-0100 Fax 202-289-7601 www.irgltd.com Notice: The points of view of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of USAID or of the United States Government. USAID-Wula Nafaa FINAL REPORT 2008-2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... IV 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................... 1 2. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 4 3. GOOD GOVERNANCE: KEY TO SUCCESS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ......... 5 3.1. General considerations and strategy for Good Governance .................................................. 5 3.2. Summary of results ....................................................................................................................... 5 3.2.1. Local collectivities ............................................................................................................ 5 3.2.2. Community-based organizations ...................................................................................... 7 3.2.3. Forest management committees ......................................................................................... 8 3.2.4. Wells management committees ....................................................................................... 10 3.2.5. Lowland area management committees ........................................................................... 11 3.2.6. Management committees in the garden perimeters ............................................................ 14 3.2.7. Forest management plans and financial and administrative management ......................... 15 3.2.8. Local conventions and land use plans (POAS) in the CRs ............................................ 20 3.2.9. Lessons learned ............................................................................................................. 24 3.2.10. Strategy for sustainability ........................................................................................... 25 4. AGRICULTURE: MEASURE OF FOOD SECURITY ............................................ 26 4.1. General considerations and approach taken by the Agriculture Component .................... 26 4.2. Management and development of lowland areas ................................................................... 29 4.2.1. Biophysical characterization ........................................................................................... 34 4.3. Conservation Farming and related activities ........................................................................... 38 4.3.1. Strategy for implementation of different types of CF ........................................................ 38 4.3.2. Activities that complement CF: compost and RNA ....................................................... 46 4.3.3. CF results 2010 to 2012: growth in producers and yields; credit .................................... 49 4.3.4. Constraints in CF ........................................................................................................ 52 4.4. Management of garden perimeters: assistance provided, technologies, and complementary activities ................................................................................................................................................. 52 4.4.1. Assistance for fenced garden perimeters, including SIGESCO ........................................ 53 4.4.2. Assistance provided to private gardeners ......................................................................... 56 4.4.3. Associated technologies: water pumps, basins, toolkits .................................................... 57 4.4.4. Activities associated with the horticulture value chain: training, groups, contracting for credit58 4.5. Successes, lessons learned, and recommendations for sustainability from the agriculture component ............................................................................................................................................ 60 4.5.1. Lowland area management ............................................................................................ 60 4.5.2. Conservation farming .................................................................................................... 60 4.5.3. Horticulture .................................................................................................................. 62 4.5.4. General agriculture component recommendations ............................................................. 63 4.6. Gender aspects of agriculture .................................................................................................... 63 5. COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES .................. 64 5.1. General considerations and strategy for the Biodiversity and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources Component .......................................................................................................... 64 5.2. Summary of results ..................................................................................................................... 65 5.2.1. Innovations in forest management .................................................................................. 65 5.2.2. Biodiversity and natural resource management (chimpanzees, mangroves) ........................ 68 5.2.3. Inventory and mapping offices ........................................................................................ 76 5.2.4. Charcoal exploitation .................................................................................................... 77 5.2.5. Traditional gold mining ................................................................................................. 78 5.3. Gender aspects in biodiversity management........................................................................... 80 6. POLICY AND COMMUNICATION: CORNERSTONES OF DIALOGUE AND VISIBILITY .........................................................................................................................81 International Resources Group page i USAID-Wula Nafaa FINAL REPORT 2008-2013 -- Table of Contents -- continued 6.1. Progress in natural resource management policy ................................................................... 81 6.2. Visibility of the Program ............................................................................................................ 82 6.2.1. Communication originating on-site (example of community radio) ................................... 82 6.2.2. External communication (written, YouTube, TV, external radio broadcasts, etc.) .......... 83 6.2.3. Informing people about Program achievements ................................................................ 86 6.2.4. Success stories ................................................................................................................ 87 6.2.5. Visits by authorities and partners .................................................................................. 88 6.2.6. Exchange visits ............................................................................................................. 88 7. WEALTH FROM WELL-ORGANIZED MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................... 90 7.1. General considerations and strategy for the Wealth Creation Component ....................... 90 7.2. Agroforestry products ................................................................................................................ 92 7.2.1. Cashew ......................................................................................................................... 92 7.2.2. Baobab ......................................................................................................................... 93 7.2.3. Mbepp gum ................................................................................................................... 95 7.2.4. Fonio ............................................................................................................................ 95 7.3. Producers’ organizations ............................................................................................................ 97 7.4. BDS and capacity building ......................................................................................................... 98 7.5. Strategies and tools used for financing (banks, savings and loans) ..................................... 99 7.6. Assistance provided for access to markets (packaging, contracts, fairs, forums, shops) 101 7.7. Fisheries products ..................................................................................................................... 103 7.8. Secondary market chain products (honey, madd, jujube, palm oil, and others) .............. 105 7.9. Gender aspects of wealth creation ........................................................................................