Environment and Energy

Soil Conservation and Land Reclamation

This category includes primarily sand dune fixation projects (particularly in Senegal, Mauritania and Somalia) and some other erosion control and land rehabilitation efforts. UNSO's experiences in this area can be exemplified looking at the Mauritania case, where a sand dune fixation programme was originally formulated in 1982 and implemented in three phases until 1997. In its first phase the project had an experimental character, adopting a curative approach aimed at the protection of infrastructure (roads, settlements). It was possible to try a range of mechanical and biological stabilization techniques at 15 typical sites. It also identified the most appropriate plant varieties for this purpose and conditions for their cultivation under local climatic conditions. The project was able to show that it was technically possible to stabilize sand dunes under the various ecological conditions. But the project also demonstrated that the unit cost for extending this kind of measures to the total affected area were very high and thus posed clear limits to such an approach.

This led to a major change in the approach and the design of a second phase (1987-1990). Emphasis was placed on preventive rather than curative measures. Efforts were oriented towards protecting and regenerating the productive resources used by the rural populations rather than towards protecting infrastructure ("roads of hope") This more integrated approach combined the stabilization techniques with efforts to improve soil productivity. It also focused on the search for new sources of income through promotion of water and soil conservation techniques, agro-forestry plantations, etc.

The encouraging results of this second phase led to a third phase for consolidation. The on-the-ground trials to manage the productive systems met soon both the objectives for conservation and for the improvement of the productive potential of the respective areas. Management of water and soil, increase in agricultural production, diversification of cultures, establishment of forage reserves for livestock have attracted the interest and strengthened the cohesion of village groups.

The technical and methodological achievements of this and other programmes have yielded a useful body of information and lessons, that can be applied under most ecological conditions in the Sahel. One important lesson is, that viability and sustainablility of projects of this nature depends on the participation of the concerned population. Ensuring genuine participation is a major challenge and will only be possible where farmers and agro-pastoralists find an immediate and material interest in the project activities and where the institutional environment is an enabling one.

The following summaries provide additional insights about the projects under this category:

• Projet de lutte contre l'ensablement et mise en valeur agro-sylvo-pastorale - Phase III
  (MAU/92/X01 et MAU/91/X51), République Islamique de Mauritanie
  
  
• Projet de lutte contre l'ensablement et mise en valeur agro-sylvo-pastorale - Phase II,
  (MAU/86/X01 & MAU/86/X51), République Islamique de Mauritanie
  
  
• Programme de stabilisation et de fixation des dunes - Phase I
  (MAU/80/X02; MAU/82/X01; MAU/82/X51, MAU/85/X53), République Islamique de Mauritanie
  
  
• Coastal Sand Dune Fixation
  (SOM/84/X02), Adale Area, Somalia
  
  
• Programme de fixation des dunes secondaires et de protection des cuvettes maraîchères (ou Niayes)
  (SEN/84/X07 (phase I) & SEN/89/X01 (phase II)), République du Sénégal
  
  
• Coastal Sand Dune Fixation
  (SOM/82/X01 & SOM/82/X51), Brava Area, Somalia
  
  
• Strengthening and Intensification of Coastal Sand Dune Fixation Activities
  (SOM/80/X01 & SOM/80/X51) Shallambot Area, Somali