Farmer Managed Natural Farmer Managed Natural RegenerationRegeneration in the Sahel in the Sahel

A. Kalinganire, M. Larwanou & J. Bayala

World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF-WCA/Sahel)African Forest Forum (AFF)

Challenges for the SahelChallenges for the Sahel

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Rising population Rising population implies increasing food implies increasing food demandsdemands

Poor farming practicesPoor farming practices

Overgrazing and Overgrazing and excessive tillage leave excessive tillage leave exposed soilsexposed soils

Soil erosion leading to Soil erosion leading to crusted soil and crusted soil and increased water loss increased water loss due to runoffdue to runoff

Loss of biodiversityLoss of biodiversity

Land, forests and tree Land, forests and tree tenuretenure

Challenges for the SahelChallenges for the Sahel

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Fragile environment with Fragile environment with sparse vegetative coversparse vegetative cover

70% area is already 70% area is already naturally degraded to naturally degraded to different extents different extents

Limited arable land Limited arable land resourcesresources

Recurrent droughtsRecurrent droughts

Dryland areas and people Dryland areas and people are under continuous are under continuous threat from land threat from land degradation, degradation, desertification, food desertification, food insecurity and povertyinsecurity and poverty

Farmer-Managed Natural RegenerationFarmer-Managed Natural Regeneration

• Systematic regeneration of trees from living tree stumps (underground forest) & soil seedbank.

• Management: thinning, pruning of main stems & emerging new stems when necessary.

• Scale: about 6 million ha in 20 years (i.e. 150.000 ha/year), up to 300 trees/ha, 15 – 40 new different plant species, new trees: at least 240 million trees (= carbon sequestration).

Niger Story: More People, More TreesNiger Story: More People, More Trees19551955

2005200519751975

Tree Density

80

60

40

20

0

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000Time (Month)

Tree Density : TreeDensityReferenceMode

Million hectares of cereal production in Faidherbia parklands

Sahelian successes …Sahelian successes …

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Driving forces' of change, both environmental and socio-economic, are highly complex.

FMNR gave rural communities compelling reasons to organize, negotiate, and set tree resources management rules, and smallholders used “Rule of Law” to uphold rights over trees.

Policy reforms informed by field experiences (clear Policy reforms informed by field experiences (clear tree rights & low risks)tree rights & low risks)

SState as a partner to farmers rather than police tate as a partner to farmers rather than police role.role.

FMNR as cash to move out of poverty; increased food security and reduced vulnerability to climate change.

Sahelian successes …Sahelian successes …

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FMNR was driven by farmers working on their own behalf; not on behalf of a project!

There was never a plan that aimed to reforest more than 5 million hectares of farmland; it was just a process in which ideas and visions kept evolving! BUT:

Policy reforms were critical and often following field experiences.

Low start-up costs for farmers & FMNR’s continuation required no or few recurring costs for governments or partners.

“We now have many village committees to manage the

environment”

Gaps for research …Gaps for research …

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Ecosystem managementEcosystem management: What are the sources and conditions of resilience of Sahelian ecosystems and the implications in terms of ecosystem management?

Policy: How to evaluate land and forest/tree management policies (tenure and rights) in order to assess the effects of the enforced management practices on ecological and economic dynamics?

Institution: What kind of design of institutional arrangements are needed to lower the vulnerability of local rural poor to environmental variability and economic change?

Carbon: Carbon: How can local populations benefit from carbon market for their effort in regenerating trees in their private lands?

Progress for the way forward…Progress for the way forward…

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Address and improve 'household viability' and other structural constraints that lead to poverty alleviation, including income generation, employment access, conflict, equitable sharing of ecosystem goods and services.

Capitalize the value of early work to create opportunities for learning and exchange of experience.

Empower rural communities developing their programmes and action plans for trees on farms management & develop well-defined and concerted initiatives at all levels.

Work with partners for advocacy actions on policy issues regarding tree/land tenure, access to markets of AF products and sustainable management of parklands.

FMNR and other improved technologies can contribute positively in rehabilitating the drylands in a sustainable manner.

ConclusionConclusionDiversification (livestock, food crops etc), further intensification and adoption of other SLM technologies in other similar contexts for food security.

Thank youThank you