Framing the Case for FMNR in the Sahel: what lessons for

Eastern Africa Region?

Mahamane Larwanou African Forest Forum

m.larwanou@cgiar.orgwww.afforum.org

Sahel region

Impacts of Droughts

Actions including FMNR!

1975 2005

Landscape transformation

Driving factors

i) Droughts of 1968, 1973 and 1984 devastated tree cover but produced critical lessons (discovery and testing ideas (State, NGOs, projects);

ii) Increase of population, i.e. pressure on wood and non wood forest products;

iii) Institutional and policy changes;Policy reforms informed by field experiences

– Maradi Declaration of 1984– Rural Code Change, 1993– Forest Code Change, 2004.

iv) Local initiatives in ToF management;

v) Emergence of champions- Local communities;- Researchers and developers;- Development projects and NGOs, etc.

Tree density and tree ownership Tree Density Tree Removal

Sense of Tree Ownership

Local Social Capital

“Trees became so important to have a good harvest; trees represent the granary

“We now have many village committees to manage the environment”

Benefits of On-Farm Trees…• Firewood production • Fodder for animals• Increase biodiversity• Habitat for millions of migrating birds• Fruit production• Traditional medicine• Increased soil fertility• Decreased soil erosion• Reduced wind speed• Increased crop yields• Increased water infiltration• Decrease in temperature• Increase in rainall• Inexpensive and easy to adopt• Increase in biomass and carbon• Contribute to mitigating and adapting to climate change

What lessons for Eastern Africa

1. Empower local communities to determine their development priorities.

2. Farmers need exclusive rights to trees – tenure issue.

3. Village and inter village institutions for managing regenerated trees.

4. Mainstream FMNR into policies and rural development projects.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION