Planting for the future: How Isère supports Senegal’s climate resilience
(2/6) Discover today how the Department of Isère (France) is presenting its decentralised cooperation project with the Boundou Community Natural Reserve in Senegal. This is one of the 6 shortlisted projects for the final phase of the PLATFORMAwards, our prize to reward the best practices in decentralised development cooperation. The jury will announce the names of the 3 finalists on 1st April in Seville (Spain). Register to the World Forum of Local Economic Development (WFLED) to attend the award ceremony.
(Projects are sorted by alphabetical order)
The Boundou Community Natural Reserve (RNCB) is an important forest capital, mainly made up of savannahs in the south of Senegal, home to local communities whose traditional activities are closely dependent on the natural resources available in the area.
These ecosystems are affected by irregular climatic phenomena. Local adaptation mechanisms have been transformed into pressures and predatory human practices that threaten the resources (deforestation linked to the pruning of trees to feed livestock, bush fires set by livestock breeders), overgrazing and trampling around the points that accentuate their silting.
Corena, the RNCB conservatory, implements projects aimed at combating the effects of climate change on ecosystems (SDGs 13 and 15) and strengthening the resilience of communities in the Boundou RNC (SDGs 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12). An association under Senegalese law, Corena’s board of directors is made up of the reserve’s four communes, represented by their mayors: Baba Ndiaye, mayor of Dougué and chairman of Corena; Alassane Diallo, mayor of Koussan and vice-chairman; Amadou Diallo, mayor of Toumboura and secretary; and Amadou Ba, mayor of Sinthiou Fissa and auditor.
‘One Tree / One Inhabitant’ programme
The ‘One Tree / One Inhabitant’ programme, supported by the Isère department, is committed to the mass planting of trees to encourage carbon capture and help the region adapt to the effects of global warming. The RNCB, as a Sensitive Natural Area (ENS) that is suffering the effects of climate change, intends to take part in this programme to help achieve the objectives of planting one million trees initiated by the Isère Department.
It is based on the creation of a local forestry and fruit tree seedling production industry, with a view to implementing a reforestation programme involving 50,000 trees of local species in the reserve over a period of 5 years. The presence of trees facilitates the restoration, fertility and protection of the soil and an overall increase in biodiversity.
Agroforestry also represents a new income-generating activity for local people, who will work with local tree species adapted to the local climate and customs. Women and young people in the 5 villages benefiting from the project want to create agroforestry areas. Two of these villages have economic interest groups (GIEs) that are already active on areas that will be extended. The other three villages will benefit from newly developed areas. Beneficiaries will receive training in good practice, and the plots will be monitored by Corena on a regular basis.
The final results are expected to be: the creation of 5 agroforestry nurseries, training in nursery management and agroforestry for GIEs, the development of 5 agroforestry areas (4 ha each), the expansion of the educational plot in Koussan, and the planting of 50,000 trees in 5 years.
To date, the following projects have been completed:
- Belly and Didé: extension of the agroforestry perimeters (+ 3 ha each / total of 4 ha each). Fences installed. Boreholes drilled.
- Didé: Tree nursery installed and active.
- Koussan: pumping system installed. Tree nursery active.
- Reforestation: 2011 trees planted in September by MSEs, young people, eco-guards and the Corena technical team.
