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Oasis Development
Project / Programme Summary

I. Basic data

Sector(s): Rural Development
Title: Oasis Development Project-phase II
Donor country / organization: IFAD
Other donors / organizations involved: AFESO
Beneficiary countries / regions: Mauritania
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries / regions: AFESD
Duration: 7 years
Starting Date: February,1995
Project / Program budget: USD 17.22 million
Finance / Type of cooperation: highly concessional loan with 0.75% interest over 40 years with 10 years grace period

II. Project / program description

  1. Objectives
    Improving the living conditions of poor rural families in oasis areas and increasing food security in areas where natural resources are limited and fragile, and living conditions are amongst the lowest and most difficult in the whole country.
  2. Activities / contents
    The project's programme approach implies a basket of different activities to be selected by the target group according to their specific needs. The activities included in the basket are based on components that were proven useful in Phase I-together with: (i) agricultural development; (ii) environmental protection; and (iii) institutional strengthening. In addition, support is provided for the mobilization and protection of the natural resource base in the oasis areas, as well as for restructuring and strengthening rural institutions involved in oasis development to make them more participatory and autonomous. Support is also provided for the organization of grass-roots institutions in the oasis farmlands.
  3. Expected outcomes / impacts
    As a result of the project, households in the participating oasis would improve their incomes and living standards through the higher productivity of crop production, flood recession and rainfed production, as well as in other sectors. The production potential of several oasis would be protected by the fixation of dunes, leading to higher investment levels in the concerned oasis. At least 140 member-managed associations would be established, representing the interests of all segments of the population and achieving a management capacity which would allow them to programme their own individual and communal activities and to contract external public and private services for the implementation of such services. They would also manage their own development capital on the basis of which short and medium-term loans to members would be provided. Regional unions of associations would be set up and the tasks of the Regional Oasis Development Units (RODUs) would be transferred to these unions.

III. Contact point:

IFAD: Mr. M. Tounessi, Country Portfolio Manager, Mauritania

(End)

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