Reboisement Villageois dans le Nord du Bassin Arachidier, Region de Thies
Project / Program Summary

1. Objectives
   The rapidly expanding population has put increased pressure on the fragile, dry environment and has led to degradation of the vegetation, break-down of shifting cultivation towards permanent agriculture and declining soil fertility.
2. Activities / contents
   The project attempts to break this vicious circle in various ways, including reforestation and diversification of economic activities. The long-term goal of the project is to combat deforestation and desertification, and improve the local people's living conditions. The immediate objectives are to increase the rural population's self-sufficiency in forestry development, including both technical and financial aspects; promote integrated land management activities at the village level; and develop regional forestry service capacities to take over project activities.
3. Expected outcomes/Impacts:
   This project is regarded as a model community forestry project. During the first two phases, it has served as a laboratory to test the participatory approach methodology and the tools conceived under the project Project d'appui au Program développement de la Foresterie Rurale au Sénégal. Around 250 villages have been reached, village land-use plans have been developed, and some 5,000 farmers have been trained in agroforestry. More than 100 village tree nurseries have been established which, together with the Forest Service nurseries, are producing approximately 500,000 tree seedlings per year.
   Reforestation efforts have resulted in about 2,000 ha of village plantations, family wood lots and fruit trees, and more than 1,000 km of line planting and hedges for anti-erosion and soil protection. In addition, around 10,000 ha of degraded wood-land has been regenerated by planting mainly Acacia albida.
4. Features in line with Agenda for Action:

Unit for Cooperation with Multilateral and Bilateral Agencies, Technical Cooperation Department (TCDM), FAO - Rome
FAO Regional Office - Operations Branch (RAFR), Accra, Ghana