Africa Regional Democracy Fund

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This program will support organizations working on wildlife conservation to assist local communities living in and near wildlife-protected areas, including both farmers and herders, to develop their capacity to actively engage in the preservation of wildlife and Niger’s natural heritage. Objective 1 : Amplify the voices of the locals who remain a marginalized group in wildlife-protected areas. Objective 2 : Promote the welfare of local communities with diversified means of livelihoods and/or the provision of basic infrastructure. Objective 3 : Engage local communities in the fight against violent extremist organizations and traffickers. Project activities could include the following: - Advocating with government institutions to consider local communities’ needs. - Establishing a surveillance system to create a safe environment that promotes tourism. - Creating diversified income generating activities to reduce dependance on agricultural production. - Establishing information-sharing networks between GoN and local communities to report suspected VEO and poaching activities. - Using local knowledge to improve wildlife protection policies and programs. - Amplifying the voice of marginalized groups, especially women. - Supporting women-led groups working on environment issues to reverse desertification. - Raising awareness of conservation laws and the law’s benefits for both farmers and herders. - Basic infrastructure construction for local communities, including health facilities, water sites (wells, boreholes,) and marking cattle passageways for transhumant herders. Anticipated outcomes attributable to program activities include : - Local communities collaborate and share information with government institutions, limiting the operating space for violent extremist organizations and traffickers. - Local communities demonstrate an improved willingness to engage in wildlife protection. - Local communities’ livelihoods are protected. - Local community members, especially women, are engaged and included in the area’s development.

High