Burundi - The Watershed Management Project (PABV)

The Watershed Management Project (PABV) is the result of the analysis of forest and environmental problems with populations, exacerbated by the drought which has hit the North-eastern part of the country for some time. It was designed based on lessons learned from the implementation of previous projects financed by the Bank (Bukirasazi reforestation project and Bututsi agro-pastoral project) and other partners such as FAO, IFAD, German Cooperation and Belgian Cooperation. These projects aims at developing the strategic options of sustainable use of land and rational management of community-based resources to decrease the phenomenon of erosion, reduce pressure on the resources and make the population benefit from the incomes which it could draw from the implementation of the activities. It implementation will help build national capacities in sustainable management of forest and pastoral resources through the training of 2,000 smallholders in agroforestry and erosion control, study trips for 50 smallholders, the sensitization and supervision of 46,800 smallholders in agroforestry activities, development of fodder species and diversification of production in their holdings. The project focuses on four components, namely: capacity building, conservation and improvement of resources, improvement of agro-silvo-pastoral production and the management of the project.