RESILAND Niger Integrated Landscape Management Project

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The project is structured around three interdependent components that help achieve its development objective. Component 1 focuses on knowledge creation and territorial planning for climate resilience. It will support: (i) the first ever forest and rangelands national inventory to create knowledge and operationalize monitoring and evaluation systems; (ii) development of forests, pastoral lands and fisheries management plans; (iii) the integration of climate considerations in development and territorial planning in selected Communes; and (iv) the enabling environment for the implementation of the National Determined Contribution (NDC) and Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). Component 2 focuses on promoting investments aiming on one hand to rehabilitate and restore landscapes to improve and reestablish their environmental services and on other hand to strengthen livelihood resilience by diversifying economic assets and improving access to new markets for producers and/or producer organizations’ products. Component 3 will support coordination, communication, and monitoring and evaluation of the project. A fourth Contingency Emergence Response Component (CERC) is added to facilitate response to a potential crisis as needed.COMPONENT 1. Knowledge creation and territorial planning for climate resilience (US$20 million)CP1.1 National Forest and pastoral lands inventory (US$8 million)It's urgent for Niger to prepare a national forest and rangelands inventory. The aim of this inventory is i) to establish an overall situation of national forest and rangelands resources, and ii) to provide reliable statistics and maps with more modern and less costly methods. The inventory will include: a national restoration/afforestation plan; deforestation maps, soil maps, and biodiversity inventories. CP1.2 Development of forest, pastoral, and fisheries management plans (US$5 million)Forest (US$2 million), rangeland (US$2 million), and fisheries (US$1 million) management plans are the main legal instruments guiding the management of these ecosystems. All forests, rangelands and fisheries areas in the targeted regions require new or updated management plans. These plans are key to ensuring the sustainable management and maintenance of these renewable resources. CP1.3: Climate informed territorial planning and development in targeted Communes (US$5 million)The preparation of communal development plans (PDC) in Niger is aligned with the communes’ Economic and Social Development Plan (PDES). The 2022 - 2027 PDES is still under finalization and will be published shortly. In this respect, the project will support the updating of the PDCs of the targeted communes, in particular to incorporate NDC commitments, climate change mitigation and adaptation planning and ensure the involvement of local stakeholders, mainly women, in the process.CP1.4: Enabling environment for Niger NDC and LDN implementation (US$2 million) This subcomponent will support (i) the improved functioning of the Niger CDN committee, and (ii) the updating and operationalizing of existing information management systems under the General Directorate of Water and Forests, as well as the development of a national MRV system to ensure the monitoring of the Niger NDC and LDN as part of the implementation of the Paris Agreement. .COMPONENT 2: Investments in Landscape Restoration and Community Resilience to Climate Change (US$115 million)Sub-component 2.1: Restoring Landscapes and Ecosystem Services (US$70 million)Targeted investments will include measures aimed at improving carbon pools, preventing soil degradation, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, increasing carbon stock, and restoring lands, favoring biodiversity conservation and biodynamic agriculture (with high potential for mitigation co-benefits). Drought-resistant products will be developed and specific techniques (such as ‘no tillage’ techniques) will reduce water evaporation adaptation co-benefits. Through this subcomponent, the project is seeking to restore 205,000 ha and 11,000 km of hedge and pastoral corridors, through techniques that have been identified in the NDC. The selection of restoration sites will be based on criteria that include, among others, land tenure status, community commitment for sustainable management, whether the site meets technical requirements, vulnerability to climate risks, and the potential to increase carbon sinks.Sub-component 2.2: Improving Local Livelihoods Resilience (US$45 million)This subcomponent aims to enable local producers, especially youths and women, to improve their livelihoods by becoming more competitive producers capable of meeting market demands while improving their resilience to climate change. Activities will focus on three interrelated areas: (i) valorizing and promoting the sustainable development of NTFPs; (ii) the improvement and development of artisanal fisheries products; (iii) promoting the preservation of the cultural and non-tangible capital of local communities; and (iv) establishing and implementing integrated community agro-silvo-pastoral farms (FACIs) as innovative models of economic development and food security.CP2.2.1. Sustainable development of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) (US$20 million)NTFPs provide women and their families with means of subsistence, additional services, and jobs. In this component, activities to enhance women’s cultural heritage and artisanal skills in harvesting and handling products [Baobab (Adansonia digitata), Honey, Doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica), Balanites (Balanites aegyptiaca), the Boscia fruit (Boscia Senegalensis), Marula (Sclerocarya birrea), and Nere (Parkia biglobosa)] will be supported (see Table 5). The value addition to these products will increase women’s income by generating more profits from yield and commercialization. These activities are designed to support women’s entrepreneurship and economic and social empowerment. Supporting the linkages of producer groups to NGOs and off-taker organizations will ensure these small businesses can be sustained beyond the life cycle of the project.CP2.2.2 Fisheries products (US$15 million). The project will support traditional fishing from water reservoirs and community ponds and address the main constraints faced by the sector, which include: (a) inadequate fishing infrastructures (small landing sites) and water bodies, (b) fry production, (c) fish feed production, and (d) fish products transport. Project support will be provided through the normative principles of productive alliances to strengthen collaboration between the public and the private sector and facilitate the access of associated artisanal fishermen to markets. The activity will strengthen the participation of women in the fishing sub-sector, where they are responsible for activities downstream of fishing, such as fish processing, trading etc., all essential for the profitability of this activity. CP2.2.3 Intangible capital (US$3 million). This subcomponent will promote the cultural and non-tangible capital of local communities, and finance initiatives that celebrate and amplify traditional and customary practices related to natural resources. These practices are an essential part of the Sahelian identity and are key to preserving the long history of interaction between the cultural and natural environments. The project will finance activities such as the production of handicrafts, festivals and events. In addition, traditional and customary practices in natural resources management will be prioritized in the techniques promoted by the project for land restoration, fishing, and farming. This sub-component will be implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Handicrafts.CP2.2.4: Community Integrated Agro-Silvo-Pastoral Farms (FACI) (US$7 million). Integrated community agro-silvo-pastoral farms (FACIs) are innovative models of economic development in the regions of the GGW and have been deployed since 2016. FACI is a community