Projects Current projects Rehabilitation of the Sahel (AGED) – Burkina Faso The project works with indigenous communities to reverse degradation, and foster sustainable land management, of pastures in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso. Benefits that the AGED project provides Start date 2014 Coordinator ONG AGED Activities Assisted Natural RegenerationImproved land management Participants 2,226 households PVCs issued to-date 6,717 The detail The objective of the project “Rehabilitation and sustainable management by AGED of degraded pastures in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso” is to reverse degradation of pastures and foster sustainable land management of the pastures in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso. The project is part of a larger program BKF/017 “Livestock Improvement Project of the Zebu Azawak and sustainable management of pastoral resources” implemented by the Ministry in charge of Animal Resources in Burkina Faso with finance from Lux Dev aiming to rehabilitate a total pasture surface of 7250 hectares. The NGO AGED together with another NGO, REACH Italia, are involved in the implementation of the BKF/017 program. In order to enhance the sustainability of the project’s impact in the longer term at the end of the BKF/017 program, a Plan Vivo project has been formulated for each of the NGO’s REACH Italia and AGED. Both Plan Vivo projects will include the communities with which each NGO collaborated within the framework of the BKF/017 program. Natural rehabilitation of degraded pastures will include working with communities to identify and demarcate community pasture areas and the direct seeding of naturalized tree, shrub and herbaceous species. Based on the new Rural Land Tenure Law (N°034-2009/AN) enabling legal recognition of rights legitimated by customary rules and practices, local land charters will be defined. These local land charters will allow capacity building of communities to develop and implement appropriate controls of pasture use. The documents See all documents SDG details See how the project provides benefits beyond carbon and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Sustainable Development Goal How the project contributes The rehabilitated sites provide additional forage for livestock, specifically the herbaceous grass species Alysicarpus ovalifolius, Andropogon gayanus, etc. Well-fed livestock increases the selling price and thus revenues for the household. In addition some grass species growing on the rehabilitated sites allow some income generating activities like Casia Tora for the production of Sekko and Eragrostis tremula to make brooms. Reseeding of herbaceous and woody species to improve food and agricultural production. Local communities depend on livestock, a few crops and wild plants for survival. In daily life, these communities complement the diet through the collection of wild fruits and leaves. The rehabilitated sites have also a positive impact on forage production. In addition, the usage of tree and herbaceous species as pharmacopoeia are important for the Sahelian communities, as most of the population relies almost entirely on traditional remedies for health care. By restoring degraded pastures in the Sahel, the project will increase the abundance of many tree and grass species. In doing so, carbon will be drawn out of the atmosphere and stored in the landscape. This will help reduce the damaging effects of climate change. The project has introduced the rehabilitatIon of sites with with Delfino plough which creates micro-catchments through the Vallerani system. This improves water infiltration and water retention, while loosening the soil and improving nutrient access. Tree and grass seedlings are trapped in micro-catchments which helps to build up the natural vegetation cover with native trees and grass species, providing habitat for pollinators and other animals into the area, increasing biodiversity. Manage Cookie Preferences