This project entitled “Reversing Land and Water Degradation Trends in the Niger Basin” focuses on an in-depth and detailed analysis of trans-boundary environmental issues identified by the preliminary Trans-boundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) to establish a sustainable development framework through a Strategic Action Plan (SAP). The RLWDT/NB Project falls within the framework of the GEF Operational Programme No.9 “integrated multi-axis programme on land and water”.  

Background and rationale

Project entitled “Reversing Land and Water Degradation Trends in the River Niger Basin” (RLWDT/NB Project) is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This is a regional project for the nine countries that are sharing the Niger River basin and that created in 1980, the Niger Basin Authority (NBA).

Objectives of the project

Environmental objective

The long-term environmental goal of the project is to “get multiple global environmental benefits through the implementation of international water projects based on integrated strategies for managing land and water to make policy changes and sectoral actions while promoting sustainable development”. "

This objective will help:
contribute to the reduction and prevention of the degradation of trans-boundary ecosystems regarding water resources and land degradation;
protect the biological resources of global importance through participatory and sustainable management of the basin's ecosystems;
build capacity for informed decision-making at local, national, regional levels and allow for effective public participation in decision-making in the basin.


Development goal

The development objective of the project is to provide the nine countries of the basin with the possibility to define a trans-boundary framework for the sustainable development of the Niger Basin, through capacity building and a better understanding of the dynamics of resource degradation in terms of land and water of the basin.

Components

The project is structured around six components that define its areas of action:
Component 1: Institutional Development and Project Management, implemented by the World Bank (US$ 3,520,000) and actions aimed at strengthening the existing institutional capacities at regional, national and local levels to better manage and execute regional projects;

Component 2: Capacity building and public awareness, implemented by UNDP (US$ 1,620,000) aims to raise community awareness of the environmental problems, facilitate consultations and develop capacity in the management of the environment at local, national and regional levels. This component includes information, education, public awareness campaigns; and training of stakeholders;

Component 3: Data and knowledge management, implemented by the World Bank (US$ 1,130, 000) to complete the ongoing job of collecting hydrological and environmental data in the basin. This component will evaluate the data regarding the use of the basin from the hydrological, environmental and socio-economic viewpoint and determine the institutional arrangements required for the collection, sharing and dissemination of data for decision-makers and users;


Component 4: Regional Forum, implemented by UNDP (US$ 380,000), shall facilitate exchanges on lessons learned and best practices from other regional projects in sub-Saharan Africa or elsewhere in the world, shall build on the RLWDT/GEF/NBA Project;

Component 5: Pilot demonstration projects and micro grants, implemented by UNDP (US$ 5,000, 000) is to assist communities to address environmental issues by conducting pilot projects in priority areas for demonstration, on the one hand and, contribute to the fight against poverty through micro-grants on the other;
Component 6: Preparation of the Trans-boundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and SAP formulation financed by the World Bank (US$ 1,350,000).

Implementing device

Structures responsible for the implementation of the Project:
Programme Management and Coordination Unit (PMCU);
Regional Coordinating Unit of the “Reversing Land and Water Degradation Trends in the River Niger basin”;
National Project Team (NPT);
Local Coordination and Monitoring Committee (LCMC).
Support structures of the Project
RSC (Regional Steering Committee), regional level;
NSC (National Steering Committee), the country level;
National Focal Structures of the NBA;
NTT - National Technical Team.
Cost and duration
The project has a total cost of US$ 13 Million.
Funding: NBA Member Countries, the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
The project duration is 5 years.
Start: May 2005; End: August 2010.