Short description of the best practice

The "Projet Aménagement de Terroirs et Conservation des Ressources dans le plateau
central" (PATECORE), is a project born out of the development cooperation between
Germany (KfW, GTZ, DED) and Burkina Faso (Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Fishery). Since 1988, the project has been developing and assisting sustainable land management as a contribution to desertification control in the central part of Burkina Faso. In the course of its existence, PATECORE has tested and applied various approaches and methods (forestry, land use planning "gestion de terroir", village planning) but emphasized Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) and soil fertility management in view of the high demand by the population for these techniques. In the last phase, PATECORE has grown accordingly in terms of achievements (notably construction of stone bunds) but is reduced in terms of the range of activities and personnel.|

Location

Burkina Faso, almost the entire three provinces of Bam, l'Oubritenga and the Kourwéogo

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

6281.0

Estimated population living in the location:

300000.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

aride, low rain region|

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

agriculture, stock farming|

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

Example for soil and water conservation practice, positive impact on food security and livelihood, high potential for outscaling|

Main problems addressed by the best practice

gradual degradation of the environment and the decline in agricultural productivity (including: loss of plant cover, degradation of arable land, decrease of groundwater)
|poverty food insecurity, migration

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

The traditional  methods of production are not sufficient anymore to supply the population with ecological sustainable food and to raise the living standard on its own.

Specify the objectives of the best practice

Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) and soil fertility management
|improve food security

Brief description of main activities, by objective

Rules of use for sustainable management of Community resources  (forest, pasture, water) are developed and implemented.
|The awareness for the urgency of the introduction of improved systems of collective use of resources is raised with concerted actions in  politicians and competent technical authorities.
The current legal and administrative framework for decentralized systems of collective use of resources checks for gaps and new proposals for improvement are worked out together with other projects and competent authorities..
The transition to a more intensive farming system is effectively strengthened through participatory technology development and  a farmer supported advisory system. (Quelle: Angebot für 2001.2123.6, Ressourcenerhaltende Bewirtschaftung auf dem Zentralplateau)
|Identificaton of areas with strong pressure to adapt and develop appropriate advice content with innovative contact farmers.  
Demonstrate good advice content through demonstration models and support it demand-driven.
Agree and describe for each advisory recommendation to the objectives and planned effects and their indicators together with the target groups.
"The basic needs (food, wood, water) of the rural population on the central plateau of Burkina Faso are met by the sustainable management of the natural
resources"
|Soil and Water Conservation (SWC)
soil fertility management
The rural producers have improved the management of natural resources in the project area (see GTZ offer regarding project 2001.2123.6).

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

Soil fertility management techniques: zaï (sowing holes, approx. 15 cm deep and 30 wide, in which the seed and organic fertilizer or compost are put), use of organic fertilisers, especially in the form of compost, usage of improved or imported varieties of cereals and leguminosae, crop rotation and the fight against the parasite Striga hermonthica
stone works that slow the runoff of rainwater (cords and stone bunds)

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

l’INERA (Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles)

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• National initiative – non-government-led

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

local communities

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Participatory approaches

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

The project facilitates the birth of a peasant network.
SWC-measures also provide an enrichment of the groundwater, which causes a better supply of drinking water wells and in many cases allows formerly dry hollows and river banks to grow vegetables again. About 6,000 tons of grain are produced additionally thanks to soil and water conservation.|
The project has a positive impact on employment: many no longer emigrate, but pursue a market-oriented, intensive management of their land.
The projects generate additional income which inures to the benefit of the whole household and partly remains in the hands of the women.
Along with a better regulated use of community resources, the regeneration of the entire re-vegetation will be improved significantly.|
"The improved absorption of rain by the soil facilitates in years with unfavourable rainfall full maturity of corn or an increase in yield per unit area in average rainfall years (average, 40%). |
The distribution of the SWC-measures on households and fields for women is uniform. Experience shows that no specific women fields are needed in this area, as traditional rules ensure the participation of women in the benefits and the shaping of the measures.
Through the SWC-measures, the project makes a significant direct contribution to stabilizing the subsahelian ecosystem. The soil erosion is reduced and the risk of flooding, erosion and landslide decreased. The better penetration of rainwater into the soil enriches the water table. |

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Yes

Specify:

The micro-and macroeconomic analyses of the costs that mainly consist of subsidies for the creation of contour stone walls, show that after a few years, the benefits outweigh the costs. This was revealed by the microeconomic calculation that the average annual surplus in cereal production was around 250 kg per ha. This result applies to all findings of a study by Kunze (1998) and corresponds to an additional income of about FCFA 25,000 per hectare and year. Considered in macroeconomic terms, the subsidies of a total of EUR 9 million generate a return after only four years, as the annual value of EUR 2.5 million exceeds the imput from that date. Complemented by a total of 1.5 million days worked per year it is an investment subsidy that increases the production in total. The combat of desertification therefore also helps make development action sustainable on a local scale.

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

The Participatory Technology Development approach is logical and just, already able to integrate local knowledge and products of research and experiments in other areas or countries
"To find, encourage and develop initiatives,
innovations and ideas native to the area of intervention"

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national
• National

Related to human resources

There is a need for capacity building for local communities and technical staff.

Related to financial aspects

The PATECORE project shows how  sustainable land use can produce an enduring impact in an economic view.

Related to technical aspects

1. The most important instrument for the dissemination of techniques is the farmer network, which has taken on the transfer of knowledge and skills from farmer to farmer.
|2. The large-scale dissemination was made relatively easy due to the decentralised structure of the project and due to the farmers' organisation and taking of responsibility for their soil and water conservation work.