Project Detail

The Dalasi kafo women's efforts at biodiversity conservation and protection of the environment in Kabekel village.

The Borassus palm has been heavily exploited as a roofing material for many decades in The Gambia in the sub-region. Due to ths over-exploitation, the tree has become threatened and near extinction. The aim of the project is to restore the Borassus palm in the village of Kabekel where it once thrived so as to prevents its extinction. The effort will contribute to biodiversity conservation and will be undertaken alongside with other income generating activities such as vegetable gardening and animal husbandry while the Borassus palm matures. This effort will be taken by a group composed entirely of women who had been active in conservation efforts in the past.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Dalasi Kafo

Country:

Gambia

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y2 (Jul 08 - Jun 09)

Grant Amount:

US$ 30,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 19,000.00

Project Number:

GMB/SGP/OP4/CORE/09/05

Start Date:

9/2009

End Date:

8/2010

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

A savings account will be established through which fixed amounts of incomes generated from the income generating activities will be put to. This fund will be used in maintaining the capital expenditures of the equipment procured by the project.

Notable Community Participation

Community members are involved in site identification, fencing, collection of seeds, raising of seedlings, fencing and planting of Borassus palm trees. They will also execute monitoring functions to ensure the success of the project. As part of their in-kind contributions, these efforts will ensure their commitment to the success of the project.

Gender Focus

The Dalsis Kafo group in the village of Kabekel is made up predominantly of women folk who have formed this group to promote their intests of improving their livelihoods by undertaking environmental protection ventures. The leadership of the group is also composed entirely of women.

Capacity - Building Component

The group will receive training on nursery management, sivilture and other technical aspects related to the management of tree plantations so as to ensure expansion of similar undertaken in future.

Policy Impact

The project will contribute to The Gambia government's Wildlife policy of increasing both the forest cover and biodiversity. This particular project will attempt to re-aforest a selected with Borassus palm which has been exploited to near extinction.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The project will raise awareness levels on biodiversity conservation of Borassus palm which is a specie of huge environmental benefit to the local community. In addition, the project will highlight the issue of land degradation which is widespread in the area through reforestation.

Project sustainability

The vegetable garden is the sustainable livelihood component of the project. This component is designed to ensure the sustainability of the project as it would serve as a motivation influence for the women to take care of the Borassus while working in the garden. For example, while working in the garden, he women would also water the young Borassus seedlings at the same time.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

While the Borassus palms grow into maturity, the group which is exclusively made up of women, will undertake income generating activities such as vegetable gardening and animal rearing to bring additional sources of income to te group. Part of the income wall be put into a savings account to take care of other needs of the project.

Project Results

A total of 84 women participated in the project.

2 ha piece of land already fenced and secured together with the title deed of the land in November 2009.

404 Borassus palm and 400 gmelina seedlings planted in the fenced area.

Vegetable garden established as the income generating component of the project.

2 compost pit completed and all 84 women trained in the art of compost making in .

2 wells constructed and 2 others rehabilitated to supply water to the vegetable garden. One of the well l is fitted with a submersible pump for lifting the water. A medium- sized generator procured for water pumping and 4 water reservoirs constructed and connected by a network of pipes for water distribution put in place. One metal overhead tank and two plastic overhead water tanks constructed.

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