Project Detail

Biodiversity conservation through the rehabilitation of 2 watersheds and erosion control using gabion techniques in 4 communities in the Lower River Region.

This project aims to control soil erosion and combat land degradation in 2 watersheds that have been severely affected by rehabilitating and restoring their watershed functions. The project activities will include tree planting, erosion control measures and building the capacities of the local communities in forest management and soil conservation techniques.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Freedom From Hunger Campaign

Country:

Gambia

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP5 - Y2 (Jul 12 – Jun 13)

Grant Amount:

US$ 20,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 12,500.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 10,000.00

Project Number:

GMB/SGP/OP5/Y2/CORE/BD/2012/13

Start Date:

11/2012

End Date:

12/2013

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

In addition to the sensitization efforts during activities, the community radio was utilized to disseminate messages on environmental degradation effects locally and how these affect the environment regionally and globally. These messages reached a wider audience even beyond the 6 beneficiary communities.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The watershed once rehabilitated, has the potential to be used for fishing, year round vegetable gardening and rice production. These can be reliable sources of income for the community. The skills in gabion construction impacted on the youths are life long skills that can be a source of gainful employment.

Notable Community Participation

This project is conceived by and drawn from the community action Plans of the local community envisage to address local community needs. a cross section of the benefitting community attended the stakeholders workshop for an added opportunity to clarify their needs. The project was participatory in nature with the communities given the lead role in implementing the activities themselves. From the onset, there was a good sense of ownership and this was also evident in the large turn out for the implementation process.

Project sustainability

This project's sustainability depends on attitudinal change as well as adherence to new and better farming techniques. It is hoped that having a clear understanding of the effects of environmental degradation on agricultural production and productivity and how these impact the livelihoods, will motivate the community to remain involved post project implementation period. The locals trained on gabion basket construction for watershed rehabilitation would be available to carry on when the need arises.

Capacity - Building Component

Through educational training, the community members were sensitized on the adverse effects of inappropriate farming techniques, bushfires, and the uncontrolled use of forest resources. This is anticipated to raise awareness and strengthened understanding on the link between forest conservation and improved livelihood. This would in turn improve capacities for environment and natural resource management. 20 youths from the community were trained on the technique of gabion basket construction.

Gender Focus

Watershed rehabilitation has a lot of agricultural potential including year round vegetable gardening and rice production. These are female dominated so the women were given the opportunity to make decisions regarding the watershed such as the areas they want rehabilitated. Erosion control activities of the upland farms were of more interest to the men and so they had the most say in this area.

Project Results

- One stakeholder workshop that brought together stakeholders from the project beneficiary communities, department of forestry, agriculture and community development completed.

- 5, 000 farmers from 20 communities attended and participated in bush fire campaign events.

-10 gabion baskets constructed to be used in watershed rehabilitation and erosion control activities in the 6 beneficiary communities.

-20, 0000 seedlings of various forest species currently raised at the project site nursery, to be later planted along watershed buffer zones.

- 150 hectares of uplands protected from soil erosion.

- August 16, 000 seedlings were planted in the watershed catchment areas of the project areas.

- 4, 000 seedlings will be planted in early September 2013.

- The gabions are well established and sedimentation on the floor of the gullies has started.

- The community members indicated that with the coming of the gabion baskets on their farmlands, they noticed less erosion and vigorous crop growth the rainy season.

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