Promotion of the use of Renewable Energy Resources and Conservation of Flora Species in the Dry Lands of "Mega-Chad"

The full title of the project is "Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Resources and Conservation of the Flora Species in the Drylands of Mega Chad of the West African Sub Region: Good Practices Model Village Approach in Land Degradation Control".

The project is a United Nations Environment Programme project with a contribution from the Belgian Government.

The Executing Agency is the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, in collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), and the project duration is 3 years, from October 2001 to September 2004.

The project was inspired by the results of a project implemented at Sabon Gari Nangere in Yobe State, Nigeria.

Objective

The overall objective of the project is to establish with fiel evidence that given adequate control by way of appropriate education and input materials, financial and intellectual resources and guidance, the local community, even in a desert threatened environment of the proposed project area, can be self-sustaining in terms of good practices and prevailing livelihoods.

Expected outputs

• local artisans trained and employment opportunities created for the production and maintenance of solar, biogas and fuel efficient stoves
• training manuals and guidelines on renewable energy resources management, water harvesting initiatives and biodiversity conservation of threatened flora that can be used to replicate the project in other areas
• reports on best practices from the village pilot projects on renewable energy technologies, water harvesting and biodiversity conservation published and disseminated for replication in other villages in the sub region
• reports on sustainable community based dry land management strategies in the Mega Chad region.

Activities

• Project identification: select villages, one in each country (Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria)
• Preparations for the pilot projects: conduct a workshop, reconnaissance and needs assessment visits to the 4 project sites, characterize the project communities through Participatory Rural Appraisal Methodology, analysis of the characterization data, send a report to UNEP
• Implementation of the pilot project
  • establish and maintain woodlots and nurseries
  • demonstrate the use and management of solar cookers and biogas digesters and train artisans in their construction and maintenance
  • train women in the construction, maintenance and distribution of fuel efficient stoves, management and maintenance of solar cookers and biogas digesters, maintenance of water harvesting structures
  • establish water harvesting structures
  • establishment and promotion of community based regulatory and management frameworks
  • form and promote environmental social clubs
  • carry out environmental education and community awareness campaigns/workshops
  • organize field days on Model Villages with the participation of neighbouring villages
  • initiate a Health Implication Model
  • play back documentaries on the Nangere project to model communities.

Operation and maintenance

• Produce training manuals on the fabrication and use of solar cookers and biogas digesters
• Produce extension leaflets on the use and maintenance of solar cookers and biogas digesters
• Establish committees for managing biodiversity conservation initiatives on threatened flora species, renewable energy and water harvesting technologies
• Prepare video documentaries and brochures on the Nangere village project for sharing with the communities
• Develop draft policies for community based dryland management around the Mega Chad region
• Carry out a performance review of the technologies.