WILDLIFE AND DEVELOPMENT IN BURKINA FASO

The program supported the establishment of village hunting zones (ZOVIC), and communities in developing sustainable, economic alternatives for the exploitation of natural resources. After 12 years of activities, a capitalization work has been conducted to draw lessons from this experience. More information here.

AREAS OF INTERVENTION

• Establishment of community wildlife areas
• Promotion of non-wood forest products (honey, shea butter, balanites aegyptiaca oil, baobab fruits, etc.)
• Plant production and reforestation
• Microcredits
• Market gardening
• Skills development: training, exchange trips, literacy

LOCAL PARTNER
Association Faune et Développement au Burkina (A.FAU.DE.B.)

IN COLLABORATION WITH

• Village groups, decentralized communities (municipal and regional councils)
• Ministry of Environment
• Ministry of National Education, Literacy and Promotion of National Languages
• Literacy and Non-formal Education Fund

PROJECT CONTEXT

The Eastern Region of Burkina Faso is home to the largest continuum of protected areas (national parks and wildlife reserves) in West Africa. These resources generate considerable financial benefits for the national budget, but above all, they constitute the basis of the economic and cultural life for the different populations in the region, the Gourmantché country.
However, these last forest – and wildlife reserves face a major agricultural and pastoral threat, and devastating poaching practices. Populations suffer from the disappearance of natural species that are necessary to traditional medicine, provide food security, and generate income. Strong tensions and violent conflicts arise around the sharing of agricultural land, pastures, and game, all of these resources becoming increasingly scarce.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The establishment of a Village Hunting Zone (ZOVIC) for a village was successful and led to adopt a similar strategy quickly implemented for 46 village communities. Village hunting zones were thus introduced in all buffer zones of the WAP transboundary protected areas (parks of W, Arly, Pendjari, and associated reserves). By the end of the project, 13 ZOVICs were formally recognized and became operational, while for four ZOVICs the process of legal recognition was initiated with government officials. ADAP actively participated in the development of the tripartite management model associating municipalities, villages, and central government for the establishment of these community-protected areas. They cover more than 20’000 hectares of the transboundary protected areas in eastern Burkina Faso.

ADAP has given support to the establishment of ZOVICs, and the development of income-generating activities compatible with conservation. Irrigated perimeters for market gardening were built, and multifunctional platforms to ensure the primary processing of shea at the local level were created.
ADAP has supported the development of value chains for non-timber forest products throughout the project (beekeeping, shea butter, balanite nuts, etc.). The project enabled growing local capacities with specific training and with a vast functional literacy program based on learning the Moré language, previous to learning French. This has turned several thousands of illiterate adults into reading adults.

Finally, the project attracted new partners, and thus received significant additional funding for the development of ZOVICs (funding from the IUCN, and the EU through the PAPE project, the FFEM). For more information, you can access jointly with the IUCN, the FFEM, and the EU here.

SOME IMAGES OF THE PROJECT