Niger

Forestry‐based carbon sequestration projects in Africa: Potential benefits and challenges

Background

While there is growing international interest in developing payment schemes for environmental services, including forest-based carbon sequestration, concern has been expressed that these initiatives are unequally distributed around the globe with an emphasis on Asia or Latin America leaving out African countries where financial inflows could make an especially significant impact given many are among the poorest in the world. This paper seeks to fill a gap in the literature by synthesizing forest-based carbon sequestration projects in Africa while considering the potential to locate future projects there.

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Rebuilding Resilience in the Sahel: Regreening in the Maradi and Zinder Regions of Niger

background

Throughout the late twentieth century, the societies and ecosystems of the Nigerian Sahel region has experienced  increased vulnerability to economic and climatic uncertainty, yet forests have been able to rebound. This study seeks to describe the factors that contributed to the successful reforestation of the Sahel, especially the Maradi and Zinder regions.

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Scaling Up Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration in Africa to Restore Degraded Landscapes

Background

Protecting and managing natural regeneration of woody species on‐farm  can help create new agroforestry parklands as well as promote natural regeneration off‐farm. Increasing the number of trees on farms as well as off‐farm is important in the context of accelerated climate change and ambitious pledges to restore degraded forestland. This study examines large-scale agroforestry parklands in three African countries.

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Le secteur des terres: solution au problème du dérèglement climatique? (The lands sector: solution to climate change?)

The author discusses the merits of using agriculture as a way of sequestering carbon through the use of agroforestry. He presents various case studies of successful re-greening efforts in Africa and noted that investments in agroecology can increase food security and climate resilience. Finally, the author notes that rural areas need to be taken into account when considering climate negotiations because they hold the potential to drastically increase carbon sequestration.

 

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Investir dans la forêt de demain : vers un Programme d'action pour la revitalisation de la foresterie en afrique de l'Ouest (Investing in the forests of tomorrow)

The authors provide an analysis of Sahelian forests and place the state of forests in West Africa into a historical context. They provide case studies of agroforestry and assisted natural regeneration (ANR) in forested areas of Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea. Finally, the authors provide recommendations for smart investments in West African forests.

 

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Contribution de la Régénération Naturelle Assistée des ligneux dans l’approvisionnement en bois des ménages dans le département de Magaria (Niger)

The article investigates the amount of wood villagers received from using assisted natural regeneration (ANR) techniques as opposed to wood that they bought. The authors found that in the region of Magaria, Niger, over 90% of households' wood needs were fulfilled by wood grown using ANR alone. They also provide several examples of successful agroforestry parks in the region. They article conclude by arguing that scaling up ANR will have positive impacts for agroforestry parks and that women especially should be sensitized to the benefits of ANR for agroforestry.

 

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La participation communautaire au cœur du modèle de restauration de la Grande muraille verte africaine (Community participation at the heart of the model for restoration of the Great Green Wall)

The authors describe the African initiative of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel, which is currently in process. Thay note that the initiative is gainaing visibility and includes 110 participating villages. The article concludes by calling for support for these types of initiaties.

 

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Etude de la régénération naturelle assistée dans la région de Zinder (Niger) (Study of assisted natural regeneration in the Zinder region of Niger)

This report, which was submitted to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by International Resources Group (IRG), discusses assisted natural regeneration (ANR) in three departments in Niger, including Magaria, Matameye, and Mirriah. The authorss spoke with cultivators employing ANR practices in these areas and thus were actively protecting and managing the regrowth of their woody species of economic value. The report concludes by discussing the many positive impacts of assisted natrual regeneration and farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR).

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Régénération naturelle assistée: Gestion des arbres champêtres au Sahel (Assisted natural regeneration: management of wild trees in the Sahel)

The authors outline threats to forest regeneration in the Sahel, particularly with regard to agroforestry systems. Better agroforestry practices that incorporate assisted natural regeneration would allow for more sustainable availability of firewood and productivity of agroforestry systems. The authors strongly advocate for major changes in behavior and politics, including decentralization of authority over forest resources.

 

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Mise à échelle du reverdissement: six étapes vers le succès--une approche pratique pour la restauration des forêts et des paysages (Scaling up Regreening: Six Steps to Success--A Practical Approach to Forest and Landscape Restoration)

Open access copy available
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