Mid-term and final evaluation of the FONABES Sahel project and pre-feasibility of a 2nd phase Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

Context of the service

The general objective of the Project "Management of Natural Forests and Sustainable Wood-Energy Supply in Sahelian Cities" (FONABES) is to "Improve livelihoods through a sustainable supply and competitive prices of wood-energy from the main urban centres, creating income in rural areas, guaranteeing the conservation of forests".

With a budget of €1.5 million, it was implemented by CIRAD between 2014 and 2021 with the following objectives: (i) Rationalize fuelwood production and consumption, (ii) Decentralize forest management, through village production structures, (iii) Control timber flow and payment of related taxes, (iv) Promote taxation favorable to sustainable fuelwood.

Actions have therefore been taken at the local level (forest management plans at the forest and municipality levels ; monitoring and control of timber flows and forest taxes), at the national level (fuelwood supply schemes for Ouagadougou, Niamey and Bamako) and at the regional level (harmonization of forestry and tax standards between the three countries).

Services provided

The interim and final evaluations of the Project took place in late 2018 and early 2021 respectively. The analyses were based on an extensive literature review, visits and interviews with more than 250 persons in the three target countries.

In addition to the classic evaluation through the OECD/DAC criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability), the following issues were analysed:

- Articulation of the Project with ongoing reforms (decentralization, land tenure reform, forest codes refroms, etc.);

- Articulation of forest management plans and forest taxes with territorial planning and budget management at the municipalities level;

- Synergies/conflicts between forestry services, municipal elected officials and the stakeholders responsible for rural timber markets;

- Impacts of forest planning at the environmental level (reduction of deforestation and forest degradation, etc.) and at the economic level (job and income creation in rural areas, control of wood-energy prices in urban areas, etc.)

Finally, recommendations were made on the above-mentioned aspects, in viewof a possible 2nd phase.

Summary of the service

Mid-term and final evaluation of the Project "Management of Natural Forests and Sustainable Wood-Energy Supply of Sahelian Cities" (FONABES) implemented by CIRAD from 2014 to 2021 in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali: Results evaluation (Rationalizing wood production and consumption; Decentralize forest management; Control timber flows and taxes; Promote tax incentives); Operational recommendations; Pre-feasibility study of a second phase.