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  • Project details

  • Leading Organization:
    UNEP
    Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
    UNDP, WFP, WHO, UNICEF, FAO, AVSF, IER, OMVF, Agence du Bassin du Fleuve Niger, Autorité du Bassin du Niger – Niger River Basin Authority, Government of Mali
    Summary:

    With 1.24 million square kilometres Mali is one of the largest countries in Africa. It is part of the Sahel region that is affected by armed conflicts and humanitarian crises which have strong linkages to climate change impacts.

    Such impacts include the gradual decline of Lake Faguibine in Mali since the mid-1970s. The shrinking lake has forced more than 200,000 people to abandon their traditional livelihoods, which revolved around agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishery. Besides increasing poverty the decline contributes to the loss of biodiversity in the region such as loss of migratory bird species. The project aims to quantify the potential of the Lake Faguibine ecosystem services under varied climate change and human intervention scenarios.

    The project puts human well-being at it’s pivot by engaging a wide cross-section of ethnic and social groups around the lake; with emphasis on empowering women in ecosystem management. It thus addresses issues related to HIV/AIDS and malaria as they are likely to increase as hundreds of people return to the lake, and as increased surface water provides breeding ground for mosquitoes.

    **Key issues addressed:**

    * With the drying up of the lake and its floodplain the local communities have been forced to abandon their traditional livelihoods. The situation was exacerbated by low rainfall in the area;
    * During the Touareg rebellion (1990 to 1995) most arabo- berber groups sought refuge in neighboring countries while most sedentary farmers were moved to the Inner Delta.

    **Objectives of the project:**

    * Restore the ecosystems functioning of Lake Faguibine, which was decimated by prolonged drought compounded by poor catchment management;
    * Raise awareness on the prevention of conflicts between farmers and livestock keepers, to secure passages for livestock and to improve management of grazing areas;
    * Strengthen Mali’s capacity to engage relevant actors (civil society, private sector and the public) in a national policy dialogue on water and sustainable ecosystem services delivery for human well-being.

    _Source: Project Fact Sheet: Rehabilitating Lake Faguibine Ecosystem, United Nations Environment Programme, June 28, 2010._

    Project Components:

    UNEP is supporting the Government of Mali and local partners to rehabilitate the Lake Faguibine ecosystem to restore crucial ecosystem services that form the base for fishery, biodiversity, recession agriculture and eco-tourism.

    Expected Outputs:

    * Improved livelihoods of about 200,000 mainly nomadic people living in and around the area e.g. revived recession agriculture along the lake’s shores and restored fishery will boost the local businesses and provide food for the communities;
    * The lifeline of thousands of migratory water birds will be restored;
    * Increased availability of drinking water for humans and livestock, including groundwater;
    * Enhanced institutional, organisational and technical capacity to engage local user groups in sustainable natural resource management.

    Contacts:

    Director
    Division of Environmental Policy Implementation
    United Nations Environment Programme
    P.O Box 30552, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
    Tel: +254-20-762 3753
    Fax: +254-20-762 3917
    Email: depi@unep.org

    Project Status:
    Under implementation
    Primary Beneficiaries:
    200,000 people in Mali - local sedentary farmers, livestock keepers and fishermen
    Project Details
    Funding Source:
    Government of Norway
    Financing Amount:
    Information not available
    Cofinancing Total:
    Information not available
    Total Amounts:
    $1,000,000
    Resources:
    Ecosystem Management for improved Human Well-Being in the Lake Faguibine System: conflict mitigation and adaptation to climate change
    File(s):
    Project Fact Sheet Rehabilitating Lake Faguibine Ecosystem.pdf
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