Large pastoral dugout in the Salamat Region, Chad

Project area. The project is national in coverage but will focus on areas where there is a geographical concentration of mobile livestock systems and along livestock corridors in the Sudano-Sahelian agroecological zones.

Target group. The project targets women, men and young people belonging to mobile pastoral communities. These are among the most marginalized and vulnerable communities in Chad. Women and young people will be specifically targeted through activities related to health and education, and milk and meat processing.

Project objectives. Access to scarce natural resources has been a source of conflict in the region and constitutes a threat to the livelihoods of the rural poor. Therefore, the overall development goal is to reduce the vulnerability and poverty in both pastoral and agropastoral areas. The specific objectives are to: (i) strengthen stakeholders' capacity to plan and manage pastoral resources; (ii) improve the infrastructure for pastoral water in order to strengthen mobile pastoral systems; and (iii) disseminate the experience acquired under the project to contribute to policy dialogue on pastoral issues.

Project description. In addition to project management, the project has three components:

• Support to pastoral resource management. Under this component, the project will support the creation of institutions to ensure effective management of pastoral water infrastructure, including the optimal location of water points. In pastoral areas, existing traditional management systems put in place by mobile pastoral communities will receive support. In agropastoral areas, paritary committees will be established that ensure equitable management and do not exclude transhumant herders. The project will also help set up local institutions composed of representatives of transhumant and sedentary communities as well as traditional and administrative leaders to establish and manage livestock corridors in agricultural areas, allowing the mobility of herds and reducing social conflict between transhumant herders and sedentary agropastoralists.

• Establishment of pastoral water infrastructure. The construction and/or rehabilitation of pastoral water points including wells, tube wells, and dugouts will be promoted by the project.

• Basic services for transhumant communities. The project will improve access to basic services for transhumant communities such as basic health and education, and animal health. It will also support income-generating activities through the processing of livestock products (meat and milk).

	Traditional open pastoral well in Guéra Region, Chad

Important features. Management of pastoral water is a key element in reducing the vulnerability of mobile livestock systems and is high on the Government's agenda for the livestock sector. The project is based on the extensive experience of the Government and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in pastoral water development in Chad. Lessons learned confirm the soundness of using pastoral water to strengthen mobile livestock systems. The project is fully consistent with the key thrusts of IFAD's country strategic opportunities programme for 2010-2015 (scheduled for presentation to the September 2009 Executive Board), which promotes improved access to water for both productive and domestic uses. The project was designed in close collaboration with the cofinanciers (AFD and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation [SDC]). The main innovation is the project's support to the Government's policy of strengthening mobile livestock systems and breaking away from the sedentarization of transhumant communities. The project will adopt a concerted approach to the planning and management of pastoral water points that involves both herders and farmers and prevents appropriation by farmers.

---

Cofinanciers and domestic contribution. AFD will provide US$14.2 million and SDC US$2.7 million. The Government's contribution is expected to amount to US$2.5 million and the beneficiary contribution to US$0.6 million.

Facts and figures Region: Western and Central Africa Project ID number: 1446 Nature of project: Pastoral water and natural resource management Total project cost: US$39.5 million IFAD grant: US$19.5 million Cofinancing gap: See section on potential cofinanciers Domestic contribution: US$3.1 million Proposed terms: On a grant basis Stage of project cycle: Design and negotiations completed Next step in project development: Presentation to IFAD's Executive Board Tentative date for consideration by the Executive Board: September 2009 Project duration: Four years Tentative project start-up date: March 2010 Implementing agency: Ministry in charge of Water, through the pastoral water directorate Borrower: Republic of Chad Hot links Rural poverty in Chad IFAD operations in Chad Planned project activities disclaimer Contact information Mr M. Béavogui Director, Western and Central Africa Mr C. Bravi Acting Country Programme Manager (c.bravi@ifad.org) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Via Paolo di Dono, 44, 00142 Rome, Italy Tel: +39 0654591 e-mail: ifad@ifad.org