Development Project in the Zone Lacustre

Development Project in the Zone Lacustre - Phase I

The aim of the Development Project in the Zone Lacustre was to help ensure food security for families and to increase their revenue through land and water management. This project has been extended and Phase II is currently under way.

An interim evaluation in 1993 showed that the project had achieved good results in several areas.

Among the project’s achievements were:

• the physical development of  20,000 hectares in the lakes and ponds region
• the development of 24 irrigated perimeters of vegetable plots, each of 3 hectares
• the establishment of three irrigated village vegetable plots, each of 30 hectares
• the creation of village associations and literacy training of their members
• the construction of all the buildings planned in the project
  

The performance of various grass-roots organizations and certain public institutions, particularly the National Agricultural Development Bank (BNDA) was disappointing. In addition, the difficult living conditions and the fragility of the environment led to a large-scale rural exodus and gave rise to intercommunity conflicts, to the detriment of the project. Finally, the armed Touareg rebellion, which broke out in 1990, worsened the situation and made it necessary to interrupt the project completely until the end of 1994.

Source: IFAD