Joint Programme for the Sahel in Response to the Challenges of COVID-19, Conflict and Climate Change

The Joint Programme for the Sahel in Response to the Challenges of COVID-19, Conflict and Climate Change (SD3C) in the Sahel and Senegal aims to consolidate the livelihoods of small producers, in particular women and youth living in cross-border areas of the six targeted countries. It is implemented in partnership with the two other United Nations Rome-based agencies – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) – and the G5 Sahel. It seeks to address the trilogy of challenges posed by COVID-19, conflict and climate change in the Sahel. The programme covers six years into two phase (phase 1: 2021-2023 and phase2: 2024-2026). The programme will directly to 25,000 rural households (22,500 households and 137,250 household members in a first 3-year phase), representing 125,000 household members. Women and young people aged 18 to 40 represent respectively 50 per cent and 40 per cent of the beneficiaries.

The programme will contribute to:

• 10,000 producers reporting access to relevant information on existing markets and opportunities;
• restoration of 2,500 hectares of agricultural land;
• regeneration of 500 hectares of grazing areas;
• rehabilitation of 50 pastoral infrastructures;
• rehabilitation of four cross-border markets;
• rehabilitation/construction of 32 small commercial units for the gathering and storage of agricultural products and animal health and livestock feed units;
• at least 200 economic projects for young people and women will be financed;
• digital financial services with the aim of securing border transactions are improved.