AFRICARE - SPECIFIC SUPPORT GRANT PIO/T #685-0247-3-0024

Individual village woodlots (either plantation woodlots or woodlots with intercropping of peanuts and millet) will be established at the rate of nine ha or 5,625 trees per year in each of 40 participating villages, for a total of 270,000 trees during the life of the project. Planting will continue annually over a 5-year period, so that each village will have a woodlot of approximately 15 ha or 9,375 trees of which 15-20% will be harvested annually. Fuelwood tree species will be used at all sites. In addition, other species may be incorporated to supply products for construction, food, grazing, live fencing, windbreaks, and other purposes. The woodlots will be prepared with the help of village quasi-cooperatives which will contribute labor and land on a self-help basis and will manage the completed woodlots. The members of the cooperatives will be trained by SWF and by eight Peace Corps volunteers in all activities necessary for planting, maintaining, protecting (including livestock control), and harvesting the trees. A land-use plan will be developed by AFRICARE for each participating village and an agreement on the distribution of benefits will be signed by each village cooperative and by SWF prior to planting any trees. AFRICARE will assist in meeting initial expenses for woodlot land preparation, seedling production, woodlot protection, extension assistance and transportation and will oversee the procurement of project-financed commodities (one small pick-up truck, ten motorbikes, spare parts for vehicles, nursery supplies and equipment, and plantations hand tools). In subsequent years, SWF will continue to provide technical guidance on woodlot maintenance.