Final evaluation : Niger forestry and land-use planning project

Final evaluation covers the period 12/79-9/87. The project is on the verge of a major breakthrough, and with additional time, it could provide a number of valuable lessons learned and inspire future natural resources development projects Agency-wide. Creation of the Service de la Planification et de Documentation (SPD), the project-supported planning arm of the Ministry of Forests and Fauna (MFF) has started to sensitize the Government of Niger (GON) to the importance of natural resource planning in national policy decisions. However, the SPD is essentially without tools and staffing at present. If the project is to be extended, as is recommended, all remaining activities should focus on development of the SPD. Forestry research efforts have centered on development of model sites and natural forest management. The model sites component has been particularly successful, but continued success depends on the determiniation of the MFF to follow through. Emphasis needs to be placed on training MFF staff in all facets of land use planning. Other project components (training, documentation, resource inventorying) need refinement. Training and documentation can play key roles in disseminating project accomplishments, but so far have been given low priority; further donor assistance is essential. Resource inventory activities (mapping, fuelwood inventories) appear useful, although in some cases methodologies have been flawed and uses have yet to be found for some of the maps produced. Financial analyses show that the recurrent cost burden for the SPD will vary from $90,000 to $165,000 per year. On the other hand, the project-managed Guesselbodi forest site will yield a profit over the next 10 years, in effect providing sustained yields of wood and forage with no recurring costs. The project should be extended 6 months, so that the present TA team can finish its work, and a Phase II should be planned, but first it is necessary to resolve a number of management issues concerning the relationships between the TA team and their counterparts and between the project and A.I.D. Currently, none of the GON personnel assigned to the project occupy a decisionmaking position within the MFF. USAID/N should insist that Division Chiefs within SPD have at least the equivalent of M.S. degrees, and that the current counterparts be assigned directly to the Division Chiefs. It is also recommended that a team leader be assigned and given the authority to ensure that all remaining activities focus on strengthening the SPD and that financial discipline in project expenditures be maintained.