NIGER RANGE AND LIVESTOCK

PROJ WILL LAY BASIS FOR COMPREHENSIVE RANGE MANAGEMENT AND LIVESTOCK EXTENSION PROG. PRELIMINARY STUDIES AND PILOT INTERVENTIONS WILL BE UNDERTAKEN IN CENTRAL PASTORAL ZONE. US ADVISORS WILL WORK WITH GON OFFICE OF PASTORAL ZONE (PMZ). DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF RANGE CONDITIONS WILL BE MADE. 30 RANGE TRANSECTS AND 16 ENCLOSURES WILL BE MONITORED. RANGE CONDITIONS WILL BE CORRELATED WITH RAINFALL PATTERNS AND AN OVERLAY MAP PREPARED SHOWING CHANGES IN VEGETATION FROM YR TO YR. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND GROUND SURVEYS WILL BE USED FOR MAPPING AND TO DETERMINE MAJOR HABITAT TYPES AND EROSION PATTERNS. RESEEDING TRAILS WILL ALSO BE CONDUCTED. 3 EARTH WATER CATCHMENTS WILL BE CONSTRUCTED TO TEST RETENTION OF HERDS IN ZONE"S NORTHERN EXTREMITY FOR LONGER PERIODS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF FORAGE. 15 HAND-DUG WELLS WILL BE IMPROVED. HERDER ASSOCS WILL BE FORMED TO PROMOTE RECOMMENDED GRAZING PRACTICES IN CATCHMENT AREAS. FIRE DAMAGE WILL BE MONITORED AND AN ON-GOING FIREBREAK CONSTRUCTION PROG STUDIED. TRIAL BURNS WILL BE MADE ON SMALL PLOTS TO MEASURE EFFECTS ON FORAGE,RATE OF REGROWTH AND RESPONSE OF VARIOUS SPECIES TO SUCCESSION AFTER BURNING. LIVESTOCK ELEMENT OF PROJ WILL INCLUDE: 1)COMPARATIVE COST-BENEFIT STUDY; 2)STRENGTHENING OF EXISTING LIVESTOCK PROG; AND 3)CONSTRUCTION OF 4 LIVESTOCK POSTS & 10 HANDLING FACILITIES. LIVESTOCK STDY WILL INVOLVE 2 GROUPS OF HERDERS WITH HALF AS CONTROL GROUP AND HALF RECEIVING HLTH CARE/DISEASE CONTROL PKG. EXISTING LIVESTOCK PROG WILL INCLUDE GREATER VACCINATION AND PARASITE CONTROL SERVICES. SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES ARE PLNND TO ENSURE THAT PROG WILL BE SOCIALLY FEASIBLE. LIVESTOCK INFO WILL BE DISSEMINATED TO HERDERS VIA CASSETTE RECORDINGS & RADIO NAIMY BROADCASTS. 25 NIGERIENS WILL RECEIVE US TRNG IN LIVESTOCK EXTEN AND RANGE MGMT. US ADVISORS AND SHT-TERM CONSULTANTS WILL ASSIST LOCAL HERDER AID/EXTEN TRNG PROGS. USAID WILL ALSO FINANCE VEHICLES & EQPMT. GON WILL PROVIDE COUNTERPARTS,VACCINES, & EVALUATION STDY TEAM. PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES ARE HERDER POPULATIONS IN PROJ AREA