Plan for supporting natural resources management in sub-Saharan Africa : regional environmental strategy for the Africa Bureau

USAID will focus its efforts on two problem areas which have enormous consequences for Africa"s future and in which the United States has a comparative advantage: soil degradation due to unsustainable agricultural practices, and loss of tropical forests and other critical habitats. The subregions targeted are: arid and semi-arid tropics, tropical highlands, the country of Madagascar, and the humid tropical forest of the Congo Basin. The plan divides African countries into three categories. In Category I countries, USAID would implement comprehensive programs including (1) policy dialogue; (2) capacity building; (3) data compilation and analysis; (4) inclusion of NRM issues in agricultural and rural development projects; (5) action to involve the private sector, farmers, herdsmen, villagers, women, and others in NRM; (6) support to PVO and NGO programs; (7) development of geo-referenced databases and information systems; and (8) research and analysis, focusing on the role of agriculture. Programs in Category II countries would focus more limited resources on a single technical priority. Category III countries generally have only small humanitarian and or political programs, and will not undertake bilateral NRM programs. Incorporated into the plan is USAID"s conviction that NRM interventions must address the fundamental causes of environmental degradation in Africa -- population growth, poverty and economic stagnation, and declining agricultural productivity. Annexes include a detailed framework for organizing country NRM programs.