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This proposal has been prepared in accordance with GEF policies and procedures and meets the standards of the GEF Project Review Criteria for NCSA approval.Yannick Glemarec
Deputy Executive Coordinator
UNDP-GEF / Project Contact Person: Abdoulaye Ndiaye
Date: July 15, 2005 / Tel. and email:+221.8491778/
MULTI-FOCAL AREA ENABLING ACTIVITY
Proposal for GEF Funding for National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment for Global Environmental Management (NCSA)
Financing Plan (US$)GEF Project/Component
Project / US $200,000
PDF A / US $ 25.000
Sub-Total GEF
/ US $ 225.000Co-financing
GEF AgencyGov’t Contribution / US $35,000
Others
Sub-Total Co-financing:
Total Project Financing: / US $260,000
Agency’s Project ID: PIMS 2541
GEFSEC Project ID:
Country: Niger
Country Eligibility: Niger is party to UNCBD, UNFCCC, and UNCCD
Project Title: National Capacity Needs Self Assessment for Global Environmental Management for Niger
GEF Implementing Agency: UNDP
National Executing Agency: CNEDD
Duration: 20 months
GEF Focal Area: Multifocal
GEF Operational Program: Enabling
GEF Strategic Priority: CB-2
Estimated Starting Date: july 2005
IA Fee: US$54,000
Conv ention Participation
Convention / Date of Ratification/ Accession / National Focal PointUNFCCC / 25 July 1995 / M. Hassane Saley, Secretaire Exec. CNEDD
CBD / 25 July 1995 / M. Hassane Saley
UNCCD / 19 January 1996 / M. Hassane Saley
POPs / Ratification process under way / M. RANAOU Maazou, Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, Ministère du Développement Agricole
Ozone / 09 October 1992 / Monsieur Laoualy Ada, Directeur de l'environnement au Ministère de l'Hydraulique et de L'environnement
Record of endorsement on behalf of the Government (Opertional Focal Point):
Yacouba Mhaman Sani, Commissaire Chargé du Développement, Ministère des Finances et de l’Economie / Date: 09/06/2005LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
BSAP Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
CBD Convention on Biological Diversity
CCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
CDI Capacity Development Initiative
CNEDD National Environment Council for Sustainable Development [Conseil National de l’Environnement pour le Développement Durable]
CO Community Organization
CoP Conference of Parties
DFPP Directorate of Fauna, Fisheries and Pisciculture [Direction de la Faune, Pêche et Pisciculture]
EEC European Economic Commission
FAO United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GEF Global Environmental Facility
GEF-OFP GEF Operational Focal Point
GEM Global Environmental Management
GHG Greenhouse Gas
INRAN National Niger Institute for Agrological Research [Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger]
MDA Ministry of Agricultural Development [Ministère du Développement Agricole]
MF/E Ministry of Finance and Economy [Ministère des Finances et de l'Economie]
MHE/LCD Ministry of Hydraulics, Environment and Fight against Desertification [Ministère de l'Hydraulique, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte Contre la Désertification]
MME Ministry of Mining and Energy [Ministère des Mines et de l'Energie]
MT Ministry of Transportation [Ministère des Transports]
NCSA National Capacity Self-Assessment for Global Environmental Management
NCSA National Capacity SelfAssessment for Global Environmental Management
NGEM National and Global Environmental Management
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NPC National Project Coordinator
NPM National Project Manager
PAC Community Action Programme [Programme d'Action Communautaire]
PAN/LCD-GRN National Action Programme for the Fight Against Poverty and Natural Resource Management [Programme d'Action National de Lutte Contre la Désertification et de Gestion des Ressources Naturelles]
PANA National Programme of Action for Adaptation to Climate Change [Programme d'Action National d'Adaptation pour les changements climatiques]
PDDE Ten-Year Educational Development Programme [Programme de Développement Décennal de l'Education]
PDDS Ten-Year Plan Sanitary Development Plan [Plan Décennal de Développement Sanitaire]
PDES Economic and Social Development Plan [Plan de Développement Economique et Social]
PNEDD National Environmental Plan for Sustainable Development [Plan National de l'Environnement pour un Développement Durable]
POPs Persistant Organic Pollutants
PPN-RDA Progressive Niger Party of the Democratic African Assembly [Parti Progressiste Nigérien du Rassemblement Démocratique Africain]
PPO Project Planning by Objectives
PPPP Progressive Participatory Prioritization Process
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper
PSC Project Steering Committee
RGP General Population Census [Recensement Général de la Population]
SDR Rural Development Strategy [Stratégie de Développement Rural]
SE/CNEDD CNEDD Executive Secretariat
SP/SRP SRP Permanent Secretary
SPA Strategy and Action Plan
SRP Poverty Reduction Strategy [Stratégie de Réduction de la Pauvreté]
STC Select Technical Committee
UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research
WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development
I CONTEXT
1.1. Sustainable Development Context
1. Niger’s major economic sectors include agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, forestry, mining, energy and manufacturing. During the last decade, Niger registered mediocre economic results despite adopting and implementing several adjustment programmes. In real terms, the GDP increased notably from 1990 to 1997 while poverty deepened over the same period. Based on the poverty profile elaborated in 1994, the annual per capita poverty threshold was set at CFAF 75,000 in urban areas and at two thirds of that amount, i.e. CFAF 50,000, in rural areas. Extreme poverty thresholds are set at two thirds of these amounts. Thus, 63 percent of the people of Niger are considered poor and 34 percent extremely poor.
2. Agriculture contributed an estimated 20 percent to the national GDP in 1995. There are generally two types of crops:
- Rainfed crops (millet, sorghum, cowpea, cotton, ground nuts, sedge, maize, etc.)
- Irrigated crops (rice, onion, peppers, wheat, sugar cane, vegetable production and tree crops).
Grain production, which registered surpluses into the early 1970’s, only met 86 percent of the country’s requirements in the late 1980’s and is, to this day, structurally in deficit. Thus, from 1986 to 2001, the cereal balance was negative 13 times out of 16, with the deficit ranging from 18,000 tons to 667,000 tons (Overall Food Security Programme, FAO 1994). This is attributable to four major factors:
- Heightened climate constraints;
- Human population pressures;
- Low productivity of the cropping systems;
- Inadequate development policies.
3. Livestock, fisheries and forestry contributed 16percent to the GDP in 1995 of which 12 percent for livestock alone. The most common type of animal production is the extensive to semi-extensive type. Niger’s herd consists of cattle, sheep, camels, goats, asses, horse and poultry. Animal production remains dependent upon good annual rainfall and regular, year-around forage supply. This activity meets with a number of difficulties due to multiple constraints, including in particular: recurring drought episodes, lowering of the water table and early drying-up of water points, depletion of tree and grass fodder, low feed quality, persistence of pseudo hydro-telluric diseases, low availability of veterinary and zootechnical products, poor herd size management.
4. With regards to forest resources, they are clearly in regression due to clearing for agricultural land and overexploitation to meet energy needs. Total energy consumption in Niger is largely dominated by traditional energies, accounting for 94 percent of the energy consumption (of which 80 percent in wood energy and 10 percent in agricultural waste and crop residue).
5. The current population of Niger is estimated at 10,790,352 people (preliminary results of the 2001 Population Census) of which 51 percent women and 49 percent men. It is mainly rural (81 percent), with a low literacy rate (adult literacy rate is 14 percent) and low average density (7 inhabitants per sq. km). The country’s socio-demographic features are the following:
ü Rapid population growth (average annual growth rate reaching 3.3 percent);
ü Very high fertility rate (total fertility rate of 7.4 children per woman);
ü Relatively high mortality rate (infant mortality rate is 126 per 1,000 and maternal mortality 7 per 1,000) ;
ü Relative young population structure, with 49.5 percent of the population under 15;
ü Uneven geographic distribution (75 percent of the population occupy 25 percent of the national territory);
ü Rapid urbanization of the population: 16.2 percent of the population lived in cities in 2001, against 13 percent in 1977;
ü A school enrolment rate of approximately 45 percent.
6. In the face of these socio-economic and demographic issues, Niger elaborated and adopted legislation and programmes in various areas so as to achieve better control and increase its chances of meeting its sustainable development objectives. The country elaborated it Poverty Reduction Strategy (SRP) which covers all of its development programmes. A key component of the SRP is the Rural Development Strategy (SDR) which will guide and support all activities undertaken in rural areas. This effort, however, meets with difficulties due to the overlapping of the various laws and programmes.
1.2 National Environmental Context
7. A land-locked country, Niger is located between longitudes E 0o 16’ et 16o E and latitudes 11o 01’ et 23o 17’ N and covers 1,267,000 sq. km. Its closest point to the coast is at a distance of over 600 km of the Gulf of Guinea. Three quarters of the national territory are located in the northern area, in a hot, desert environment.
As regards its landscape, Niger is a vast, monotonous peneplain, an average 300 metres above sea level, with occasional depressions often subject to sand accumulation and higher areas due to volcanic actions in the northern area of the country (isolated massifs of the Aïr), rising to a maximum of 2,000 metres at Mount Tamgak.
8. Niger’s hydrographic system consists of one single river which gave the country its name, in its western area, flowing over some 550 km, and in the east, a quasi-perennial stream, the Komadougou. In the extreme eastern region of the country is Lake Chad, of which Niger owns the north-western portion, i.e. some 3,000 sq. km. Other lakes and more or less perennial streams are located in other areas.
9. The country’s climate is particularly arid, as Niger is located in one of the hottest areas of the planet. It has two climate zones: a desert zone over most of the national territory, and a dry, tropical zone with one rainy season. From north to south, as rainfall gradually increases, one distinguishes the Saharan zone (77 percent) of the national territory), receiving less than 150 mm of rain each year; the Sahelo-Saharan zone (12 percent of the national territory ) with an annual rainfall of 150 to 350 mm; the Sahelian zone (10 percent of the national territory) with an annual rainfall of 350 to 600 mm; and the Sahelo-Sudanian zone (1 percent of the national territory) with an annual rainfall of 600 to 800 mm. The thermal regime is characterized by four clearly marked seasons: a dry, cold season from mid-December to mid-February, with temperatures ranging from 19.2 to 27.3 °C; a dry, warm season from March to May, with average temperatures ranging from 28.6 to 33.1 °C; a rainy season from June to September, with average temperatures ranging from 28.1 to 31.7 °C; and a warm season without rain from October to mid-December, with average temperatures ranging from 18.1 to 30.8 °C. Record temperatures observed are extraordinary, consisting of a low –2 °C and a high 49.5 °C.
10. Geologically, Niger’s structure is relatively simple. The geological material consists of ancient basal rock and sedimentary rock belonging to two geological entities: the basins of the Precambrian basement and the Paleozoic sedimentary basins. Sedimentary formations include various minerals, in particular iron, copper, silver, gypsum and phosphates, as well as energetic substances such as uranium and coal, which are found in the Carboniferous series.
11. Uranium and coal are being extracted and constitute the country’s major mining resources. Their importance in the national economy is considerable, especially for uranium. Uranium production, for which Niger ranks fourth in the world, had increased significantly over the 1975-1981 period, when it reached its highest level. Currently, the drop in uranium prices has resulted in an important loss of revenues for the government and uranium is no longer the first source of hard currency.
12.Total coal production yielded between 1980 and 1996 by the Anou-Araren site reached 2,438,778 tons. Coal extracted from this site is used to generate electricity which is supplied among others to the uranium production sites of Arlit and Akokan, and to the city of Agadez. In the last few years, coal is increasingly used as an alternative to the overexploited fuel wood.
13. Niger is a country whose economic development is predicated for a large part on its ability to improve the management of its natural resources (land, water, flora and fauna, etc.). Indeed, the economy of Niger is based to a large extent on capital resources increasingly under attack. Several studies carried out over the past twenty years show in this respect that the natural resource base of the country is not only limited but that it is gradually being eroded as the needs of the population groups, most of them poor, are increasing. This imbalance between needs and resources impinges upon the country’s development.
14. Niger possesses an institutional framework and political and technical organizations, designed to ensure appropriate natural resource management. The political organ is the National Environment Council for Sustainable Development (CNEDD) under the Prime Minister’s Cabinet. The mission of this Council is to elaborate, see to the implementation, monitor and evaluate those activities included in the PNEDD[1]. The CNEDD received a technical back up from the ministerial and multi - sector institutions.
Niger has a Ministry in charge of Hydraulics, Environment and the Fight against Desertification (MHE/LCD). Within this ministry is a Secretariat of State in charge of Environment and the Fight against Desertification, which is responsible for the implementation of national policy in those two areas. The Secretariat of State consists of the Directorate of Environment (DE), the Directorate of Fauna, Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFPP) and the Bureau of Environmental Assessment and Impact Studies (BEEEI). The country’s eight regions are represented by Departmental Directorates and District Services. Other institutions such as the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MDA), the Ministry of Transportation (MT), the Ministry of Mining and Energy (MME), the Ministry in charge of finance, the Ministry in charge of health, the Ministry in charge of commerce and the Ministry of Social Welfare play a determining role in the implementation of the multilateral environmental agreements. This institutional framework is reinforced by the setting up of specialized multi-sector technical commissions.