AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND
Language: English
Original: French
APPRAISAL REPORT
ASSISTANCE TO THE PREVENTIVE CONTROL OF THE DESERT LOCUST
IN FOUR MEMBER STATES OF CLCPRO (PALPCP-CLCPRP) PROJECT
MULTINATIONAL
NB: This document contains errata or corrigenda (see Annexes)
RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
SCCD: N.G.
OCAR
AUGUST 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS, LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, LIST OF ANNEXES,
PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, PROJECT MATRIX….. i-x
1. HISTORY AND BACKGROUND …………………………………………………
2. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ……………….………………………………………
2.1
Salient Features ………………………………………………………………..
2.2
Agricultural Sector Constraints and Potential ………………………….……
2.3
Agricultural Development Policy………………………………………………
2.4
Agricultural Sector Institutions…………………………………………….
2.5
Desert Locust Control Issues……………………………………………….
2.6
Institutional Framework for Desert Locust Control……………………………
2.7
Organization and Constraints to Desert Locust Control……………………
2.8
EMPRES Programme and Desert Locust Control Strategy………………………
2.9
Donor Operations ………………………………………………………….
2.10
Bank Group Strategy …………………………………………………………
3. The Project…………………………………………………………………………...
3.1
Design and Rationale ………………………………………………..…….
3.2
Project Area and Beneficiaries……………..………………………………
3.3
Strategic Context ……………………………………………………………..
3.4
Objectives ……………………………………………………………………
3.5
Description ………………………………………………………………….
3.6
Environmental Impact………………………………………………………..
3.7
Social Impact…………………………………………………………………
3.8
Project Cost ………………………………………………………..………
3.9
Financing Sources and Expenditure Schedule…………………………………..
4. Project Implementation…………………………………………………………………
4.1
Executing Agency …………………………………………………………….
4.2
Institutional Arrangements…………………………………………………….
4.3
Implementation and Supervision Schedule……………………………………
4.4
Procurement Arrangements………………………………………………..
4.5
Disbursement Arrangements………………………………………………
4.6
Monitoring and Evaluation……………………………………………………
4.7
Financial and Audit Reports……………………………………………………
4.8
Coordination of Assistance………………………………………………………
5. SUSTAINABILTY AND RISKS………………………………………………….
5.1
Recurrent Costs………………………………………………………..…...
5.2
Project Sustainability………………………………………………………….
5.3
Principal Risks and Mitigating Measures………………………………………
6. PROJECT BENEFITS……………………….……………………………………
7. Conclusions and Recommendations…………………………………………………
7.1
Conclusions……………………………………………………………………
7.2
Recommendations and Conditions for Grant Approval…………………….…
1
2
2
3
4
4
4
6
9
11
12
14
15
15
15
17
18
18
22
23
24
25
28
28
29
29
30
31
31
32
32
32
32
33
33
34
35
35
35
This appraisal report was prepared by N. KACEM, Agro-economist, mission leader, A. GOMBE,
Agronomist and consultant locust expert, following an appraisal mission from 28 February to 12 March and
from 7 April to 3 May 2003. Further information can be obtained from Mr. E. DOTE, Division Manager,
OCAR.1 (Ext.2109)
i
CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS
UA 1
UA 1
UA 1
=
=
=
CFA.F 787.877
US$ 1.41995
MRO 349.254
(MAURITANIAN OUGUIYA)
Exchange rate as at June 2003
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Metric system
FISCAL YEAR 1 January to 31 December
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AGHRYMET
AGPP (FAO)
CLAA
CILSS
CLCPANO
CLCPRC
CLCPRO
DLCC
DNAMR
ELO
EMPRES DL
EMPRES
EMPRES-CR
EMPRES-WR
EU
FAO
GPS
GTZ
NDLCC
NDLCU
NLCU
OCLALAV
RAMSES
USAID
Agrohydrometeorological Centre
Plant Protection Service of the FAO
Locust Control Centre
Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel
Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Northwest Africa (FAO)
Commission for Controlling the Desert locust in the Central Region FAO)
Commission for Controlling the Desert locust in the Western Region (FAO)
Desert locust Control Committee
Direction nationale d’Appui au Monde Rural (Rural Community Support
Directorate)
EMPRES Liaison Officer
EMPRES – Desert Locust
Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and
Diseases
EMPRES Central Region
EMPRES Western Region
European Union
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Global Positioning System
German Technical Cooperation
National Desert Locust Control Committee
National Desert Locust Control Unit
National Locust Control Centre
Organisation Commune de lutte contre anti-acridienne et de luttee anti-aviare
(Common Organization against Locusts and Bird Parasites)
Reconnaissance and Management System of the Environment of Schistocerca
United States Agency for International Development
ii
LIST OF ANNEXES
Number of pages
ANNEX 1
ANNEX 2
ANNEX 3
ANNEX 4
ANNEX 5
Map showing gregarization areas in member countries of CLCPRO.…..1
Project Organization Chart ……………………………………………….1
Financing by Expenditure Category……………………………………..1
Detailed Cost Tables ……………………………………….…………4
Environmental and Social Information Note …………………………….2
iii
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND
01 B. P. 1387 ABIDJAN 01
Tel: (+225) 20 20 44 44
PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET
Date: February 2001
The information given hereunder is intended to provide some guidance to prospective
suppliers, contractors, consultants and all persons interested in the procurement of goods and
services for projects approved by the Board of Directors of the Bank Group. More detailed
information may be obtained from the Executing Agency of the Borrower.
1.
COUNTRIES
:
Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad
2.
PROJECT NAME
:
Project in Support of Desert Locust Control
in four CLCPRO Member Countries desert
locust (PALPCP-CLCPRO)
3.
PROJECT LOCATION
:
The borders of the four countries: Mali,
Mauritania, Niger and Chad
4.
DONEES
:
Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad
5.
EXECUTING AGENCY
:
FAO through the Executive
Secretariat of the Desert Locust Control
Commission (Western Region)
BP 270 RP, Algiers, Algeria
Tel: (213)21.73.33.54
Fax: (213)21.73.45.05
e-MAIL: [email protected]
6.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The main components of the project are:
A.
B.
C.
7.
Capacity building;
Support measures (environment, research and training); and
Project management
PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES
In accordance with the rules of procedure of the Fund relative to the procurement of goods and
services, in particular to the eligibility of suppliers, authorizing the Bank to entrust such
procurement to the Agencies of the United Nations system, FAO will be responsible for the
procurement of goods and services for the project as follows:
•
Works: contracts for construction and rehabilitation works will be awarded pursuant to
national competitive bidding procedures.
•
Goods: contracts for the supply and repair of vehicles and various other types of equipment
(computers, survey and camping equipment, office supplies, pumping equipment, weather
iv
station and spraying equipment) will be awarded in accordance with national shopping
procedures.
•
Services: consultancy services and technical assistance in respect of training and
preparation of studies exceeding the two-month period will be awarded through competition
on the basis of a shortlist
8.
TOTAL COST
- Foreign exchange
- Local currency
:
:
UA 7.39 million
UA 3.91 million
UA 3.48 million
9.
ADF GRANT
:
UA 4.25million
10.
OTHER FINANCING SOURCES
:
UA 3.14million
-
:
:
:
UA 1.17million
UA 1.69million
UA 0.28million
:
September 2003
FAO/CLCPRO
Donee governments
Libyan government
11.
APPROVAL DATE
12.
PROBABLE DATE OF PROJECT
START-UP AND DURATION
:
13.
14.
CONSULTANCY SERVICES
REQUIRED
:
ENVIRONMENTAL CATEGORY :
January 2004/4 years
Technical assistance, monitoring–
evaluation, mid-term review, final
evaluation, training, and various other
short term consultancy services.
II.
v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The desert locust is, without any doubt, the most formidable of all locust pests. It poses a
serious threat to agriculture over a vast area stretching from the Atlantic coast through the Near
East to the Indo-Pakistani border. The havoc caused by this species has been well documented
since Antiquity. Since 1860, there have been eight successive periods of extensive invasion and, in
the past thirty years, one invasion of the entire West African Region in 1987 with two major
upsurges in locust activity in 1968 and 1993-1994. Roughly 14 million hectares were treated
during the last locust invasion, using 32,000 tonnes of pesticides which had negative impacts on
people and on the environment. These attacks caused massive damage: in Mauritania, 60% of
about 200,000 ha of grazing land and 70% of 200,000 ha of rain-fed crops were destroyed, as well
as approximately 400,000 of irrigated crops. In Niger, approximately 50% of grazing land (about 1
million ha) and one third of the rain-fed crops attacked were lost, and in Mali, the damage caused
was estimated at 65% to 90% of about 700,000 ha of grazing land, between 5% and 75% of around
300,00ha of rain-fed crops and 85% to 100% of market garden produce. The cost of control
operations to the international community amounted to 315 million United States dollars.
The FAO, seeking to avoid such invasions, established the Emergency Prevention System for
Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES), with initial emphasis on the
desert locust. The programme aims to assist affected countries in their efforts to prevent
emergency and control situations by building their national locust control capacities. It also aims to
foster regional cooperation. In this connection, FAO, in 2002, submitted a financing request to the
African Development Bank for a project to assist the so-called frontline countries (Mali, Niger,
Mauritania and Chad) to establish a monitoring and early control system. This request was backed
up by others from the above-mentioned countries. The Bank reacted by sending a project appraisal
team which, between 28 January and 1 2 February and from 7 April to 3 May 2003, visited Niger,
Mali, Mauritania, Algeria and Rome. The present report is essentially drawn from the 1998 project
formulation report, updated in 2001, and the data gathered by the mission.
BANK GROUP GRANT
The UA 4.25 million grant will be used to finance 100% of the foreign exchange component and
part of the local currency costs, representing 16% of the total project cost.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The project sector goal is to contribute to food security and protection of the environment in the
rural areas of CLCPRO member countries. Specifically, the project aims to prevent desert locust
invasions from the gregarization areas of the CLCPRO member countries.
PROJECT OUTPUTS
The expected sectoral outcomes are as follows: (i) prospection and early control teams in the four
frontline states will have adequate resources to carry out their prospection and early control tasks
effectively; ii) the structures responsible for desert locust control are strengthened; iii) a training
programme is prepared and implemented; iv) a research programme is prepared and implemented;
and v) an environmental action plan is implemented.
vi
PROJECT COST
It is estimated that the total project cost, exclusive of tax and customs duties, will be US$ 10.49
million, i.e. UA 7.39 million. This amount is broken down into US$ 5.55 million in foreign
exchange, equivalent to UA 3.91 million, and US$ 4.94 million in local currency, i.e, UA 3.48
million. The foreign exchange component represents 53% of the total cost.
FINANCING SOURCES
The project will be co-financed by the ADF, FAO/CLCPRO, the donee governments and the
Libyan Government. The ADF will cover 58% of the total project cost, i.e. UA 4.25 million,
comprising UA 3.08 million in foreign exchange and UA 1.17 million in local currency. ADF
financing will be used to purchase eight four-wheel drive vehicles (two for each of the frontline
countries) and 8 motorcycles (2 per country), the repair of 7 heavy duty vehicles, procurement of
equipment for prospection and control operations, hiring consultants, information system
equipment, the operating costs of the joint teams, 90% of the cost of construction and rehabilitation
of buildings, travel expenses of the prospection and early control teams, the cost of technical
assistance, environmental protection, research and training, and computer and office equipment.
The contribution of the countries will be US$ 2.4 million or UA 1.7 million. It will cover salaries,
10% of construction costs, and gradually the operating costs. The Libyan Government will finance
the cost of 8 vehicles and a part of the operating expenses of the prospection and early control
teams.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
FAO will be the project executing agency. The CLCPRO, established by the countries and FAO
will, by virtue of its mandate, coordinate the project. This commission is a loose operational
structure responsible for, in particular, in liaison with the national desert locust control units, the
coordination and monitoring of the activities of the different National Locust Control Units in the
Western Region. The Executive Secretary of the CLCPRO will be assisted by a Deputy
Coordinator, a technical assistant, and an agricultural economist who will take charge of
monitoring-evaluation. At national level, implementation of the activities under the project will be
handled by the different centres already established to control locusts..
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The project is fully justified and is consistent with the Bank’s Vision concerning poverty reduction
and the strengthening of regional cooperation. It will provide the frontline countries with the
capacities to prevent desert locust invasions in West Africa, while also contributing to
environmental protection and poverty reduction by protecting agricultural and livestock activities.
Bank support to the four frontline countries is justified by the low resource levels of their different
national centres responsible for locust control. The project is a fine example of regional cooperation
between the countries of Northwest and West Africa and falls within the scope of multinational
operations under the detailed NEPAD agricultural development programme. The project is
technically feasible, as well as being economically and socially justified.
In light of the foregoing, it is recommended to award a grant of UA 4.25 million to the frontline
countries as follows: UA 1.25 million to Mauritania, UA 1.01 million to Mali, UA 1 million to
Niger and UA 0.99 million to Chad. The grant will be awarded subject to certain conditions.
viii
PROJECT MATRIX
Name of Project: Project in Support of Preventive Desert locust Control in Four CLCPRO Member Countries
Project completion date: December 2008
Date of Recap: July 2003
Design Team: Messrs. N.KACEM, A. GOMBE AND A CONSULTANT LOCUST EXPERT
Design Date: May 2003.
HIERARCHY OF OBJECTIVES
SECTOR GOAL
Promote food security and environmental
protection in rural areas of CLCPRO
member countries.
VERIFIABLE INDICATORS
MEANS OF VERIFICATION
Losses caused by desert locust invasions to agricultural and livestock
production are reduced by over 90% or even completely prevented,
and the environment is protected over an area around 14 million ha
(2008)
National statistics
Statistics from Ministries of
Agriculture and Planning
FAO Statistics
CLCPRO Statistics
Socio-economic surveys
Reports of the FAO and CLCPRO and
Member countries
1. No reported upsurges or invasions from areas of gregarization in
the member countries of CLCPRO(2008) and locust populations
kept permanently at below gregarization level.
1.
Activity Report of CLCPRO
2.
Activity Reports of National Units
3.
Project report.
ASSUMPTIONS/
RISKS
SPECIFIC PROJECT OBJECTIVES
1. Prevent invasions originating from
gregarization areas of member countries
of CLCPRO.
The member countries of CLCPRO will remain
committed no matter the length of the
recession.. The bi-annual sessions of the
CLCPRO offer an excellent framework for
countries to persevere in their efforts The States
are committed to long-term action in the
framework of the CLCPRO.
ix
HIERARCHY OF OBJECTIVES
VERIFIABLE INDICATORS
MEANS OF VERIFICATION
ASSUMPTIONS/
RISKS
OUTPUTS
A.
Capacity building
i) 19 prospection and early control teams have been strengthened: i)
24 four-wheel drive vehicles acquired (2006), 7 heavy duty vehicles
repaired (2004), ii) 180 handheld spraying machines and 6 vehiclemounted spraying machines (with rotating nozzle) acquired (2005);
iii) equipment for prospection, navigation, communication and
camping supplied (2007), iv) a small stock of pesticides is available
(2004) ; v) provision is made for the procurement of pesticides in
case of a resurgence (2005), vi) 9 automatic meteorological stations
are installed and 13 field transmission kits and satellite map analysis
software are bought (2007) ; vii) various short-term consultancy
operations (2007) ; viii) the locust control centres in Mauritania and
Mali constructed/rehabilitated (2005) ; additional staff recruited and
in place at the NDLCU, and the technical assistance at the CLCLPRO
recruited, functional and effective.
Status, supervision and completion
reports and project activity reports.
Audit reports
Mid-term review
Idem
Support measures
ACTIVITIES
1. recruitment of additional staff in the
NDLCU
2.equipping and operation of the different
centres
3. construction/rehabilitation of centres in
Mauritania and Mali;
i) an environmental action plan prepared and implemented (2007) ; 3
small pesticide warehouses built to FAO specifications, ii) protective
equipment provided for sprayers; iii) in-field environmental
monitoring is conducted, iv) a concerted programme to promote
regional research prepared and implemented, and v) a training plan
for project support staff and the communities prepared and
implemented (2007).
Resources : UA 7.39 million
1. Financing (in million UA)
Source
F.E.
L.C.
ADF
3.08
1.17
GVT
0.03
1.67
FAO/CLCPRO 0.59
0.58
LIBYAN GVT 0.21
0.06
Total
3.91
3.48
4. recruitment of technical assistants,
consultants, and consultancy firms.
2. Budget :
3. Training:
. in-field training of managerial staff and
other personnel,
. training of communities.
Component A- Capacity Building
Component B- Support Measures
Composante C- Project Management:
Total :
Total
4.25
1.7
1.17
0.27
7.39
Million UA
4.99
0.21
1.18
7.39
idem
Status, supervision and completion
reports; project activity reports. Audit
report.
Contracts of service providers and firms.
All preventive control efforts could be
completely negated by attacks coming from
other Regions. A similar project ongoing in
the East Africa Region (EMPRES – Central
Region) targets the same objective of
preventing invasions from other gregarization
areas in the region.
x
HIERARCHY OF OBJECTIVES
VERIFIABLE INDICATORS
Human resources
National Staff
Technical assistants and consultants
3.Duration of project
4 years (January 2004 –December 2007)
MEANS OF VERIFICATION
ASSUMPTIONS/
RISKS
1.
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
1. 1 The desert locust is, without any doubt, the most formidable of all locust pests. It poses a
serious threat to agriculture over a wide area stretching from the Atlantic coast through the Near
East to the Indo-Pakistani border. The havoc caused by this species has been well documented
since Antiquity. Since, 1860, there have been eight successive periods of widespread invasion:
1860-67, 1869-81, 1888-1910, 1912-1919, 1926-35, 1940-47, 1949-62 and 1987-1989. Over the
past thirty years, in the West African Region, there have been one widespread invasion in 19871989 and two major upsurges in 1968 and in 1993-1994. During the last widespread locust
invasion from 1987-1989, the following areas were treated: 3 million ha in Morocco, 2.2 million ha
in Algeria, 1.25 million ha in Niger, 1.7 million ha in Mali, 1.25 million ha in Mauritania, 2 million
ha in Senegal and 100,000 ha in Chad., using 32,000 tonnes of pesticides which had negative
impacts on people and on the environment. In Mauritania an estimated 60% of about 200,000 ha
of grazing land was destroyed, as well as 70% of approximately 200,000 ha of rain-fed crops, and
50% of around 400,000 ha of irrigated crops. In Niger, an estimated 50% of the grazing land
(approximately 1 million ha) was destroyed, as well as a third of the rainfed cropping areas. In
Mali, the damage caused was estimated at 65% to 90% of about 700,000 ha of grazing land,
between 5% and 75% of around 300,00 ha of rain-fed crops and 85% to 100% of 550 ha of market
garden areas. The cost of control operations to the international community amounted to US$ 315
million.
1.2
Seeking to avoid such invasions, the FAO Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC),
comprising the sixteen countries concerned by this scourge, adopted a preventive control-based
operating approach. Subsequently, in mid-1994, the FAO established the Emergency Prevention
System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES), with initial emphasis
on the desert locust. The programme aims to assist affected countries to prevent emergency and
control situations by building their national locust control capacities, and also to foster regional
cooperation. The first component of this programme is operational in the Central Region (around
the Red Sea), a desert locust habitat since 1996. FAO started to expand the programme to the
Western Region in 2000. Nine countries are concerned: Algeria, Libya, Mali, Morocco,
Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad and Tunisia. A Commission for controlling the desert locust in
the Western Region, comprising these countries, was created in 2000 and became operational in
2002. Its mandate is to promote all activities, research and training at national, regional
international levels to prevent and to contain desert locust invasions in the western part of the desert
locust habitat area comprising West and Northwest Africa.
1.3
In 1998, FAO prepared a formulation report on the locust component of the EMPRES
programme in the Western Region. The report was updated in 2001 through a participatory
regional planning workshop held in Mauritania. These documents were the results of numerous
FAO-sponsored initiatives, including the June 1998 workshop in Nouakchott, following which
work started on a first project preparation report, which was never completed, due to the high cost
of the proposed project and because of institutional problems (at the time there was no umbrella
organisation for the Northwest and West African Region). In 2002, FAO submitted a financing
request to the African Development Bank concerning this programme to assist the frontline
countries (Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Chad) to establish a monitoring and rapid early control
system The project formulation report was attached to the request and the countries concerned
also submitted requests in support of the FAO. The Bank reacted by sending a project appraisal
team which, between 28 January and 12 February and from 7 April to 3 May 2003, visited Niger,
Mali, Mauritania, Algeria and Italy. The present report is essentially drawn from the 1998 project
formulation report updated in 2001, and the data gathered by the mission.
2
2.
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
2.1
Salient Features
2.1.1 The agricultural sector, including livestock production, remains a vital sector in the
economies of all the CLCPRO member countries. It employs between 25% and 80% of the
population, represents between 12.5% and 45% of the gross domestic product (GDP), and generates
between 8% and 80% of their export earnings. A large part of the territory of each of these
countries is arid or desert, to varying degrees. Agricultural production is highly weather-dependent
(variations in rainfall levels, drought, and devastation by crop pests…). Grazing land and oases
are usually the most open to attack by desert locusts and, in the Sahelian and Maghreb countries,
the arid and semi-arid zones are always the most vulnerable.
2.1.2 Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy in the Sahelian countries of the CLCPRO
(Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad). Over 80% of the population works in the agricultural sector
in Mali and Niger, between 53% and 70% in Mauritania and Senegal, and 40% in Chad. It
accounts for 45% of GDP in Mali, almost 40% in Niger and Chad and about 20% in Mauritania and
Senegal. It also brings in between 40% and 75% of the export earnings in Niger and Mali, and over
35% in Mauritania and Chad. Together with extensive livestock farming, agriculture is the
principal activity in the rural areas. Water is extremely critical for agricultural production and
environmental protection. Farmlands vary considerably from one country to another. In Mali,
about 35% of the territory (1.34 million km²), or about 43.7m hectares, is actually farmed. Of these,
only about 2.6 million hectares are farmed every year, and this is mostly rain-fed agriculture. 12%
of the total surface area of Niger (1,267,000 km²), almost 15 million hectares, is devoted to farming
of which only about 5 million hectares are cultivated every year. Farmlands constitute 0.5% of
Mauritania’s total land mass, which means that there are 515,000 ha, of which 300,000ha are
cultivated each year. Production systems are, for the most part, extensive and are almost
exclusively based on food crops which are either rain-fed, or grown along the banks of the Senegal
and Niger Rivers, or beside ponds when the water level drops. Food crops are the most commonly
grown, mostly local cereal crops like millet, sorghum and rice, market garden produce and
legumes, along with industrial crops such as cotton and groundnut, fodder crops and fruit trees,
mainly citrus and mango.
2.1.3 Grazing land in Sahelian countries represents between 20% and 25% of their total land mass.
The main features of the extensive livestock farming which is practised throughout all these
countries are a lack of fodder and the north-south transhumance of livestock.. Animal herds in
these countries are made up of cattle (14.3 million), small ruminants (around 40.6 million), camels
(about 1.3 million, horses (500,000 ), pigs (65,000 ) and poultry (40 million). Although diversified,
agricultural output is highly dependent on variations in rainfall patterns and only partially meets the
food needs of these countries where maintaining food security is a constant battle. The food
situation of the Sahelian countries remains worrisome, particularly during years of poor rainfall and
during attacks by plant pests. The scale of the problem varies from country to country but could
become even more alarming were a desert locust invasion to occur. Yields for the major crops
grown in the region remain low and are often further eroded by crop losses due to plant pests,
especially locusts. Locusts and grasshoppers cause considerable damage in cropping zones and
grazing areas, sometimes 100% of the land area is attacked. From 1988-90 and 2000-2002 for
example, Niger had to treat 1,251,050 ha, comprising 1,250,000 ha between 1988 and 1990 and
1,050ha between 2000 and 2002, at a total cost of US$ 20 million. With these treatments, it was
possible to protect nearly 500,000 tonnes of cereal crops and save 100 million dollars on Niger’s
food bill. During the invasion period, nearly 800,000 ha were treated in Mauritania, with assistance
from the Maghreb Intervention Forces (FMI). This operation has reduced the risk of desert locust
invasion in the Maghreb countries.
3
2.1.4 The agricultural sector plays an equally important role in the economies of Northwest
African countries (Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia). Nearly 50% of the active workforce in
Morocco is employed in the sector, between 21% and 25% in Algeria and Tunisia, and it accounts
for 12% of Algeria’s GDP and about 13% to 22% of the GDP of Morocco and Tunisia, depending
on rainfall levels. It contributes 18% to Morocco’s export earnings. Agriculture is still largely
rain-fed and thus remains dependent on weather conditions, despite the significant progress made in
the irrigation sector. Rain-fed agriculture is practised on over 80% of farms every year in Morocco
and Algeria. Irrigation methods are used on 35% of cultivated land in Tunisia, 17% in Morocco,
and 6% in Algeria. The principal crops are grains, essentially wheat and barley (34% of cultivated
land), trees, mainly olives and citrus (35%), wine growing (over 6%), market garden crops,
industrial and fodder crops (around 12%). Crop yields are seriously affected by periodic drought
and crop losses caused by plant pests, including the desert locust.
2.1.5 Livestock production is dominated by sheep (around 2 million ), goats (around 10.5 million)
and cattle (roughly 5.5 million head). Poultry farming is highly developed with over 250 million
day old chicks, of which 30 million are imported. Grazing land is estimated at more than 32
million ha in Algeria, nearly 25 million ha in Morocco, and around 250,000 ha in Tunisia. The
forest cover is considerable at almost 7.5 million ha in Algeria, about 1.5 million ha in Morocco,
and nearly 350,000 ha in Tunisia. The forest is, however, under serious threat from overgrazing,
fuelwood gathering, land clearing (4500 ha/yr), fires (3000 ha/yr), and urbanization (1000 ha/yr).
The fragile ecosystems, harsh weather conditions and low investment levels have resulted in a
significant annual decline in forest areas in these countries. The situation is exacerbated by attacks
by plant pests, especially invading locusts. Food security and rural poverty are two major concerns
in the Maghreb countries. In fact, these countries do not produce enough to feed their people. The
degree to which the staple food needs of the population are met differs between countries. For
example, it is reported to be 72% for grains in Morocco, 60% in Tunisia and 35% in Algeria.
Furthermore, between 8% and 19.3% of the rural population in the region lives below the poverty
line.
2.2
Agricultural Sector Constraints and Potential
2.2.1
Lack of water and/or poor rainfall patterns still constitute the major impediment to
increased agricultural output in the countries within the western region of Africa. Rainfall is both a
key factor in agricultural activity in rural areas, and the main cause of soil erosion. The bioclimatic
conditions in the Sahelian countries, and a large part of the Maghreb, offer an ideal biotope for the
survival of the desert locust and provide favorable conditions for its development and reproduction.
The major constraints to the development of the agricultural sector in the Sahelian countries are the
following: (i) extremely harsh weather conditions, extremely uneven distribution of water resources
and heavy dependence on rainfall, ii) marked degradation of natural resources and increasing
desertification due to the arid desert climate, iii) fragility of the food security situation closely
linked to the climate and a high population growth; (iv) low crop yields often worsened by poor or
insufficient basic services and losses caused by crop pests. In the Maghreb countries, the
agricultural sector faces the following main constraints: (i) agriculture is highly dependent on
rainfall and very irregular spatial and seasonal rainfall distribution, (ii) the land tenure issue and
division of plots, (iii) breakdown of the natural milieu and desert encroachment in the Saharan
regions, (iv) poor harvests compounded by poor quality of services to farmers (technical advice,
credit for agricultural inputs),and crop losses due to plant pests, particularly locusts.
2.2.2 Despite these constraints, opportunities for development exist in the member countries of the
CLCPRO. They have a huge potential in terms of agricultural land. Out of the 160 million ha of
potential agricultural land, only 25%, roughly 40 million ha, are planted every year. The countries
4
have irrigation scheme development capacity estimated to be around 35 million ha, only 30% of
which has been developed. The forests, which occupy more than 5 million ha, are a potential
fodder crop base that could benefit livestock development. The livestock sub-sector is important
in the economies of the Sahelian countries and consideration should be given to developing and
organizing the production of meat, milk, hides and skins, which may be sold locally or exported.
Animal production, especially the dairy sector, also presents huge potential. The cotton, gum
Arabic, shea nut, fruit and vegetable sectors are also promising and should be developed and given
support.
2.3
Agricultural Development Policies
All CLCPRO member countries have adopted agricultural development policies formalized within
the sectoral agricultural and rural development strategies that are designed to promote economic
growth and guarantee sustainable development, food security, poverty reduction, the organization
of rural producers, rural development and administrative decentralization. In the Sahelian countries,
agricultural and rural development policies are incorporated within the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers (PRSP) adopted adopted by the respective governments. They aim to: (i) increase and
diversify agro-silvo-pastoral production with a view to raising income levels and improving living
conditions in rural areas; (ii) ensure that adequate, balanced food is available and accessible to the
people; (iii) build the intervention capacities of all stakeholders in the rural sector and (iv) assist
rural communities to achieve sustainable, participatory management of natural resources and
development programmes. The emphasis, in these sectoral policies, is on developing these
countries’ capacities to reduce agricultural losses and thus improve food security. In the countries
of Northwest Africa, the main thrusts of agricultural development policies are: (i) mobilization and
sustainable rational management of natural resources; (ii) environmental protection; (ii)
diversification and intensification of the agricultural sector with a view to improving food security
and (iv) modernizing the agricultural sector to make it more outward looking. Aware of the gravity
of locust invasions, the CLCLPRO member countries have focused on preventive desert locust
control in their policies for agricultural development, food security and reduction of crop losses
attributable to plant and animal pests and recurrent drought.
2.4
Agricultural Sector Institutions
Implementation of agricultural and rural development policies falls within the purview of the
Ministries responsible for Agriculture and Livestock Development. Each country has an
Agricultural Development and Plant Protection Department, responsible for implementing
development policies in the agricultural sector, including plant protection and the control of plant
pests. These structures in individual countries have varying levels of resources at their disposal but
their tasks are identical and their performance is governed by phytosanitary law which is based on
international conventions and standards for plant, health and environmental protection.
2.5
Desert Locust Control Issues
2.5.1 Locust invasions have been known to mankind since time immemorial. They caused famine
in several of the countries invaded. Of all the locust species, the desert locust is the most
formidable from the point of view of the damage it inflicts and the expanse of its infestation area.
It poses a threat for all agricultural regions from North Africa to the Equator and from the Atlantic,
through the Near East and on to South-West Asia. Since 1860, there have been eight successive
periods of widespread infestation, and over the past thirty years, two invasions and a major upsurge
have occurred: in 1968, 1987-89 and in 1993–95.
5
2.5.2 The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (FORSKAL, 1775) is an insect belonging to the
order of Orthopters and the super family of Acridoidae (acridians) and the family of Acrididae and
a member of the sub-family of Cyrtacantacridinae. The desert locust belongs to the locust group
(which comprises thirteen species that are very harmful to agriculture, including the migratory
locust and the red locust) which have the ability to gregarize and invade several countries
simultaneously. Certain ecobiological features (morphological, biological,, gregarization areas and
habitat, optimal reproduction conditions, and food preferences, etc) distinguish the desert locust
from other desert locust species such as the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria migratorioides),
the Malagasy migratory locust (Locustam migratoria capito) and the red locust (Nomadacris
septemfasciata). It is the only species that can survive in desert conditions, generally in areas far
removed from crops, but once bioclimatic conditions become favourable, it reproduces and forms
large swarms which can travel over extremely long distances and destroy all plant life. It is
different from the grasshopper (Senegalese grasshopper, tree grasshopper and the green
grasshopper) which do not undergo phasal transformation and are “sedentary”.
2.5.3. The desert locust presents two principal distinct forms from the point of view of its
physiology, its morphology and its biology: the solitary form, in very small numbers dispersed over
a limited area known as a recession area; and the gregarious form where a population at high
density moves together in hopper bands or swarms. The latter occupy a much more vast area
known as the invasion area. The transformation from one form to the other depends on bioclimatic
conditions. The desert locust has a great capacity to gregarize because of its high level of activity,
mobility and the cohesion of its gregarious populations. In the recession areas, the desert locust
lives mainly in the desert areas in the wadis and rainwater catchment areas in or near the Saharan
mountain ranges of its permanent habitat area. These areas have adequate soil humidity and the
green, abundant and diversified vegetation that it needs for its survival. The main recession areas
are i) the Western Region of Africa: Mauritania, the Algeria-Niger-Mali border areas, the Algerian
Central Sahara, Southern Morocco and Northern Chad; ii) the Central Region: along the Eastern
and Western shores of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the Western areas of the Oman
Mountains, and Central and Western Sudan and iii) the Eastern Region: the Indo-Pakistani border
and Southern Iran. The recession areas cover about 16 million square kilometers and some thirty
countries.
2.5.4 During invasions, the desert locust constitutes a threat in an area estimated at 29 million sq.
kilometers, comprising 65 countries, i.e. 20% of the surface of the earth and 10% of the world’s
population. This area is bound to the west by the Atlantic, to the north by the Mediterranean, the
Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and to the east by the Himalayas and Bangladesh, and to the South by
the Indian Ocean. In the West African Region, the countries most at risk are: Algeria, Morocco,
Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, and to a lesser extent, Senegal and Tunisia. The source of
invasions to this area is mainly from the Sahelian zone (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, central and
southern Algeria, western Libya and southern Morocco). The movement of swarms, in general, is
from the summer breeding areas to the winter/spring breeding areas in a North/South and
Northwest/Southeast direction. There is a Southern movement, on a lesser scale, in spring-summer,
affecting mainly Senegal.
2.5.5 The damage caused to crops and grazing lands occurs as the insects strip food from leaves,
flours, fruits, seeds, young bark, undergrowth and small plants. The desert locust likes many kinds
of plants, both ligneous and herbaceous. The damage in terms of crop losses, lost working hours
and human lives is difficult to assess accurately since there are no specialized services to carry out
an impact assessment of locust attacks and also because the level of damage is measured in terms
of the ability of the plant species to recover from attack, this being determined by its physiological
and phenological state at that particular time. Losses from locust attacks in 1866 in Algeria were
estimated at FF 19,652,981 (equivalent to 3 billion French francs in 1952), and at £4,500,000 in
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one single season in 1954-55 in Morocco. In 1941, locusts totally destroyed one million vines in
Libya, 55,000 tonnes of grain in Sudan in 1954, and 16,000 tonnes of millet in Senegal in 1951.
368,000 tonnes of grain were said to have been lost in the Sahel in 1974.
2.5.6 A swarm of about 50 million locusts covering one square kilometercan devours 100 tonnes
of fresh vegetation per day. In recession periods, each individual consumes 30 to 80% of its weight
in fresh food every day and in periods of gregarization, each winged insect, weighing an average of
2 grammes, eats as much as ten elephants or twenty-five camels, or two hundred and fifty persons.
These figures highlight the amount of food that is destroyed by this pest. In periods of rapid
multiplication, there is local competition for food between locusts and cattle leading to degradation
of vegetation and soils, especially in places like the Sahel where the ecological balance is
threatened.
2.5.7 Following a long period of recession, with a slackening of national and regional efforts,
particularly by the Common Organization against Locusts and Bird Parasites (OCLALAV), there
was a major locust invasion in 1987-1989. The infested countries and the international community
had to deal with enormous swarms of locusts. Considerable amounts of pesticides were used
(32,000 tonnes) and the costs of emergency control operations were extremely high (US$ 315
million). In Mauritania, losses were estimated at 60% over an attacked surface of about 200,000ha,
at 70% over almost 200,000 ha of rainfed land, and at 50% of irrigated crops on an area of
approximately 400,000 ha. In Niger, there was a 50% loss of vegetation over the roughly 1 million
ha of grazing land treated during the 1987-1989 invasion and cropping area (some 12,000 ha of
mostly rainfed crops) losses represented one third of the yields. In Mali, losses attributable to
winged locusts were estimated at 65% of the grazing land area attacked (500,000 ha), at between
5% and 30% of rainfed crop lands (150,000 ha), 85% of market garden areas (300ha) and 35% of
tree growing areas attacked (20000ha). Also in Mali, losses due to hopper bands were estimated at
90% of 200,000 ha of grazing land, 75% of rainfed crops (60,000ha), and 100% of market garden
produce (250 ha). In Morocco, on the contrary, the damage during the same period was minimal
but that was due to a major control operation at a cost of US$ 62 million.. Management of the
1987-89 desert locust invasion was highlighted by the inability of existing structures to contain the
invasion at an early stage. The main lesson learnt from the invasion was the need to maintain
sufficient preventive control capacity in all affected countries and, in the event of an invasion, to be
able to intervene at least cost. This new preventive approach which emphasizes monitoring and
early control was accepted by all the affected countries.
2.6
Institutional Framework for Desert Locust Control
At international level
2.6.1 The mission of the Desert Locust Control Committee (DLCC) established in 1952 within
FAO is to orientate and coordinate locust control activities in the affected countries at international
level. The Committee currently has 60 members and meets every two years to discuss technical
aspects of locust control at world level. The DLCC spearheaded the establishment of three regional
desert locust control commissions (cf. paragraph 3.2.2) The Emergency Centre for Locust
Operations, established within the FAO in 1986, was given responsibility for coordinating field
curative control during the invasions of 1987-1989 and the upsurge in 1993-1995.
At regional level
2.6.2 The FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Western Region (CLCPRO),
established in 2002 (with headquarters in Algiers), aims to promote on a national, regional and
international scale all actions, research and training to ensure preventive control and counter desert
7
locust invasions in the Western Region from its habitat. The Commission has a membership of
nine countries in the western region of Africa including former member countries of the
CLCPANO (Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Northwest Africa): Algeria, Libya,
Morocco, Mauritania, and Tunisia and four members of the former OCLALAV: Mali, Niger,
Senegal and Chad. The CLCPRO held its second session from 9 to 12 June 2003, in Algiers. It
adopted its rules of procedure and the quota system of financial contributions by the member
countries, as well as electing the five members of its Executive Committee (Algeria, Libya, Mali,
Morocco and Mauritania) for a two-year term. The Algerian government has provided CLCPRO
with office premises on 2 floors of a 6 storey-building where the FAO also has its offices. There
are 10 offices, with an archives room, a video room and a meeting room. Utilities, telephone and
security costs are borne by the Algerian Government, as stipulated in the headquarters agreement
signed between the Government and FAO. The Algerian Government also pays the salaries of a
senior administrative manager and five support staff. The Commission’s funds (from contributions,
donations, etc.) are administered by the FAO Director-General, in accordance with the
organization’s financial regulations.
2.6.3 OCLALAV, established on the initiative of the DLCC, had its headquarters in Dakar. It had
as its members, ten West and Central African countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Chad, and its goal was to control
locusts and grain-eating birds in the member countries. Because it was constantly hampered by
financial constraints, it failed in its mission and was thus non-operational on the ground. The
CLCPANO (1971 - 2002) was initiated by DLCC and comprised five Maghreb countries (Algeria,
Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania). Its primary objective was to foster close cooperation
between the member countries in the collection, analysis and dissemination of locust information,
to carry out research on the desert locust and also to undertake joint curative control. It was a
major player during the emergency control operations from 1987-1989 and 1994-1995. The
Commission was dissolved on 8th June 2003 at its thirty-fourth session in Algiers. Its assets have
been transferred to CLCPRO.
At National Level
2.6.4 Each member of the CLCPRO has a Desert Locust Control Unit or Centre. Those in
North-West Africa have been in existence for a long time. In contrast, those in the Sahelian
countries are relatively new. FAO was behind the establishment of these different centres
(EMPRES programme). In Mauritania, the Locust Control Centre (CLAA) was established in
1995. It is based in Nouakchott, with a secondary base at Aioun Alatrous (former base of
OCLALAV). It also has a research station at Akjoujt. The centre has administrative and financial
autonomy. It is responsible to the Department of Livestock Development and Agriculture of the
Ministry of Rural Development and Environment. The main functions of the centre are,
essentially, to organize, monitor and oversee the preventive control of the desert locust, train
prospectors and specialized technicians, and participate in research and training activities. The
centre comprises three administrative offices (accounts office, supplies office and personnel office)
and three technical bureaux (operations, studies and research, and equipment and procurement).
The centre has 4 senior staff (including 3 doctors), 14 technicians and 22 support staff. There is no
staff to carry out monitoring and evaluation of control and environmental protection campaigns.
The text establishing the centre assigns it a mandate of preventive and curative control. In contrast,
implementing order 2002-062 of Law 2000-043 relating to plant protection attributes the task of
curative control to a new National Locust Control Committee and assigns the function of
preventive control to the CLAA. The text establishing the latter will have to be amended in light of
the new law, to assign it the task of coordinating its activities with those of the CLCPRO.
8
2.6.5 In Mali, the National Desert Locust Control Unit was established in May 2002. It
comprises a coordination unit in Bamako, an operations base at Gao, one support unit at Aguel Hoc
(Kidal) and another at Tin Essako (Kidal). Its main role is to plan, organize and coordinate desert
locust monitoring and control operations, including the collection, analysis and dissemination of
information on the locust and the conduct of joint field operations with teams from neighbouring
countries, and liaise with local authorities and international organisations involved in desert locust
control, including CLCPRO. The NDLCU is under the National Directorate for Rural
Development (DNAMR) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries.
The NDLCU has a staff complement of 6 senior staff, 3 technicians (prospectors) and 4 support
staff. The team also lacks monitoring and evaluation, and environmental protection personnel, as
well as sufficient funds to carry out its assigned tasks. The prospection and support teams also
need additional human and material resources.
2.6.6 In Niger, the National Locust Control Centre (CNA), established in 1988, is based in
Agadez. It is under the Plant Protection Department of the Ministry of Agricultural Development.
It carries out prospection and monitoring of locust control and coordinates rapid control operations
throughout the country in the event of invasion. The main operations bases are at In-Abangharit,
Arlit, Iférouanr, Tchin Toulous and Termit. The text establishing the centre requires amending, in
order to adapt it to the new project, and to assign to it, in particular, the task of coordination with
CLCPPO and the conduct of the joint surveys with member countries of the commission. The
CNA has only one senior staff member (a doctor), a technician (prospector) and six support staff.
This is an inadequate staff complement for its assigned mission.
2.6.7 In Chad, the Locust Control Centre (CLA) was established in January 2003. Its
headquarters is in Ndjamena and it also has a principal base at Abeche and a support unit at FADA.
It is under the Plant Protection and Packaging Department (DPVC) of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Its objective is to prevent increases in the activity of, and invasions by the desert locust. The
CLA’s role is to maintain and supervise preventive desert locust control and it may intervene to
temporarily build the national capacities of a neighbouring country. The CLA has only one senior
engineer, a technician (prospector) and 7 support staff. This staff complement is also insufficient.
2.6.8 Morocco, Algeria and Libya have preventive desert locust control units (or services) that are
fairly well-equipped in terms of funding, manpower and equipment. These units currently carry out
their preventive control functions without any major constraints. In Morocco, the National Locust
Control Centre (CNLAA) based in Agadir, was established in the early 50s. It is responsible for
the monitoring and control of desert locusts and grasshoppers. It has operating and capital budgets.
The CNLAA has adequate human, material and financial resources to successfully carry out all
preventive control operations. It also carries out research work. In Algeria, locust control
operations fall within the purview of the Locust Control Department of the National Institute of
Plant Protection (INPV). Its main functions are to organise and conduct monitoring and control of
the desert locust in periods of recession. The INPV is adequately staffed and has sufficient
financial and logistical resources to undertake regular prospections. It also organises regular
training courses. One of its laboratories has recently been equipped specifically to carry out
research on operational acridology. In Libya, the National Desert Locust Control Committee
(NCDLC), established in 1987 and based in Tripoli, has regional locust control centres all over the
country: there are also 4 communication/radio points. The NCDLC organizes a large number of
training courses. Libya has enough resources for successful preventive control. In Tunisia, and in
Senegal, two countries which have no gregarization areas (and thus need no preventive control), but
which experience infestation, there are no independent structures devoted to locust control. In
Senegal, desert locust control is undertaken by the by the Plant Protection Directorate. In Tunisia,
desert locust control is entrusted to a unit that monitors and controls the desert locust during
recession periods. It is part of the locust and vertebrates service of the Direction Générale de la
9
protection et du controle de la qualité des produits agricoles (Department for the Protection and
Quality Control of Agricultural Products) (DGPCQPA).
2.7
Organization and Constraints to Desert Locust Control
2.7.1 Preventive control is undertaken in all the Sahelian frontline countries, and in Algeria,
Libya and Morocco. Countries in Northwest Africa, to a large extent, have the capacities for
successful preventive control whereas the Sahelian countries lack the necessary human and material
resources, and now that they are without OCLALAV assistance, they are unable to sustain an
efficient and permanent preventive control system. Control campaigns take place in three stages:
(i) monitoring of ecological conditions in potential breeding and gregarization areas (weather data,
satellite imaging, management of databases and geographical information; data collection and
analysis requiring the involvement and contribution of all possible sources of information at
national level (nomads, administrative and technical networks, the Army, etc), (ii) organization of
prospection to ensure swift detection of any substantial presence of locust populations in
gregarization areas and (iii) early, efficient and well-targeted control whenever necessary, using
light spraying equipment and small quantities of pesticides. The average area treated in recession
periods (1997-2002) was 2600 ha in Mauritania, 8000 ha in Mali, and 300 ha in Niger. The
average land area treated varied from 5 to 100 ha, and very few of these areas had to be treated
more than once.
2.7.2 Each Desert Locust Control Unit is managed by a Unit Head with the rank of Director or
Head of Service, depending on the countries, who coordinates locust control operations in the
country. He/she is responsible for preparing annual budgets, programmes, conducting monitoring ,
prospection and early control, storage, treatment and dissemination of locust information nation and
region-wide. He/she supervises staff within the unit, particularly the prospectors, heads of the
secondary bases and the prospection monitoring-treatment teams. Aerial and ground monitoring
and control teams use the same method of work in all CLCPRO member countries to ensure
uniformity of action given the trans-boundary nature of the plague. The prospection teams are
supervised by prospectors. They depend on the principal and secondary bases which provide them
with equipment and products (light four wheel drive vehicles; equipment for prospection, data
communication, camping, spraying; heavy duty spraying vehicles, etc...), and necessary support
staff (drivers and labourers). An annual framework programme is drawn up that fixes their
itineraries. It may be adjusted on the strength of information obtained daily from the field
prospection team. These teams regularly comb the country’s gregarization areas, provide
information on meteorological data, vegetation, the insect’s stage of development and weather
conditions in the areas, most especially rainfall patterns. The observations on the desert locust also
concern the following aspects: (a) appearance of phases and development stages of the desert
locusts; (b) sexual development, behaviour and density of populations; (c) land area infested and
(d) ecological data and information (nature and percentage of plant cover, etc...), and
meteorological information (temperatures, hygrometry, wind direction and speed, soil humidity and
texture, etc...).
2.7.3 The composition of the prospection teams varies according to their operating range. A team
is led by a single technician or engineer called a prospector or chief prospector, who is trained in
the different prospection and desert locust control techniques. During recession periods, an average
of 2 to 6 teams carry out prospection missions in the summer breeding grounds for 4 to 6 months,
and 1 to 3 teams explore the winter/spring breeding areas for a period of 2 to 4 months. The length
of time that a team spends on the ground is variable (from a few weeks to several months), and
depends on locust activity. The teams stay for a while when there are locust sightings or when
ecological and meteorological conditions are favourable. The team works seven days a week when
on mission. It covers 150 to 200 km every day, depending on the accessibility of the terrain and the
10
presence, or absence, of desert locust populations and favourable ecological areas. The prospector
notes all observations in a mission notebook. The format for data collection and transmission
follows the basic format for locust and ecological information set out in the CLCPANO/FAO
Prospector’s Manual, and the OCLALAV message structure. The radio message gives the position
of the team, briefly describes the itinerary taken, any locust sightings, ecological and weather
information, control activities undertaken, all reports received in the course of the day, and the
problems encountered and the programme for the following day.
2.7.4 The four frontline countries have severely limited and often insufficient human and logistics
resources for locust prospection and preventive control. In Mauritania, the National Locust Control
Centre has adequate staffing capacities and technical expertise (2 specialist doctors and 1 qualified
engineer, 11 experienced prospectors, 1 experienced accountant and 1 administrative officer) and
support staff comprising 9 drivers, 1 mechanic, 8 labourers, 2 security guards and 2 secretaries.
There is, however, no officer responsible for the monitoring/evaluation of prospection missions or
for environmental monitoring. Mali does not have enough senior supervisory staff (1 specialist
doctor and 5 engineers) but has an insufficient number of technicians and support staff (6
prospectors, 2 labourers and 2 drivers). In Niger, there is also a significant shortage of senior
technical and support staff. The present staff complement comprises the head of the centre (Ph. D.
level), 2 prospectors, 1 accounting assistant, 2 drivers, 2 labourers, 1 security guard and 1 secretary.
The National Locust Control Centre in Chad lacks a sufficient number of technical and support
staff. Its staff complement comprises 1 agricultural methods expert, one prospector and a limited
number of support staff made up of 2 drivers, 3 labourers, a security guard and a mechanic.
2.7.5 The National Desert Locust Control Units in the frontline states are equally lacking in terms
of logistic support. Mauritania has 9 light vehicles in a state of disrepair, 2 broken down heavy
vehicles (repairable), 5 mounted sprayers, and 20 self-powered sprayers (battery-operated), some
communication and navigation equipment, and a limited amount of equipment for prospection,
camping and protection. The CLAA operates from an old dilapidated prefabricated building. Mali
has 4 light vehicles, only one of which is in working order; and 2 heavy vehicles which are broken
down but can be repaired. It has no sprayers and no navigation, communication, or prospection
equipment. The UNLCP office buildings in Gao and the premises of the support unit at Aguel-Hoc
are dilapidated and in need of rehabilitation. Niger too has only 4 light vehicles, 2 in good working
order, 2 in a fairly good state and 1 broken down, 2 heavy duty vehicles in reasonable working
order (repairable), 1 vehicle-mounted sprayer, some navigation and communication equipment and
very little equipment for prospection camping and protection, etc. The old buildings housing the
CNA base in Agadez and the secondary base at In-Abangharit are in need of rehabilitation. Chad
also has only 4 light vehicles, one in good working order, 1 in a passable state and 2 broken down,
1 heavy vehicle (broken down but repairable), 30 self-powered sprayers (battery-operated), a few
navigation and communication tools and very little equipment for prospection, camping and
protection. The buildings in which the CNLA in Abeche is located and the support unit at Fada are
run down and in need of rehabilitation.
2.7.6 In sum, the major constraints to desert locust control in the Sahelian countries are: i)
insufficient prospection and early and rapid locust control operations; ii) insufficient, and indeed,
absence of material resources (transport, prospection, spraying, camping, navigation, field data
transmission, etc.); iii) lack of human resources in terms of quantity and competence; iv)
insufficiency and lack of training; v) lack of financial resources; vi) reduction in the resources
allocated to locust control during recession periods, vii) poor commitment from beneficiaries
(nomads, farmers), most especially in the locust information collection and dissemination chain;
11
viii) inadequacy, and sometimes, absence of infrastructure, technical/administrative buildings,
pesticide warehouses, etc... and x) absence of research findings on alternative methods and new
locust control technologies that respect environmental protection concerns.
2.8
EMPRES Programme and Desert Locust Preventive Control Strategy
2.8.1 The desert locust component of the EMPRES programme seeks to improve: (i) early
warning by building prospection and forecasting capacities through the collection of reliable data
and the development of networks to ensure information exchange in quasi-real time; (ii) rapid
reaction through efficient early, environmentally friendly control (well-trained staff and adequate
equipment); and (iii) operational research to develop methods and techniques that can help to
improve the prevention of locust invasions. Preventive desert locust control activities must be
coherent and coordinated at national, regional and international levels. Their success is highly
contingent on having strong, autonomous National Locust Control Units which can work together
efficiently regionally and internationally, particularly with a view to the gradual establishment of
appropriate mechanisms that can ensure a sustainable preventive control system in the long term.
This project is consistent with the EMPRES Programme initiated and implemented under the aegis
of the FAO.
2.8.2 The principle underpinning the desert locust preventive control strategy is to prevent the
insect from gregarizing (origin of invasions) by destroying dangerous concentrations in the areas of
gregarization. Given that the total eradication of the insects is not feasible at the present time, a
permanent monitoring and early control system must be put in place in the recession areas so that
action can be taken to attack as quickly as possible when locusts begin their phasal transformation
so that the populations do not achieve a critical density, or reach threatening levels by spreading
over a wide area. There are three major aspects of preventive desert locust control desert locust: i)
monitoring of ecological conditions in potential breeding and gregarization areas, which are well
known, inventoried and demarcated; ii) organization of prospection by experienced specialized
teams with adequate resources; iii) early and rapid control of all desert locust populations that have
reached a critical density. To reduce the cost of prospection, itineraries are guided by satellite
images which detect potential breeding areas which should be prospected Use should be made of
the new, faster and more efficient communication techniques now available (radio, satellite,
internet).
2.8.3
The operational approach will require each country which has gregarization areas to
establish a system of managing monitoring and early control operations, based on i) the collection
and analysis of all available data (weather, satellite imaging, IGS); ii) ii) use of all possible
information sources and their involvement (nomads, administrative and technical departments,
army, etc); iii) preparation, using the above data, of annual action plans that can be adapted to cover
any locust situation; iv) timely mobilisation of highly qualified, extremely mobile teams adequately
equipped to intervene effectively, development and strengthening of the operating capacities of
National Locust Control Units; and iv) rapid, well-targeted operations with reduced amounts of
pesticides whenever necessary.
2.8.4 Although the programme is not really operational because of lack of funding, some field
activities have been funded from the FAO and donor Trust Funds (USAID, Norwegian
Cooperation, German Cooperation….) One important result on the international level was the
establishment of CLCPRO. From the operational point of view, EMPRES has brought about the
establishment of CLCPRO, and strengthened the National Desert Locust Control Unit in
Mauritania, which has become the most structured among the Sahelian countries. The programme
has funded up to 70% of the operating costs of surveys out of the FAO Trust Funds. Technically, it
has focused on improving pesticide application methods and other aspects of control operations. It
12
has therefore been highly instrumental in establishing and introducing safer, more cost-effective
and more environmentally friendly methods of locust control.
2.9
Donor Operations
2.9.1 ADF Experience: the ADF has contributed to the curative desert locust control programme
through a total grant funding of US$ 1.913 million that it provided during the resurgence in locust
activity in 1987 - 1989 and 1993 - 1996. An initial tranche of US$ 200,000 was used for the
services of a locust expert in Mauritania and Niger in 1988. A second tranche totalling US$
713,139 was used to finance prospection activities in Mali, Mauritania and Niger. A third tranche
of the ADF grant, totalling US$ 1 million, was used to finance technical assistance and equipment
and flight hours for locust control activities in West and Northwest African countries (Mauritania,
Morocco, Algeria, Senegal and Chad). The grant was also partly used to provide training for staff
of the beneficiary countries. ADF also co-financed the curative locust control project in
Madagascar which commenced in 1997. The project made it possible to contain the locust
invasion by 2000. During the 1989/93 period, the Bank provided financial assistance to the Desert
Locust Control Organization for East Africa (DLCO-EA) in the framework of its anti-locust
programme. The mandate of this inter-governmental organization also includes the control of the
tsetse fly and grain-eating birds. ADF has, in addition, contributed up to US$ 5 million towards
control of the cluster fly in Libya. The programme, sponsored by FAO and the International
Atomic Energy Institute (IAEA), quickly resulted in the eradication of the scourge. ADF’s
experience of preventive locust control is recent with the approval in January 2000 of its first
project in this sub-sector. The project only started up in January 2003. Its main aim is to control
the Malagasy migratory locust whose gregarization areas are not restricted to the Malagasy
territory. The areas of gregarization are in the vicinity of cropping and grazing areas.
Consequently, farmers have been closely involved in prospection, monitoring and preventive
control activities. The experience gained from the preventive and curative locust control project in
Madagascar will be taken into account in cooperation efforts with the EMPRES programme in the
Central Region (around the Red Sea), particularly as regards research into ways and means of
ensuring the sustainability of preventive locust control activities and outcomes.
2.9.2 Experiences of other donor organisations. FAO has been given the mandate of coordinating
desert locust control activities on the African continent during periods of recession, invasion or
resurgence, with a view to reducing agricultural losses and improving food security in the affected
countries. During the period 1985-1995, FAO coordinated all curative and preventive desert locust
control activities at an estimated global cost of US$ 250 million. Support from FAO and other
partners in development enabled the countries in the Central Region to contain the invasion. Phase
1 of the EMPRES Programme commenced in 1996 for the countries in the Central Region, i.e.
Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The
Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CLCPRC) and the Desert
Locust Control Organization for East Africa are important regional partners for the implementation
of the programme. Despite the few shortcomings noted, the assessment of Phase 1 of the
programme in 1999 concluded that interesting results had been obtained, with regard particularly
to: i) the relevance of the programme to the development priorities of the countries affected by the
desert locust and (ii) the realism, clarity and flexibility of the programme design in keeping with
the needs of the countries concerned; (iii) the low resurgence of desert locust attacks and
infestations in the Central Region and (iv) the building of technical and human capacities for the
preventive control of locusts in these countries.
2.9.3 The European Union, UNDP, USAID, French Cooperation, German Cooperation and Japan
gave support to locust control in West and North-West Africa, most especially during the
emergency periods from 1987 - 1989 and 1993 - 1996. France has been a longstanding partner in
13
desert locust control in the Western Region, both during periods of recession and during invasions.
In the past, the Organisation commune de lutte antiacridienne et de lutte antiaviaire (OCLALAV)
was very often the beneficiary of such aid. With OCLALAV now less active, it put in place, in
1988, the ECOFORCES mechanism having as its operational mandate to lead the effort to control
desert locusts and grasshoppers in the Sahelian region and, more specifically, in the areas situated
between the 13th and 16th parallels north. ECOFORCES can handle control operations involving
one or more aircraft. From past experience and the lessons learnt from various locust control
operations financed by France in the Western Region, an adequate body of knowledge has now
been acquired on the desert locust, its habitat, and areas of gregarization, which has been useful in
the preventive control of locusts.
2.9.4 Since 1988, Luxembourg Cooperation has been supporting the efforts of the Government of
Niger in the areas of plant protection, of which locust control is a component. Luxembourg has
made available aircraft for treatment and has also provided logistic support during control
campaigns carried out by the Plant Protection Service, which is responsible for control campaigns
against the desert locust in the country. In 1996, Luxembourg contributed funds to the value of
LUF 20 million in the form of (i) replacement of an aircraft engine and old HF radios, and the
supply of a set of spare parts for the Air Base, and vehicles for use in survey activities, (ii)
recruitment of a trainer agricultural pilot for five months (technical assistance) and practical
training for a Nigerien agricultural pilot (iii) supply of phytosanitary inputs (insecticides) needed
for aerial spraying, and (iv) funding towards the operating costs of the campaign. Further
assistance was made available in 1997 through the supply of equipment and the maintenance of
aircraft and ground radio network, training of staff of the air base, fuel for aircraft and pesticides
and equipment for ground and aerial spraying. Since 1999, Luxembourg has been funding a project
to build locust control capacities in the framework of the food security programme launched by the
Government of Niger by supporting efforts by the Plant Protection Department of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock Development to control grasshoppers and other plant pests. The
programme, which ended in December 2002, had a considerable and highly significant impact on
the capacities to deal with pests (especially grasshoppers) and appreciably improved infrastructure,
and the country’s technical and human capacities. The infrastructure put in place at the Agadez
base will be used for the current project.
2.9.5 During the locust invasion of 1994 - 1996, FAO, with financial support from Norway and
Holland, carried out two projects designed to promote improved application of pesticides during
desert locust control operations. The project sought essentially to assess the negative impacts of
pesticide use, and propose measures to mitigate the environmental impact of pesticides. These
projects were completed in March 2003 and the research findings on pesticide doses and
application during resurgence periods were deemed to have been satisfactory. Further research on
ways to improve pesticide application will be continued and increased in the context of the Italian
Cooperation project and this current project.
2.9.6 Currently, Belgian Cooperation and USAID are providing funding assistance to the two
National Locust Control Centres of Mauritania and Niger for the establishment of an integrated
desert locust information system (RAMSES). The RAMSES programme is also assisted by the
National Resources Institute of Great Britain. Significant results have been obtained and they
continue to be applied in the quest for improved early warning and rapid reaction system in
preventive locust control. Aid from Japan has consisted mainly in the supply of pesticides to West
African countries for use during curative control. The Governments of Canada, Netherlands,
Switzerland, Britain and the United States of America have provided funding for the biological
control of locusts and grasshoppers, which has enabled manufacture of a mycopesticide known as
“Green Muscle” (Metarhizium anisopliae var.acridum Gams & Rozsypal) which is effective mostly
against grasshoppers.
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2.9.7 Italian cooperation has, within the framework of EMPRES, approved funding to the tune of
US$ 1.3 million for a project to strengthen the early warning and rapid intervention system for
desert locust control in West Africa. This package will be used to: i) continue activities of the
project for the improvement of application methods and research on alternative desert locust
control methods, particularly by the metarhizium anisopliae var. acrider test and ii) PAM or
pheromone phenylacetonitrile and (iii) introduction and use of new statellite imaging, data storage
and processing technologies (RAMSES) and electronic transmission of field data in the frontline
countries. In addition to the collection and analysis of meteorological data, regular surveys of
locust populations and, when necessary, some early and rapid interventions against the first groups
of locusts before swarming occurs, the project will encourage the use of biological insecticides in
the early control of locust activities.
2.9.8 Lessons learnt from similar projects: the main lessons learnt from the past are the following:
i) decline in monitoring, prospection and preventive control activities during the long period of
recession led to invasions, underlining the need for sustained monitoring and early control no
matter the length of the recession period; (ii) use of large quantities of pesticide in curative control
during invasions led to problems with the storage of pesticides and raised environmental protection
concerns; (iii) the need to be prepared for invasion by desert locusts by deploying every means to
avoid improvised curative control operations; (iv) learn from available research findings and
continue to support research into the priority areas during recession periods, particularly in the
fields of application techniques (DGPS), transmission of information (handheld PC attached to HF
radio), and biological control; v) the need to use the most accurate satellite data to detect high risk
areas and (vi) preference should be given to biological control in periods of recession so as to
protect the environment.
2.10
Bank Group Strategy
The Preventive Desert Locust Control Programme in the Western Region of the CLCPRO
space is consistent with these countries’ desire to protect crops and natural resources, increase
agricultural output, sustainably reduce poverty and significantly improve food security and the
living conditions of the disadvantaged. In these countries, in addition to supporting the regional
integration process and the implementation of the vision of the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD) in relation to agricultural development and food security, this programme
is also wholly consistent with the agricultural policies and priorities of the Governments, as well as
the vision and sectoral policies of the Bank which are to reduce poverty and improve the living
standards of the populations in the countries concerned. It is in keeping with the framework of the
Bank Group’s operations strategies in the agricultural sectors in the member countries of the
CLCPRO which have three main thrusts: (i) poverty reduction, (ii) sustained increased agricultural
production to guarantee food security by increasing yields through the introduction of more
productive varieties and more efficient technical itineraries, as well as by sustained protection of
crops and grazing lands, and a better management of post-harvest losses caused by plant and animal
pests; and (iii) promotion of sustainable development and stricter control of the degradation of
natural resources (soils and water) through environmental protection and conservation, particularly
a decrease in the use of pesticides.
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3.
THE PROJECT
3.1
Design and Rationale
3.1.1 The programme is based on the concept of preventive control during periods of recession,
which countries concerned by the desert locust scourge consider to be the only approach to prevent
serious desert locust upsurges. The programme is also consistent with the CLCPRO member
countries’ policies which target food security and sustainable environmental protection. It will
serve to strengthen the monitoring and early warning and rapid intervention capacities of the four
frontline countries and lead to sustainable desert locust preventive control in the Western Region.
The project will have three major components: i) strengthening of existing logistical resources, ii)
the revitalization of training and research in operational locust control and iii) the introduction of a
mechanism for permanent preventive control.
3.1.2 The basic principle of preventive control is to consider that, to prevent invasions, action
must be taken as quickly as possible, right from the beginning of the phasal transformation, by
destroying locust populations that have passed a critical population density. Preventive control is
undertaken on three fronts: i) monitoring of the ecological conditions in potential breeding and
gregarization areas; these areas are well-known, inventoried and demarcated ii) organization of
prospection by trained and equipped specialist teams; and iii) early and rapid control of all desert
locust populations that have achieved a critical density.
3.1.3 In the Western Region of Africa, the habitats of solitary populations are in the desert or
semi-desert regions inhabited mainly by nomads. Involving the latter in current preventive control
systems, as is the case in Mauritania especially, has been shown to be vital on account of the
information that they provide to the control services. These nomad communities will therefore be
an integral part of the project’s information system. To this end, the project envisages specialized
training for them and steps are to be taken to integrate them within the information system in a
more organized manner.
3.1.4 Protecting the environment is one of the fundamental concerns of the project and the
surfaces treated during periods of recession are barely 0.5% of those treated during an invasion.
The project favours biological control, which has yielded good results with grasshoppers but has
not yet been sufficiently tested on the desert locust. Under this project, instead of the traditional
chemical insecticides which are effective in controlling this insect, alternative biological products,
to be identified through research financed by Italian Cooperation, will be used. The active
ingredients in these bio-pesticides will be, inter alia, entomopathogenic fungi specific to the desert
locust and they will, therefore, have no negative impacts on the ecosystem (wildlife and vegetation)
in the treated areas. Furthermore, in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment and
on human health in the small areas to be treated by conventional pesticides during preventive
control, the project will be especially mindful of environmental concerns and will include the
implementation of a regional environmental action plan.
3.2
Project Area and Beneficiaries
3.2.1 The project area concerns the desert territorial entities of Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad
where gregarization areas are located. These micro-areas constitute the permanent habitat of the
locust. They contain small locust populations in the solitary phase which live where there is
vegetation in the wadis and surface water runoff areas. In Mali, these correspond to the Regions of
Gao and Kidal, in Niger, the mountain areas of Aîr and Tamesna in the Agadez Region, in
Mauritania, the entire territory, and in Chad, the area that forms the Fada, Bath-Biltine triangle, and
the Moussoro area in Kanem district. The project area is part of a larger gregarization area between
16
the 17th and 20th parallels covering central and southern Algeria (Tadmait plateau), southwest
Morocco and southwest Libya (Hamada El Hamra) (see Map in Annex I).
3.2.2 In Mali, the gregarization area is situated in the Regions of Gao and Kidal. These two
regions together cover approximately 430,000 km2. The climate is characterized by strong winds
which contribute to desert encroachment and irregular rainfall patterns (annual average of 250 mm)
with temperatures oscillating between 10° C and 47°C. Between them, the two regions have about
475,000 inhabitants (242,000 of whom are women) making an average population density of 1.1
inhabitant/km2. The female illiteracy rate is 87.9% compared with a male illiteracy rate of 51.7%.
Women manage the households during the transhumance period, cultivate the land and fatten
livestock. Very many of them have their own herds as heads of families, fatten livestock and collect
and distribute milk, etc. The poverty index in the region is 78.7%. The population consists mainly
of Songhoï, Kel Tamacheq, Arab, Hausa, Fulani, Moors, Bambara, Bozo, Somono and Dogon. The
economy of the region is based on extensive animal husbandry. Livestock farming is the principal
occupation of the populations in the two regions, employing 40% of the active workforce. The
second major activity is agriculture in which 28% of the active workforce is engaged. The region
has an arable land potential of 240,000 ha, of which 110,000 ha can be irrigated, 14,515 ha are
developed, and 30,000 ha in the Niger valley are arable. Agriculture is adversely affected by the
harsh weather conditions and pests.
3.2.3 In Niger, the three areas where the desert locust is in recession are around Tamesna, Aïr and
in the grazing areas south of Agadez. These areas cover almost 15% of the entire national territory
of nearly 175,000km2. The climate here is arid Sahelian, characterized by violent, dry winds and
very irregular rainfall which varies from 80 to 100 mm/yr. Temperatures oscillate between minus 8
and 48°C. These areas are mainly vast plains surrounded by hills (Aïr, Hoggar, Adrar des Iforas
and Ader), crisscrossed by wadis and a fossil hydrographic network where the vegetation remains
green until February or March. Conditions in these areas are favourable for the survival and
breeding of the desert locust and they are consequently potential permanent gregarization areas and
sources of invasion. The Tamesna is the best summer breeding area while Aïr is the winter/spring
breeding area. Any decline in monitoring and prospection activities can lead to a rapid increase in
locust density in the two areas. The population is 100,000 inhabitants (55.6% women). Women
play a key role in the area through market gardening and cattle fattening. The population density is
less than 1 inhabitant per square kilometre. They are mainly Tuareg, Tubu, Djerma, Songhaï and
Hausa. The major crops grown are onion (50% of garden produce), potato, local cereal crops (hard
wheat, barley, maize and millet), fruit trees and fodder crops. There are some 5500 gardens in the
Air region, each 0.5 ha. The area is under constant threat from the desert locust. It used to be a
mainly tourist area and was a major uranium mining location but the economy today is based on
extensive livestock farming, essentially nomad and transhumant animals, and subsistence farming
which is practised by 70% of the active workforce.
3.2.4 In Mauritania, virtually the entire territory is a gregarization area. The desert locust breeds
in two major areas: i) in the summer breeding area which covers the country’s agropastoral regions
(the 2 Hodhs, Assaba, Trarza and Tagant) and comprises three sectors (the 2 Hodhs, Assaba Tagant and Brakna - Trarza ); (ii) in the winter/spring breeding area across the entire northern
sector of the country and a good part of the centre, which includes the Tijirit, Adrar, El Hank,
Tamreikett and Ghallaouiya centres. A buffer winter/spring and summer breeding area lies
between the southern portion of the Adras, north of Brakna and west of the Tangant. The desert
climate in these regions is not conducive to agriculture. Less than 250 mm of rain falls here and
there is even less rain as one moves northwards - 100 mm at the latitude of Nouakchott and less
than 50 mm in the North. Farming is practised together with agropastoral activities (65%). Animal
husbandry is of the nomadic, transhumant type from north to the south and this constitutes the main
activity in the area. The development of livestock farming is heavily dependent on rainfall and
17
sustainable management of the land. Locusts are the greatest threat to silvo-pastoral production in
these pastoral communities. Such areas have a very low population density, less than 1
inhabitant/km2.
3.2.5 Chad is both the commonest point of penetration of swarms coming from the east (Sudan,
Ethiopia and the Red Sea) and the habitat of solitary populations found in the western part of the
country in an area within the Fada, Batha and Biltine Triangle, and to the west in the Moussoro
area. The other permanent gregarization areas are to the north of Tibesti and in the Ennedi. The
gregarization area in the country covers a land area of about 320,000 km2 , of which 82,000 km2
lies in the Batha, 123,000 km2 in Ouaddaï/Biltine, and the rest in the country’s desert areas
comprising the Fada-Oum Chalouba sector, the Ouaddaï Bittine Gueritta sector and Kanem (north
of Lake Chad) which have biotopes that are favourable for the development of the desert locust in
the solitary state. The population in this area live in extremely difficult socio-economic conditions
evident in their food situation and poor access to basic social services. Poverty here (Biltine
province) affects 80% of the inhabitants, 55% of whom are women. The main occupation is
extensive livestock farming of transhumant animals and subsistence agriculture involving more
than 80% of the active workforce. Agriculture is limited only to the oases. The production system
is extensive, unproductive and is essentially based on traditional subsistence farming. The major
food crops are cereal crops (millet, sorghum, rice, maize and wheat), oilseeds (groundnut, sesame,
cowpea), and root tubers (cassava, cocoyam, sweet potato). Most of the farming activity is carried
out in the Sudanese area, where annual rainfall is between 600 mm and 1,200 mm. Cotton is the
principal cash crop in the region and is grown by 240,000 producers on an average 200,000 ha per
year, with an annual production of 187,000 tonnes of seed cotton. The desert locust poses a threat
to cotton production in this area.
3.2.6 The direct beneficiaries of the project are the inhabitants of the gregarization areas in the
frontline countries who are mostly herdsmen, and to a lesser extent, farmers practising irrigated
farming in the Aïr and in the areas around the Niger river around Gao and around the Senegal river
in southern Mauritania. The other beneficiaries are also farmers and herdsmen living in the
invasion areas which span the nine countries of West and North-West Africa, members of
CLCPRO.
3.3
Strategic Context
3.3.1 Farming in the countries of West and North-West Africa is under constant threat from pests
and transboundary diseases which cause serious damage to animal and plant production. Hordes of
desert locusts have posed a serious threat to crops and grazing lands since time immemorial, and
crop damage by this insect, and the extremely high attendant cost to the countries and the
international community in the event of an invasion, continues to be a serious impediment to the
development of the countries concerned. To assist the countries that are victims of these pests,
FAO has been mandated by its member countries to monitor the locust situation and coordinate
assistance and control of these pests. Accordingly, the Board of the FAO, in 1994, approved the
Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases
(EMPRES). The programme aims mainly to strengthen the prevention and control capacities of the
locust-affected countries.
3.3.2 Implementation of the project will build the capacity of countries which do not have the
resources to set up their own permanent control arrangement. It will strengthen the efforts already
deployed by the other Northwest African countries, contribute to regional cooperation, and prevent
damage and wastage of scarce financial resources that could be used for development projects. The
project will help to implement the “Desert Locust” component of EMPRES adopted by the FAO
Board, and will therefore complete the FAO desert locust control system, which covers two other
18
Regions: the Central Region (around the Red Sea) and the Eastern Region (Central Asia). The
project will thus boost efforts by FAO and the countries concerned to rise to the challenge of the
economic development and modernization of their agriculture by preventing the damage caused by
periodic invasions, by preventing damage from periodic invasions and the further impoverishment
of their, for the most part, already poor populations and by preventing losses of foreign exchange
and scarce resources. The project must be carried out urgently because of the unpredictable nature
of the desert locust and its ability to surprise through exponential breeding when bioclimatic
conditions are favourable and preventive control is non-existent.
3.4
Objectives
3.4.1 Sector Goal: the sector goal of the project is to contribute to food security and
environmental protection in the rural areas of CLCPRO member countries.
3.4.2 Specific Objective: the specific objective of the project is to prevent invasions of desert
locusts from the areas of gregarization in the CLCPRO member countries.
3.5
Project Description
3.5.1 The principal expected project outcomes are as follows: i) the prospection and early control
teams in the four frontline countries have adequate resources to effectively carry out their
prospection and early control activities; ii) the structures responsible for desert locust control are
strengthened; iii) a training programme is prepared and implemented; iv) a research programme is
prepared and implemented; v) an environmental monitoring programme is implemented. The
project has three components: A. Capacity Building; B. Support Measures; and C. Project
Management.
Component A: Capacity Building
3.5.2 This component aims to build the capacity of the existing in-field monitoring and early
warning systems, as well as the information reporting system and operating structures.
Sub-component A1. Monitoring and Early Control
3.5.3 Monitoring and early control activities during locust recession periods are based on two
fundamental activities: i) monitoring and analysis of locust activity, biology and ecology in
potential areas of gregarization (structure and dynamics of locust populations, meteorological data,
biotopes, satellite imaging, etc.) and ii) organization, in real time, of prospection, monitoring of
ecological conditions (rainfall, vegetation, etc.) and information and rapid preventive control over
very small areas of infestation. This will require teams working in the field on the different aspects
stated above. A standard monitoring and early warning team consists of: i) 1 prospector, 2 drivers,
1 guide and 2 labourers, ii) 2 light vehicles, iii) a set of prospection and navigation (1 GPS, maps),
camping, cooking, scientific, materials and equipment etc. iv) communication equipment (1 twoway radio), v) 2 to 4 manual sprayers (battery-operated, self-powered sprayer) and vi) 2 to 4
protection kits.
3.5.4 The project will strengthen the existing prospection and rapid intervention teams in
Mauritania (8), in Mali (5), in Niger (4) and in Chad (3). This number is justified by the
exceedingly vast area and the extremely difficult terrain involved. The project will, therefore,
finance the purchase of 30 four-wheel drive vehicles (pick-ups): 12 for Mauritania, 7 for Mali, 6
for Niger and 5 for Chad. The number for each country was calculated on the basis of the number
of existing vehicles in working order (3 in Mauritania, 2 in Mali, 2 in Niger and 1 in Chad), and the
19
number of teams in each country. The project will also cover the procurement of 180 manual
sprayers for use in Mauritania (80), Mali (40), Niger (40), and Chad (20), 35 knapsack sprayers: 10
for Mauritania, 10 for Mali, 10 for Niger and 5 for Chad; prospection and navigation equipment
(GPS, maps), communication equipment (2 way radio) and camping equipment, as well as the
provision of a small stock of pesticides, the cost of running and maintaining the vehicles, as well as
travel expenses of the prospection, coordination and maintenance teams. The project will also pay
for consultant expertise on ways to improve locust control methods.
3.5.5 The monitoring teams will be strengthened by early control units, if they are no longer able
to treat the infected areas with the light equipment at their disposal. There are three of these units
in Mauritania, 2 in Mali, 3 in Niger and 2 in Chad. A rapid intervention team is made up of a
prospector, a driver, a labourer, a four wheel drive heavy duty vehicle, a vehicle-mounted sprayer
with a rotating nozzle, and 2 protective kits, camping and treatment equipment,, radio
communication equipment and sufficient quantities of pesticides. Project support will be in the
form of funding for the repair of the 7 heavy duty four wheel drive, and the purchase of 6 rotating
nozzle spraying machines mounted on the four wheel drive vehicles. The CLCPRO will give each
of the countries one of the 4 vehicles inherited from the CLCPANO. The movement of the
prospection teams in the field will be dictated by the extent of locust infestation in the areas
covered. The project will also finance two consultancies, one to improve rapid locust control
techniques and methods, and the other for the preparation of optimal procedures for the
management of the pest control products Operating costs and salaries for the early control teams
are also included in the project.
3.5.6 For joint rapid interventions at the early stages of an upsurge, the project will finance
operating costs and expenses and costs relating to the coordination of joint intervention teams who
will work at regional level, as well as the procurement of pesticides; consultancy fees for the
elaboration of a legal status for the joint rapid intervention teams and the establishment of a
regulatory framework for the exchange and circulation of resources.
Sub-component A2: Information System
3.5.7 For better prevention of locust activity in real time and in order to take the necessary
measures to avoid improvization, the national control units must have easily manageable
information systems based on the collection, recording and dissemination of data on locust ecology
and biology, meteorological data... etc.., in real time and on a permanent basis.
3.5.8 Locust information consists in a five-stage system or process: i) acquisition of information
through a uniform data collection support system using an adopted methodology, at wellresearched intervals; this information is provided by trained, motivated prospectors ii) data transfer
which must be accurate, fast and reliable using modern means, iii) utilization of data received to
carry out a diagnostic review of locust activity in real time, and establish a forecast for the next 10,
15 and 30 days, iv) correct archiving of data received, the diagnoses and the analyses made and v)
dissemination of locust information to specific persons involved in the preventive locust control
system.
3.5.9 In this connection, the project will provide funds for the procurement of 9 automatic
weather stations: 2 for Mauritania, 1 for Mali, 4 for Niger and 2 for Chad; 13 field data
transmission kits for Mauritania (5), Mali (3), Niger (3) and Chad (2); and satellite map analysis
software for Chad. The project will also make available funds for the acquisition of meteorological
data (national weather stations, AGHRYMET ), installation of a satellite dish for internet
20
connection for Mali, maintenance of weather stations, internet subscription and subscriptions for
satellite transmissions, as well as the cost of consultancy services for the improvement of locust
information bulletins at national and regional level.
Sub-component A3: Support to Operating Structures
3.5.10 The project will strengthen the capacities of the national CLCPRO locust control units by
providing funds towards the cost of building/rehabilitating the premises of the Locust Control
Centres (currently in a state of disrepair) acquiring 15 computers, office equipment and operating
costs and the travel expenses of field personnel. In a concern for sustainability, the Bank will
gradually scale down its contribution towards the operating costs of the National Desert Locust
Control Units (excluding telephone, electricity and water) by 20% per year with effect from Year 2
of this project. The Governments will take over gradually. This will be one of the grant conditions
precedent. Each of the DLCU will be beefed up by a monitoring-evaluation expert and an
environmentalist. The Malian Unit will also be beefed up by 3 prospectors, Niger (5), and the unit
in Chad by 6 prospectors and a locust expert. This too will be a condition of the grant. The project
will pay for the cost of technical assistance comprising a locust expert to act as Assistant to the
Executive Secretary of CLCPRO, a monitoring-evaluation expert, and a satellite imaging expert.
All these positions will be open to male and female applicants.
Component B : Support Measures
Sub-component B1: Environmental Measures
3.5.11 In order to protect the environment, the project gives preference to the use of biopesticides
instead of the pesticides in use at the moment. The experiments envisaged with Italian Cooperation
funds will seek to identify such products, notably through the “Green Muscle” experiments which
have had satisfactory results on other acridians. The Project will work together with the
aforementioned project towards applying the research findings in the field. In addition, the project
will continue to place a high premium on environmental protection and will finance consultancy for
the finalization of a regional environmental monitoring plan in the western Region in each of the
frontline countries. FAO already has a list of products that can be used to control the desert locust
which it recommends to the member countries and which, when used as directed, have minimal
impacts on the environment. The list is updated periodically. All the frontline countries currently
use only products on this list.
3.5.12 The project will finance: i) construction of three small pesticide warehouses (50 m2 each)
which will be built according to FAO specifications, 1 in Mauritania, 1 in Mali and 1 in Niger, ii)
the procurement of 150 protective kits for applicators for Mauritania (50), Mali (40), Niger (40)
and Chad (20), iii) procurement of cholinesterasis analysis kits for each country, and iv) continuing
environmental monitoring on the ground.
Sub-component B2 : Applied Research
3.5.13 The research sub-component will be implemented by CLCPRO with technical assistance
from national, regional and international research institutions such as the International Institute for
Tropical Agriculture (IITA/Bénin) the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology
(ICIPE) and the International Centre for Agriculture and Biology (CAB-I), which have
technologies and experience in operational locust research. To this end, the regional project
coordinator (CLCPRO) will sign a memorandum of understanding with each of these partner
institutions. A situation report on activities pertaining to locust research in the Western Region has
just been completed for the five countries of the defunct CLCPANO (Mauritania, Morocco,
21
Algeria, Tunisia and Libya). A similar report will be prepared in the framework of the project for
the other CLCPRO countries (Chad, Niger, Mali and Senegal).
3.5.14 The project will finance the extension/rehabilitation of the regional research centre at
Akjoujt (Mauritania). A covered 200 m2 area will be added to make the station better suited for
research work. Funds from the project will be used to acquire additional research and office
equipment. The project will also provide funds for the formulation of a concerted programme to
boost regional research and this will be followed by a regional validation workshop to be attended
by experts and specialized institutions within the EMPRES programme (Central Region).
Implementation of this regional research programme will be done immediately it is approved by the
session of the CLCPRO. A validation workshop will be held on completion of the project to
validate the results of the research carried out during the project.
3.5.15 In the main, the operational research activities necessitated by the project will concentrate
on alternative methods of locust control (biopesticides, pheromones, IGR, etc), in the interest of
protecting the environment. Its activities will complement those of the ongoing Italian-sponsored
project which is just starting up. The following list of research areas is indicative only: i) new
technologies in the fields of application techniques (DGPS), information transmission and
localisation and monitoring of ground prospection teams (satellite transmitters), to adapt them to
local conditions, ii) improved utilisation of satellite derived information in locust situation forecasts
and iii) demarcation and characterisation of biotopes for the reproduction and gregarization of the
desert locust in the region.
Sub-component B3: Training
3.5.16 It is crucially important to provide practical training for engineers and technicians involved
in the locust monitoring and preventive control programme. This should be seen as an absolute
priority as soon as the project commences in order to ensure a better understanding of all aspects of
the locust problem and to guarantee that project sustainability will be ensured by national staff.
The aim of the training is to ensure that, by the fourth year of the project, the country will have
qualified and competent personnel to successfully implement the different components of the
project at every level (engineers, prospectors, technicians, pesticide applicators and handlers,
farmers or nomads, etc.).
3.5.17 The greatest emphasis in the “Training” subcomponent is on building national and regional
locust control capacities. Implementation of the subcomponent will provide the region with the
trained personnel needed to plan and undertake preventive locust control on a permanent basis.
Officials chosen from the member countries for specialised training in the context of the project
will be selected from the national preventive control system (national locust control centres) and
possibly from among specialists from the Agriculture Ministries of the frontline states and other
specialists involved in preventive locust control activities. (e.g. environmentalists).
3.5.18 The project will finance the cost of several workshops and training activities: i) training of
trainers, ii) prospection and monitoring methods, iii) management training, iv) training on specific
topics in specialized institutions (4 persons per country), v) organization of two training workshops
per country per year, vi) organization of a training workshop on environmental protection, to be
held in each country every year; and vii) the procurement of teaching materials and educational
publications. The project will also pay for the services of two consultants, one to prepare a
concerted training plan and the other a training manual.
22
3.5.19 The project will partly finance training/sensitization for local populations (nomads) who
play a direct or indirect part in the preventive control strategy, particularly those who supply
information on the locust situation. They will be sensitized on all aspects of environmental
protection, protection of human and animal health, and the physiological and biological aspects.
The training given to the local communities, including women, is to prepare them to assume a
bigger role in locust preventive control, especially in terms of locust information collection, and its
transmission to prospection teams and/or the appropriate authorities. In particular, both men and
women in the communities must be familiar with the different stages of locust development (be
able to differentiate the desert locust from other locusts, the solitary phase from the gregarious
phase etc.).
Component C. Project Management
3.5.20 The project will provide assistance to CLCPRO, limited to 2 computers and additional
office equipment. It will finance short-term consultancies in connection with the preparation of a
manual of management procedures for the national locust control units, for the design and
establishment of a computerized monitoring-evaluation system, and for the TOR of the
establishment of an Emergency Fund. The project will also fund the organization of a project
launch workshop, the cost of documentation, and together with FAO and the Algerian Government,
will contribute towards the CLCPRO’s operating costs and mission expenses for its staff on
overseas travel.
3.6
Environmental Impact
3.6.1 The project for the preventive control of the desert locust is classified under environmental
category II. The potential negative impacts of control activities on the environment, limited as they
are in time and space, will be minimal and can therefore be successfully managed. With the
progress made regarding the development of non-chemical locust control methods and the ongoing
research into practical alternative methods, it is certain that, ultimately, it will be possible to
substitute biopesticides for pesticides.
3.6.2 Positive impacts. The positive impact of locust control lies in the fact that, by preventing
damage, it protects agricultural production. This project will complement other CLCPRO efforts to
prevent desert locust invasions by building prospection, early warning and rapid intervention
capacities, and thus avoid damage to crops and other grazing resources, which disrupts food
security in areas which experience locust invasions. The project will prevent invasions and the
treatment of vast tracts of land (14 million ha during the invasion of 1987 - 1989) with
environmentally harmful products.
3.6.3 Negative Impacts. In periods of recession, treatment in gregarization areas involves only
small land surfaces, in general between 20 and 200 ha, (mainly grazing land and, to a lesser extent
food crops) scattered across a vast desert landscape, wadi beds, in between dunes and their
immediate vicinity. These are very sparsely populated areas (population density less than 0.5
inhabitants/km2) and there is, therefore, little risk of human contamination. Over the last ten years,
the FAO and other specialized organizations involved in preventive locust control in the
gregarization areas within the project have observed that i) the majority of living organisms
(insects, reptiles, etc) are adapted to extremely variable physical conditions and therefore show a
remarkable capacity to regenerate after disruption, ii) locust control treatments are rarely repeated
in the same place during consecutive seasons, and iii) solar irradiation and high temperatures
accelerate the degradation and decomposition of these biodegradable pesticides
23
3.6.4 This project is designed to prevent the invasion phase of the desert locust. The only
foreseeable risks are with regard to the use of pesticides in preventive locust control: storage of
products, handling, transport and dosage during treatments, and the risk that grazing lands may be
used immediately after treatment if the communities in the area are not adequately informed and
involved in preventive control; there is also the risk of contamination of field operatives
(applicators) who might be exposed to the after-effects of pesticides if the prescribed instructions
for use are not properly followed.
Mitigative Measures
3.6.5 The following measures will be taken to minimise these negative impacts on people and on
wild and plant life: i) protect applicators by providing them with adequate protective materials and
equipment, ii) conduct regular analysis to monitor the level of cholinesterase in applicators; iii)
make a judicious choice of treatment methods; iv) comply with technical treatment standards and
conditions, in line with the recommendations of FAO and CILSS, v) provide appropriate training
for field staff; vi) inform local populations and involve both men and women in the preventive
control campaign and, lastly, vi) carry out regular environmental monitoring of field treatment
activities.
3.6.6 Other measures envisaged include i) an inventory of environmentally sensitive areas, ii)
prohibiting treatment before involving, and providing information to the affected populations, iii)
strict compliance regarding use of the products on the list of FAO-recommended products
(technical guidelines formulated by the 8th Locust Pesticide Referee Group) which have a minimal
environmental impact when used in appropriate doses in compliance with recommended storage
conditions (storage, transport,..) and iv) monitoring pesticide residues in the different
environmental media (organisms and micro-organisms, water and soils).
Environmental Monitoring
3.6.7 The project will finance implementation of an environmental monitoring plan in each
frontline country harmonized at regional level. This plan is meant to ensure the proper conduct of
monitoring, early control and follow-up activities concerning the measures taken to mitigate the
above-mentioned negative environmental impacts. In accordance with usual practice, this task will
be entrusted to the services responsible for the environment in each country. Furthermore, to build
the capacity of the National Locust Control Unit to undertake environmental monitoring, the
Governments concerned will provide an environmentalist for the purposes of the project. The
project will also finance short-term consultancies to study certain specific aspects in greater detail,
including the establishment of an inventory of environmentally sensitive areas that may require
additional mitigative measures. Details on environmental monitoring of the project are given in
Annex 5.
3.7
Social Impact
3.7.1 The poverty index is 46.3% in Mauritania, 54.6% in Chad, 63% in Niger and 63.8% in
Mali. The arid conditions in the area and drought, coupled with invasions by locusts and other
plant pests, have aggravated the poverty in these countries. These different factors have decimated
grazing and food resources, causing degradation of the environment, and thus maintaining the
circle of poverty. With the objective of reducing poverty by 50% by 2015, these countries have
adopted poverty reduction strategies with programmes for the protection of agricultural and
livestock production.
24
3.7.2 In recession areas, the project will protect stockraising and agricultural zones in northeastern Mali, the Tanesna and Aïr regions in Niger, and in west central Chad. Implementation of
the project will prevent environmental degradation, protect grazing and animal resources, and
guarantee food security for the essentially nomadic populations. The number of people who will
enjoy food security is estimated at 1 million, including 520,000 women. In the areas along the
rivers in Mauritania and Mali, the marshes around Aïr where the majority of the inhabitants engage
in irrigated market gardening and cultivate small plots of cereal crops concurrently with the
management of their small cattle herds, the project will bring food security to the small farmers,
women and small-scale stock farmers, who derive their only livelihood from these small farms and
herds. The number of farmers and mixed farmers who stand to benefit is estimated at 200,000.
3.7.3 In areas prone to invasion, the project will increase food security for all the Maghreb
countries and the agricultural and stockraising areas of Senegal. The number of potential
beneficiaries of the project is difficult to estimate because of the extremely vast area.
3.8
Project Cost
3.8.1 The total project cost, exclusive of tax and duties, is estimated at US$ 10.49 million or UA
7.39 million, exclusive of tax and duties. This amount is broken down as follows: US$ 5.54
million in foreign exchange (or UA 3.91 million,) and US$ 4.94 million in local currency (UA 3.48
million). The foreign exchange component represents 53% of the total cost. The tables below
provide a cost summary by component and by category.
Table 3.1
Summary of Estimated Costs by Component
thousand US$
thousand UA
%
Components
FE
LC
FE
Total
LC
FE
Total
Capacity building
3 322
4000
6 422 2 340
2 183 4 523
48
Support measures
358
1 217
1 575
252
857 1 109
77
Project management
750
808
1 558
528
569 1 097
52
Baseline cost
4 430
5 125
9 555 3 120
3 609 6 729
54
Physical contingency
140
58
198
99
41
140
29
Price contingency
376
364
740
265
256
521
49
Total
4 946
5 547
10 493 3 484
3 906 7 390
53
Categories
Works
Goods
Services
Miscellaneous
(provision)
Personnel
Operations
Baseline cost
Physical
contingency
Price Contingency
Total
Table 3.2
Summary of Estimated Costs by Category
thousand US$
thousand UA
%
FE
LC
FE
Total
LC
FE
Total
254
485
739
179
341
520
66
253
1 171
1 424
178
825 1 003
82
514
2 827
3 341
362
1 991 2 353
85
20
2 104
1 285
4 430
140
377
4 946
180
462
5 125
200
2 104
1 747
9 555
14
1 482
905
3 120
58
364
5 547
198
740
10 493
99
265
3 484
127
325
3 609
141
1 482
1 230
6 729
90
26
54
41
256
3 906
140
521
7 390
29
49
53
25
3.8.2 Cost estimates are based on first quarter 2003 prices. A 5% contingency has been added to
all the baseline costs, except those for vehicles and the allocations for the procurement of treatment
products. A 3.5% per year price contingency has been applied to all the components combined.
The overall total, corresponding to the physical contingency (UA 140 thousand) and the price
contingency (UA 521 thousand) is UA 661 thousand, representing 9% of the total project cost
3.9
Financing Sources and Expenditure Schedule
3.9.1 The project will be co-financed by ADF, FAO, CLCPRO, the Libyan Government and the
donee governments. The project financing plan is detailed in Tables 3.3 and 3.4 below:
Financing
Source
ADF
FAO/CLCPRO
LIBYA
GVTs
TOTAL
Table 3.3
Financing Plan
thousand US$
thousand UA
FE
LC
Total
FE
LC
Total
4 372 1 665 6 037 3 079 1 172
4 251
837
818 1 655
590
576
1 166
302
93
395
212
66
278
35 2 371 2 406
25 1 670
1 695
5 546 4 947 10 493 3 906 3 484
7 390
%
58%
16%
4%
23%
100%
Table 3.4
Financing Plan by Country
Financing
Source
thousand US$
Thousand UA
MAURITANIA Mali NIGER CHAD Total MAURITANIA MALI NIGER CHAD TOTAL
ADF
1 769 1 435 1 430 1 403 6 037
1 245 1 011 1 007
988 4 251
FAO/CLCPRO
416
420
420
399 1 655
293 296
296
281 1 166
LIBYA
145
96
96
58
395
102
67
67
41
278
GVT
1 578
377
271
180 2 406
1 112 265
191
127 1 695
TOTAL
3 908 2 328 2 217 2 040 10 493
2 752 1 639 1 561 1 437 7 389
3.9.2 The cost of the project in each country has been determined with due regard to the activities
that will be required in their respective territories, and equitable sharing of common project
management costs (project coordination and regional studies) among the four countries. The
financing plan for each country is determined by applying a similar financing pattern as those
applied for the whole project. Detailed project costs and all tables showing costs by component,
category and funding source have been prepared separately for each country. They will be the
subject of a separate working document.
3.9.3 The ADF will cover 58% of the total project cost of UA 4.25 million comprising UA 3.08
million in foreign exchange and UA 1.17 million in local currency. ADF’s participation in the
local currency component (16% of the cost of the project) is justified by the project’s poverty
reduction objective and the fact that the cost in local currency is high (47%). The frontline
countries will each contribute funding in local currency and make every effort regarding the
repayment of their debts. ADF financing will be used to purchase 8 four wheel drive vehicles (two
for each frontline country). This form of assistance is justified because of the terrain and the
extremely vast expanse of the desert gregarization areas to be prospected, the fact that the different
national locust control units currently possess an insufficient number of obsolete vehicles (cf
paragraph 2.7.5), the need for prospection and early control teams (cf paragraph 2.7.3), and, lastly,
26
the need for rapid intervention (potentially dangerous locust concentrations detected by satellite
images must be prospected immediately and infested areas treated). ADF funds will also be used to
purchase 8 motorcycles and repair 7 heavy duty vehicles, to procure prospection and operating
equipment, acquire consultancy services and procure equipment for the information system, to
cover the operating costs of joint teams, the cost of 90% of construction and rehabilitation works,
the travel expenses of the prospection and early control teams, the cost of technical assistance,
environmental protection, research, training, computers and office equipment. The grant amount
allocated to each frontline country will be determined by the size of the gregarization area to be
prospected, the assessment of logistics and human resources and the specific missions assigned to
the National Locust Control Unit.
3.9.4 The contribution of the countries will be US$ 2.4 million or UA 1.7 million This will be
used to cover salaries, 10% of construction costs and gradually operating costs. A commitment by
the Government to increase operating costs by 15% per year is a grant condition. FAO/CLCPRO
will pay the salaries of the Executive Secretary of CLCPRO, the cost of qualifying training and part
of the operating costs of such training. CLCPRO will bear part of the cost of equipment and
relevant operating costs.
3.9.5 The Libyan Government will fund the cost of procurement of eight vehicles and part of the
operating costs of the prospection and early control teams.
3.9.6 ADF will contribute 42% towards the financing of the EMPRES Programme in the Western
Region. The table below shows details of the current financing commitments of this programme.
Table 3.5
Financing of the EMPRES Programme in the Western Region
Financing Source
ThousandUS$
ADF
6 037
41%
FAO/CLCPRO
1 655
11%
LIBYA
395
3%
French cooperation
2 830
19%
Italian cooperation
1 300
9%
Donee governments
2 406
16%
TOTAL
14 613
100%
27
3.9.7 The table below shows project expenditure by category and financing source:
Table 3.6
Expenditure by Category and by Financing Source (in thousand UA)
ADF
…
A. WORKS
B. GOODS
Equipment
Vehicles
Goods Subtotal
C. SERVICES
Technical Assistance
Consultancy
Short-term consultancy
Qualifying Training
Services Subtotal
D.
E. OPERATIONS
F. PERSONNEL
BASELINE COST
Physical Contingency
Price Contingency
Total
LC
127
FAO/CLCPRO
LIBYA
FE
Total LE FE Total LC
341
468
91
54
145
349
171
520
110
139
88
989 1 099
239
377
536
623
GVTs
FE Total LC FE Total LC FE Total
52
52 179 341 520
440
225 17 152 169 17 152 169
665 17 152 169 17 152 169
25
336 1 763 2 099 25
14
127
141
450
113
563 40
444
1 071 2 865 3 936 526
28
25
53 3
73
189
262 47
1 172 3 079 4 251 576
228
228
149
529
12
48
590
91
88
178
254
254
189 42
444
1 055 59
15 2
96 5
1 166 66
Total
42
194
2
17
213
84 374
1
253
1
4 66
21 140
278
1
21 395
1
21
1
1 67
3 143
25
1
349 440
475 563
825 1003
110 989
1
139 239 377
88 536 623
25 228 254
362 1991
2
14 127 141
905 325
1
1
1
3 3 609
6
99
41 140
265 256 521
3 3 906
7
3.9.8 The breakdown of expenditure (physical and price contingencies) by financing source and
by component is presented in the table below:
Table 3.7
Expenditure by Component and by Financing Source
thousand US$
Components
ADF
Capacity Building
3 974
Support Measures
1 296
Project Management
767
Total
3.9.9
6 037
FAO/
CLCPRO
332
411
912
1 655
thousand UA
FAO/
LIBYA GVT Total ADF CLCPRO LIBYA GVT
395 2 391 7 092 2 798
234
278 1 684
15 1 722
913
290
11
1 679
540
642
10
395 2 406 493 4 251
1 166
278 1 695
Total
4 994
1 214
1 182
The expenditure schedule for the different components is as follows:
Table 3.8
Expenditure Schedule by Component (thousand UA)
Capacity Building
Support Measures
Project Management
Total
2004
1 836
423
365
2 624
2005
1 241
345
368
1 954
2006
949
221
218
1 388
2007
968
225
231
1 424
Total
4 994
1 214
1 182
7 390
7 390
28
Table 3.9
Expenditure Schedule by Financing Source (thousand UA)
ADF
FAO/CLCPRO
LIBYA
GVTS
TOTAL
2004
1 26
265
77
356
2 624
2005
1 209
282
73
390
1 954
2006
580
300
67
441
1 388
2007
536
319
61
508
1 423
Total
4 251
1 166
278
1 695
7 390
3.10 ADF’s contribution towards the recurrent expenditure will be degressive and will be scaled
down from UA 234 thousand in Year 1 to UA 123 thousand in Year 4. It will be limited to the
project operating costs only (cf. table 3.10). Supplementary operating costs in 2007 to be borne by
the Governments vary from UA 20 thousand in Chad to UA 77 thousand in Mauritania.
Table 3.10
Recurrent Costs (UA)
Financing Source
ADF
Mauritania
Mali
Niger
Chad
2004
234
13
8
4
4
4.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
4.1
Executing Agency
2005
188
37
19
14
10
2006
151
57
28
22
15
2007
123
77
36
31
20
4.1 FAO will be the project executing agency. CLCPRO, established by the States and FAO, will
coordinate the project, by virtue of its mandate. This commission is a loose operational structure
and is responsible, together with the National Desert Locust Control Units, for i) carrying out
coordination and monitoring of the different National Locust Control Units in the Western Region;
ii) disseminating information, and promoting research and training; iii) establishing a sustainable
locust control system and (iv) encouraging the National Locust Control Units to be part of the
control effort in the frontline states. The Algerian Government has provided the Commission with
office premises and adequate equipment. The Executive Secretary of CLCPRO will be assisted by a
deputy coordinator, a technical assistant to oversee the technical aspects, and an expert agricultural
economist to carry out project monitoring and evaluation. The CLCPRO Executive Secretary, a
senior manager, has the necessary capacities to carry out the monitoring, supervision and
coordination of the project. He will be assisted in his work by various external experts and
consultants.
4.1.2
In each of the countries, the project will be implemented by the National Locust Control
Unit. Each country will provide its National Unit with the required staff complement. The order
establishing the Locust Control Centre in Mauritania was adopted in 1995, and precedes the law on
plant protection enacted in 2000, and the establishment of CLCPRO. The situation was the same in
Niger where the text was adopted prior to the establishment of CLCPRO and where the
organization chart is not sufficiently adapted to the present project. These texts will be revised. The
Governments concerned shall give an undertaking to that effect. This will be a grant condition
precedent. The draft texts will be submitted to the Bank for prior approval.
29
4.2
Institutional Arrangements
4.2.1
As the organisation with the mission of assisting member countries to combat transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases, the FAO will manage all the technical, financial and
organizational aspects and supervise the project in the field. The CLCPRO will prepare draft
agreements setting out the tasks and intervention modalities, as well as the respective roles of the
Commission and the National Locust Control Units. The Executive Secretary of CLCPRO will sign
all the reports prepared by the CLCPRO, requiring ADF approval. He will also present annual
status reports, programmes and budgets to the Steering Committee of the EMPRES programme for
approval prior to their submission to ADF for final approval.
4.2.2
The EMPRES Steering Committee will coordinate, monitor and orientate the project
activities. Chaired by the Secretary-General of CLCPRO-Western Region or his representative, the
Committee will be made up of representatives of the member countries of the CLCPRO,
representatives of international or regional organizations (CILSS, AGHRYMET, Chambers of
Agriculture, research institutes, etc.), and donors. The Committee will meet once a year to consider
and approve annual programmes and budgets. The setting up of this Committee will be one of the
conditions for the grant.
4.2.3
The FAO will administer and manage the grant in accordance with a memorandum of
understanding to be signed between the donees and the FAO. The draft memorandum will be
submitted to the Fund for prior approval. This will be one of the conditions for the grant.
4.3
Project Implementation and Supervision Schedule
4.3.1
The project will be implemented over a period of 4 years (January 2004 to December
2007). It will start up in January 2004 with the recruitment of additional staff. The project
implementation schedule is as follows:
Activities/Action
Board Approval
Initiated by
ADF
Start-up
September 2003
Duration
Signing of the Grant
ADF/FAO
November 2003
Effectiveness
ADF/Government
January 2004
Recruitment of consultants/consulting
firms/agreements
Recruitment of additional staff
CLCPRO
January 2004
6 months
CLAA or UNLAA/GVT
March 2004
6 months
Preparation of 1st annual programme
b d t
First disbursement
CLCPRO
February 2004
1 month
ADF
March 2004
Procurement of equipment
FAO/suppliers
April 2004
4 months
Upgrading of prospection and
intervention teams
Training courses
CLCPRO or UNLAA
June 2004
3.5 years
CLCPRO/CLAA or UNLAA
June 2004
3.5 years
Finalization and implementation of an
environmental action plan
Preparation and implementation of
h l
Mid-term Review
CLCPRO/UN/CONSULT.
April 2004
38 months
CLCPRO/UN/CONSULT.
April 2004
38 months
Consultancy firm
December 2005
3 months
Final evaluation
Consultancy firm
December 2007
3 months
30
4.4
Procurement Arrangements
4.4.1
The procurement arrangements are summarized in the following table
Table 4.1
Procurement Arrangements (thousand UA)
Category/action
A. WORKS
Construction of buildings
Rehabilitation of buildings
B. GOODS
Purchase of Vehicles
Vehicle repair
Other goods
C. SERVICES
Technical Assistance
Training, studies
Short term consultancies
Qualifying training
Weather Service
D. MISCELLANEOUS
E. PERSONNEL
F. OPERATION
Total
National
Competitive
Bidding
Consulting
Services
FINANC.
OTHER THAN ADF
Other
Total
484(436)
81(73)
-
-
-
484(436)
81(73)
-
-
574(206)
36(36)
473(473)
-
574(206)
36(36)
473(473)
-
1 180(1 180)
438( 438)
-
-
-
625(625)
12 (12)
145(145)
565( 509)
836(628)
1 617(1 617) 2 702(2 125)
(1 180)
- 438( 438)
- 625( 625)
290
290
12(12)
- 145(145)
1 668
1 668
547 1 384(628)
7 390(4
2 505
4.4.2
In accordance with the Fund’s rules of procedure relating to the procurement of goods and
services, particularly the eligibility of suppliers, authorizing the Bank to entrust procurement to the
Agencies of the United Nations system, the FAO shall be responsible for the procurement of goods
and services for the project as follows:
• Works: national competitive bidding will be used for the procurement of works for the
construction or rehabilitation of buildings for contracts not exceeding UA 200,000 and
whose total value does not exceed UA 484,000. There are sufficient local enterprises in
the four countries concerned to ensure competition.
∙ Goods: contracts for the supply and repair of vehicles not exceeding UA 574,000 and
various other items of equipment (computers, prospection and camping equipment,
office equipment, equipment for a meteorological station, spraying equipment, etc.) not
exceeding UA 473,000 will be awarded in accordance with national shopping
procedures. Enough local suppliers and representatives of foreign firms exist in the four
countries concerned to ensure competition.
∙ Services: competition on the basis of a shortlist will be used for the procurement of
consultancy or technical assistance services for training and the conduct of studies not
exceeding two months. For contracts not exceeding UA 350,000, advertisements may be
published in national or regional newspapers. However, any eligible consultant, whether
from the region or elsewhere, may express an interest to be included in the short list.
31
The procurement of consultancy services for the conduct of short-term studies not
exceeding 2 months will be by negotiated contract, following the prior approval of the
Fund concerning the consultant selected. Procurement of meteorological data at national
level and environmental monitoring and research services will be on the basis of
agreements entered into with the competent technical services.
General Procurement Notice
4.4.3
The text of the general procurement notice will be agreed with FAO and issued for
publication in Development Business upon approval by the ADF Board of Directors of the grant
proposal.
Review Procedures
4.4.4
The following documents are subject to review and approval by the Bank before
promulgation: (i) specific procurement notice; (ii) bidding documents; (iii) evaluation reports on
bids, including recommendations from the award of contracts; and (iv) draft contracts, if different
from the drafts included in the bidding documents.
4.5
Disbursement Arrangements
FAO will administer and manage the grant resources. The funds will be disbursed by the ADF to
FAO in annual tranches on the basis of annual budgets. FAO will open an account at a bank
acceptable to the ADF, for the payment of these funds. This will be a grant condition precedent.
The advance, which, in accordance with FAO management rules, may not exceed US$500,000,
may be replenished if required upon justification of the utilization of previous advances. FAO will
monitor the utilization of the grant resources and present quarterly accounting reports to the Bank.
4.6
Monitoring & Evaluation
4.6.1 Project monitoring-evaluation in each of the countries concerned will be carried out by the
CLCPRO and the locust control centre. To this end, a technical assistant specializing in monitoringevaluation, assisted by a computer consultant, will develop a computerized monitoring-evaluation
system. The programme will cover the physical and financial monitoring of project activities, and
the evaluation of the prospection and control, as well as an assessment of the environmental impact
of the project activities.. The physical and financial evaluation will cover each component,
expenditure category, and financing source. The evaluation of prospection and control campaigns
will aim to determine the cost-effectiveness of the prospection and early warning systems in order
to improve them and reduce the cost of preventive control activities in the long term. The
consultancy for the design and computerization of the monitoring-evaluation system, planned at
project start up, will determine the benchmark situation as well as the project monitoring and
impact indicators in collaboration with the operators and the project partners. In this regard, the
project will take account of gender-specific data which will allow for gender sensitive socioeconomic analyses. The project will finance the consultancy for the design and implementation of
the monitoring-evaluation system.
4.6.2 A mid-term review is scheduled at the end of the second year, aimed at comparing the real
project impacts and benefits over the period with the initial objectives. The evaluation conclusions
and recommendations will be validated by a workshop and will serve as the basis for any
adjustments that may be deemed necessary. A final evaluation will also be carried out to draw
useful lessons and take full advantage of the project outputs. The conclusions of this evaluation
32
will also be validated by a workshop. Project launching and supervision missions will be organized
regularly. They will be coordinated with those of the FAO and other cofinanciers of the EMPRES
programme.
4.7
Financial and Audit Reports
FAO will submit the following reports to the Bank, through the CLCPRO: (i) detailed report on the
status of implementation of the project in the first three months; (ii) half yearly status reports; (iii)
annual financial reports; (iv) workshop reports (v) mid-term review report; (vi) project completion
report to be presented to the Bank at the end of the project; (vii) annual environmental monitoring
report; and (viii) annual reports on the audit carried out by FAO. The audit reports should be
submitted to the Bank not later than six months after the end of the accounting period.
4.8
Coordination of Assistance
4.8.1
The appraisal mission met with representatives of the Delegation of the European Union
and Luxembourg Cooperation in Niamey, the Adviser to the Delegation of the European
Commission, the Director of the GTZ Bureau, the Agricultural Services specialist at the World
Bank office, and the representative of the FAO in Mauritania, the representative of the FAO in
Algeria, and representatives of Italian and French Cooperation at the FAO. It also had discussions
with a USAID official. The mission also exchanged e-mail correspondence with French
Cooperation and the European Union. A donors roundtable on the financing and the coordination of
activities under the EMPRES programme was also organized in Paris, bringing together French
Cooperation, USAID, and ADF. All the donors present at the meeting reaffirmed their support for
the preventive approach and the EMPRES programme. French Cooperation promised to make
available a grant of 2.5 million euros to finance research activities and to enhance the capacity of
National Desert Locust Control Units under the EMPRES programme. French Cooperation will
begin preparation of this project in September 2003. USAID promised to continue its support to
the EMPRES programme. Other donor meetings will be organized, with a view to establishing an
informal committee of donors to coordinate funding for the EMPRES programme.
4.8.2 These meetings provided an opportunity to harmonize the operations of all the co-financiers
and to establish the basis for consultations during the project implementation phase. To this end, it
has been agreed to organise joint launching and supervision missions. The project will coordinate
its activities with the EMPRES programme in the Central Region, particularly the activities of
prospection and monitoring teams, research, information exchanges and research on biological
insecticides and their applications. The annual CLCPRO and CLCPRC sessions will provide the
framework for these meetings.
5
SUSTAINABILITY AND RISKS
5.1
Recurrent Costs
5.1.1
Operating costs borne by governments will increase gradually during the implementation
phase, while the contribution of donors will decrease in the same proportion. The governments of
Mali, Mauritania and Niger are already bearing the cost of water, electricity and telephone bills of
their locust control centres, as well as staff salaries.
5.1.2 At the end of the project, the operating costs generated by the project will be funded from
the regular budget of the Centres and/or National Units. The costs are estimated at UA 20,000 for
Chad, UA 31,000 for Niger, UA 36,000 for Mali, and UA 77,000 for Mauritania. The costs will fall
significantly as the research activities begin to produce tangible results. The quantity of pesticides
33
used will also reduce gradually. The percentage of recurrent expenditure devoted to pesticides will
also decrease, leading to a general reduction in the total operating costs to be borne by the locust
control centre in each country. The beneficiary local populations will participate in locust
monitoring activities by providing manpower.
5.1.3
However, to be effective and prevent invasions over the long-term, the preventive control
system must be sustainable. Hence the need for timely replacement of ageing equipment, in
accordance with a timetable that makes adequate provision for depreciation. However, given the
sums involved, the countries on their own may not be able to bear the cost. To enable them to
mobilize the resources needed to replace the equipment on a continuous basis, therefore, a study
will be carried out during the 4th year of the project to determine measures that could be taken to
ensure availability of the necessary equipment on a permanent basis. This study will define
modalities for establishing a fund to finance preventive control activities. The findings of the study
will be submitted to the informal committee of donors responsible for coordinating funding for the
EMPRES programme. These donors will thus be instrumental in the establishment of a fund to
finance preventive desert locust control activities in the frontline countries.
5.2
Project Sustainability
5.2.1
The project aims to establish a desert locust monitoring and early control system in the
Western Region. This is the only way to prevent invasions, for it is currently impossible to
completely eradicate the desert locust and there could be an upsurge, should bioclimatic conditions
become favourable to the insect, and if there is no early control. All the project activities were
designed to be sustainable: (i) training of beneficiary populations; (ii) national and regional
institutional capacity building; (iii) preparation of a study on the establishment of an emergency
fund; (iv) progressive transfer to the countries concerned of all the recurrent costs before the end of
the project; and (v) study on the establishment of a fund for the renewal of preventive control
resources (vehicles, etc.).
5.2.2
The establishment of a better structured locust control centre in each country, a locust
monitoring system covering the whole of the gregarization areas in each country and supervised by
well-trained officers, supplies of biological pesticides, as well as the establishment of CLCPRO
through which all member countries have undertaken to achieve sustainable outcomes, are all assets
which will ensure the sustainability of activities beyond the project period.
5.3
Principal Risks and Mitigative Measures
5.3.1
Preventive desert locust control is a long-term exercise and requires constant vigilance
because total eradication of the insect is not feasible, whatever the means deployed. The risk is that
long periods of recession may lead to a slackening of effort. Experience has shown that during long
periods of recession (due essentially to unfavourable ecological conditions), people tend to question
the need to maintain a monitoring and preventive control system.. Thus, if the project succeeds in
limiting the scale of desert locust outbreaks and upsurges in the long term, there is a tendency to
scale back activities since desert locust activity will have become less visible. To minimize such a
risk, the CLCPRO has been established as a permanent body and given the mission to maintain the
preventive control mechanism on a permanent basis whatever the length of the recession period.
The twice-yearly sessions of the CLCPRO provide an ideal framework to encourage the member
countries not to relent in their efforts. Indeed, the countries have undertaken, in the framework of
the CLCPRO, to work towards the long-term.
34
5.3.2
There is also the risk that the programme activities and its successful outcome could be
jeopardized by an increase in the population of the desert locust in areas which are inaccessible as a
result of insecurity or because a country is momentarily, and for various reasons, unable to play its
role in the preventive control mechanism. Whenever there is temporary insecurity in a zone, the
countries should undertake to protect the prevention mechanism and, in collaboration with the other
countries in the region, increase monitoring in the complementary breeding areas. Moreover,
information on breeding conditions in such inaccessible zones can be obtained very quickly
through satellite imaging which will reveal any threat of rapid multiplication in these areas and
highlight the need for increased monitoring in the accessible areas nearby.
5.3.3
Finally, where it is difficult to control upsurges solely through the preventive means
deployed, emergency intervention plans should enable rapid early control at least cost to swiftly
strengthen the control system The prospection teams should be made up preferably of local people
who are very familiar with the areas of the Sahara where preventive control activities take place.
This is vital to the success of the programme, not only because of the need to possess technical
knowledge about the region, but also to guarantee the security of the teams who can move about
with the consent and protection of the local populations.
5.3.4 Another potential risk lies in the possibility that other swarming pests may invade when the
Desert locust is calm, and cause extensive damage. In such a case, the funds allocated to plant
protection services, some of which may have been initially provided under the project, may be used
to solve the problem. Understandable though it may be, such an attitude constitutes a risk since the
early warning and preventive control system may suspend its activities in such areas, thereby
weakening the whole system. It is essential that the participating countries undertake to always
devote all the resources allocated to the project exclusively to the preventive control of the desert
locust.
6
PROJECT BENEFITS
6.1.1
The economic and financial justifications for the project are best appreciated through an
assessment of the damage prevented. The damage is of two types: loss of crops and grazing
resources (protected production) and the cost of curative control programmes which cannot be
avoided during locust invasions. Damage to crops and grazing resources is extremely difficult to
estimate correctly, and can in fact only be done on the basis of damages caused in the past, which
unfortunately cannot be assessed with any degree of accuracy due to the absence of monitoringevaluation of all the areas that have been affected to date. Available estimates, based on eyewitness
accounts of the damage caused in the countries affected by the scourge, indicate that the level
varies from country to country. For instance, when Mauritania was invaded in 1987-1989, it was
estimated that 60% of the market garden areas and 12% of the areas of the other rain-fed crops
were destroyed. Plots on which women’s cooperatives in the Keur Macene area cultivated fruits
and vegetables were completely decimated. As a result, the price of a kilogramme of tomatoes at
the Nouakchott market shot up from MU 20 to MU 400. In Niger, the grazing land treated during
the 1987-1989 invasion (about 1 million hectares) lost about 50% of its vegetation, while cultivated
lands (about 12,000 hectares) lost about a third of their rain-fed crops. In Mali, it has been
estimated that winged insects destroyed 65% of the grazing land attacked (500,000 hectares), 5 to
30% of rain-fed cropping areas (150,000 hectares), 85% of market garden areas (300 hectares), and
35% of tree-growing areas (200 ha). Also in Mali, the losses caused by hopper bands were
estimated at 90% of grazing areas (200,000 hectares),75% of rain-fed cropping areas (60,000
hectares) and 100% of market garden areas (250 hectares). In Morocco, on the other hand, the
damage caused during the same period was minimal but that was due to the fact that an extremely
effective curative control system was put in place at a cost of US$ 62 million.
35
6.1.2
The importance of the project also lies in its ability to preserve and/or improve the level
and quality of production by the rural community, which is the cornerstone of national food
security and poverty reduction strategies. Limiting locust attacks will help to reduce the trade
deficits of the countries concerned and help them save the scarce foreign exchange they all need.
Thus, although the project may not lead to increased production, it will ensure greater protection
for existing national agricultural production within the nine CLCPRO member countries, thereby
contributing to greater food security.
7.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 Conclusion
The project is fully justified and is in keeping with the Bank’s Vision regarding poverty reduction
and the strengthening of regional cooperation. It will enhance the capacity of the so-called frontline
States to prevent desert locust invasions in West Africa and contribute to environmental protection
and poverty reduction by ensuring greater protection for agricultural and livestock production. The
support of the Bank to the four frontline countries is justified since the existing locust control
centres lack the required resources. The project provides an example of regional cooperation
between countries in Northwest Africa and West Africa and is consistent with the multinational
operations of NEPAD’s detailed Programme for Agricultural Development in Africa. The project is
technically feasible and economically and socially justified.
7.2
Recommendations and Grant Conditions
It is recommended that a grant of UA 4.25 million be awarded to the frontline countries as follows:
UA 1.25 million to Mauritania, UA 1.01 million to Mali, UA 1 million to Niger, and UA 0.99
million to Chad. The grant amount allocated to each country is based on the size of the
gregarization area to be prospected, an assessment of logistic and human resource requirements and
the specific missions to be undertaken by the National Locust Control Unit. The grant will be
awarded subject to the following conditions:
A
Conditions precedent to Grant effectiveness
Effectiveness of the Grant Agreement
Agreement.
B
shall be
subject to the signing of the
Conditions precedent to first disbursement
The Fund shall only release the first disbursement of the upon effectiveness of the
Grant Agreement and subject to the fulfilment of the following conditions by the
donees:
i)
an undertaking to assign the following additional staff to the National Desert
Locust Control Units: one specialist in monitoring-evaluation and an
environmentalist to each of the four National Units, 3 prospectors to the Mali
unit, 5 to the Niger unit, and 6 prospectors and a locust expert to the Chad
unit (paragraph 3.5.10);
ii)
an undertaking to gradually contribute to the project operating costs in order
to make up for the gradual 15% per year decline in ADF contributions to
operating costs (paragraph 3.5.10);
36
B
iii)
an undertaking by the Governments of Niger and Mauritania to revise the
texts governing their National Locust Control Centres. The draft texts should
be submitted to the Fund for prior approval (paragraphs 2.6.4 and 2.6.6);
iv)
submission to the Fund of the Agreement entrusting management of the
grant resources by the States, to FAO, the terms and conditions of which
should have been submitted to the Fund for prior approval (paragraph 4.2.3);
v)
evidence that an account has been opened in the name of the FAO with a
bank acceptable to the Fund for the payment of the grant resources
(paragraph 4.5);
vi)
evidence that the Grant Agreement has been signed by the Libyan
Government or that the latter has undertaken to finance the said project
(paragraph 3.9.5); and
vii)
evidence of the establishment of the Project Steering Committee, chaired by
the Executive Secretary of CLCPRO-Western Region and comprising
representatives of CLCPRO member countries, international and regional
organizations (CILSS, AGHRYMET, Chambers of Agriculture, research
institutes), and donors (paragraph 4.2.2)
Other conditions: the donees shall, moreover:
i)
appoint, no later than 30 June 2004, the additional staff to be assigned to the
National Desert Locust Control Units (a specialist in monitoring-evaluation
and an environmentalist for each of the four National Units; 3 locust
prospectors for the Mali Unit, 5 prospectors for the Niger Unit, and 6
prospectors and a locust expert for the Chad unit) possessing qualifications
and experience acceptable to the Fund (paragraph 3.5.10);
ii)
submit to the Fund, no later than 31 December of each year, the budget items
proving that the State’s participation in the financing of the operating costs
of the National Locust Control Units has increased sufficiently to offset the
gradual 15% per year reduction in donor contributions to operating costs
(paragraph 3.5.10); and
iii)
submit, through FAO, no later than 30 June 2004, the new texts governing
the Locust Control Centres in Niger and Mauritania (paragraphs 2.6.4 and
2.6.6).
Annex 1
PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF PREVENTIVE DESERT LOCUST CONTROL IN
FOUR CLCPRO MEMBER COUNTRIES
MAP OF THE LOCUST ZONES OF CLCPRO MEMBER COUNTRIES
Map of Reproduction Zones and Main Axes of Desert locusts During Recession Periods in the Western Region
Flight paths of Imagos (or Swarms) of the Following Generations:
International Borders
Winter (in winter and spring)
Winter-spring (in spring/summer)
Summer (in winter and spring)
This map has been drawn by the staff of the ADB Group exclusively for the use of readers of the report to which it is attached. The names used and the borders shown do not imply on the part of the Bank and its
members any judgement concerning the legal status of a territory nor any approval or acceptance of these borders.
Annex 2
ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTROL OF THE DESERT LOCUST
IN FOUR COUNTRIES OF THE CLCPRO
FAO
Coordination Committee
CLCPRO
Executive Secretariat
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mali
National Desert Locust
Control Unit (UNLCP)
Niger
National Desert Locust
Control Centre (CNA)
Mauritania
Locust Control Centre
(CLAA)
Chad
Locust Control Centre
(CLA)
ANNEX 3
Page 1 of 1
Multinational
Project in support of Preventive Desert Locust Control in Four CLCPRO Member Countries
FINANCING BY EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
(US$ Thous.)
Amount
A. WORKS
B. GOODS
Equipment
Vehicles
Sub-Total GOODS
C. SERVICES
1. TRAINING
Training of Project
Staff
2. TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
Foreign Technical
Assistance
4. CONSULTANCY
5. SHORT-TERM
CONSULTANCY
Sub-Total SERVICES
D. OTHERS
PROVISIONS
E. STAFFING
F. OPERATION
Total Project Cost
80
Governments
%
Amount
10.0
Amount
90.0
LIBYAN
FAO/CLCPRO
Government
Total
%
Amount %
Amount
%
-
803
7.7
30.2
17.0
672
865
1 537
57
90.0
6.4
8.2
14.6
-
473
242
715
100.0
39.6
66.0
-
411 100.0
-
411
3.9
-
-
1 675 100.0
-
-
1 675
16.0
-
-
584 100.0
943 100.0
-
-
584
943
5.6
9.0
3 613
34.4
71.1
32.7
22.9
3 202
88.6
411
11.4
-
207 100.0
891 45.4
6 037 57.5
685
297
1 655
28.9
15.1
15.8
6.8
3.8
134
395
Amount
509
-
261
261
ADF
%
10.0
672 100.0
343 39.6
1 015 66.0
261
261
30.2
17.0
-
Amount
Governments
%
Amount
-
-
1 684
642
2 406
722
ADF
%
(UA Thous.)
207
2.0
2 369 22.6
1 965 18.7
10 493 100.0
1 186
452
1 694
FAO/CLCPRO
%
Amount
-
184
184
30.2
17.0
184
184
LIBYAN
Government
Total
%
Amount
%
-
565
7.7
30.2
17.0
473
609
1 082
6.4
8.2
14.6
-
290 100.0
-
290
3.9
1 180
100.0
-
-
1 180
16.0
-
411
664
100.0
100.0
-
-
411
664
5.6
9.0
-
2 255
88.6
290
11.4
-
2 545
34.4
71.1
32.7
22.9
145
100.0
45.4
57.5
483
209
1 166
28.9
15.1
15.8
6.8
3.8
628
4 251
94
278
145
2.0
1 668 22.6
1 384 18.7
7 390 100.0
ANNEX 5
Page 1 of 2
MULTINATIONAL
PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF PREVENTIVE DESERT LOCUST CONTROL IN FOUR
CLCPRO MEMBER COUNTRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION NOTE
Environmental Category
The project is classified under the environment category II, under the heading “Institutional
development and capacity building, involving physical intervention (which may be) harmful to the
environment”. The selective and sporadic nature of the treatment envisaged for the gregarization
areas means that the potential but relatively insignificant negative impacts on the environment can
be totally brought under control. The objective is to minimize the ecological impacts of the rapid
locust prevention measures while maximizing the effectiveness of such measures.
Assessment of Potential Ecological Impacts
Although much progress has been recorded in non-chemical locust control methods and in the
research on alternative practices, pesticides remain the main weapon for effective control of desert
locust infestations, particularly during invasions. During recession periods in desert locust
gregarization areas, treatments are applied essentially to grazing areas (and exceptionally to
cultivated areas) in a desert or semi-desert environment (Saharan or arid) such as wadis and
interdunes and their immediate environment. These zones are normally small in size, varying
between 20 and 200 ha (mainly grazing fields and secondarily cultivated areas) scattered around a
vast desert environment. They are also sparsely populated (population density of less than 0.5
inhabitant per square kilometre) and, as a result, present minimal risk of contamination to human
beings and animals.
In addition, observations by the LOCUSTOX project (and other specialized organizations) indicate
that in gregarization areas (arid zones): (i) most groups of living organisms (non-target insect
population, reptiles, arthropods, etc.) have adapted themselves to the extremely unstable physical
conditions and thus have a remarkable capacity to regenerate after a period of disruption; (ii)
chances of a full recovery after serious damage are enhanced by the fact that the locust control
treatments are rarely repeated at the same sites during successive seasons; and (iii) solar irradiation
and high temperatures accelerate the degradation and decomposition of the biodegradable pesticides
used.
The project has been designed to prevent invasions by the desert locust. The only likely risks are in
relation to the use of pesticides for preventive control: storage, handling, transportation, dosage, and
the use of grazing fields immediately after they have been treated, especially where the inhabitants
of the areas are not informed and involved in the control activities.
Annex 5
Page 2 of 2
Mitigative Measures
The measures that can be taken to minimize the potential negative impacts on the environment are:
(i) construction/rehabilitation of warehouses according to FAO standards and plans, in order to
improve storage conditions; (ii) provision of protective gear for those handling spraying machines;
(iii) compliance with standards for the transportation of the products (packaging, etc.); (iv) training
of personnel to handle the spraying equipment and the communities concerned, both men and
women; (v) right choice of treatment methods; (vi) strict application of technical standards and
conditions for treatment recommended by the FAO and CILSS; and (vii) regular assessment of
environmental impact of activities undertaken.
Other measures envisaged include: (i) inventory of environmentally sensitive zones; (ii) ban on
treatment of infested zones without informing and involving the populations concerned; (iii) strict
compliance with regulations governing the use of products recommended by the FAO and CILSS
and which are deemed to have minimal impact on the environment when appropriate doses are
applied and the instructions are followed (storage, transportation, etc.); and (iv) close monitoring of
pesticide residues in the different environmental media (organisms and micro-organisms, water,
soil).
Environmental Monitoring of the Project
Environmental protection is one of the fundamental objectives of the project, as this would make it
possible to avoid applying treatment to large expanses of land during locust invasions. However, in
carrying out preventive control activities, especially pending the results of research into the possible
use of biological insecticides, the treatment of infested areas with insecticides cannot be avoided.
Such insecticides can, however, be used for small surfaces with limited impact on the environment,
particularly where only small locust populations are involved (larvae or small groups of adults), or
at the commencement of preventive control operations, at the beginning of an upsurge, or probably
during the development of alternative means of locust control through closely monitored research.
Part of the resources allocated to the project will be used to finance environmental monitoring
activities in each of the countries concerned. Monitoring will cover activities such as
construction/rehabilitation of buildings to store the chemicals according to FAO standards and
plans, acquisition of protective gear for personnel who will spray the chemicals during preventive
control activities during outbreaks, and training of the staff and the local populations, both men and
women. Small buildings (50 square metres) to store pesticides will be constructed in Mauritania,
Mali and Niger during the project, thereby ensuring that the pesticides acquired during the
preventive control programme, as well as acetylcholinesterase analysis kits, can be stored under
standard conditions. In each country, the monitoring exercise will be handled by departments
responsible for the environment, which have the necessary human resources for the task., in
accordance with the provisions of the agreements. An environmentalist will be assigned to each of
the National Locust Control Units to boost their staff strength. The specialist will take charge of
environmental issues. He/she will monitor implementation of agreements with the technical
services in charge of monitoring the environment. Part of the resources allocated to the project will
also be used to finance short-term consultancies to improve on certain aspects such as inventory of
environmentally sensitive areas requiring additional mitigative measures.
Annex
MULTINATIONAL
ASSISTANCE TO THE PREVENTIVE CONTROL OF THE DESERT LOCUST
IN FOUR MEMBER STATES OF CLCPRO (PALPCP-CLCPRP)
CORRIGENDUM
Project Information Sheet, item 4., (Donees) is modified as follows:
FAO, on behalf of the beneficiary countries, namely: Mali,
Mauritania, Niger and Chad.
Executive Summary, page vi; the last paragraph is replaced as follows:
In light of the foregoing it is recommended to award a grant of UA
4.25 million to FAO, acting on behalf of Mauritania, Mali, Niger
and Chad. The grant will subject to certain conditions.
Page 29, paragraph 4.2.3 is modified as follows:
FAO will administer and manage the grant in accordance with an
official letter issued by the governments of Mali, Mauritania,
Niger and Chad, entrusting the grant management to FAO. This
will be one of the conditions of the grant.
Page 35, paragraph 7.2 should read as follows:
It is recommended that a grant of UA 4.25 million be awarded to
FAO, on behalf of Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad. The grant
will be awarded subject to the following conditions:
7.2., B: Conditions precedent to first disbursement, Condition iv) has been modified as follows:
iv) submission to the Fund of the letters issued by the
Governments of Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad entrusting
FAO with the management of the grant (paragraph 4.2.3);
Annex 5, Environmental Information Note:
This Environmental Information Note is replaced by the Summary Environmental and
Social Management Plan (ESMP), as follows:
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MULTINATIONAL OPERATION
PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF PREVENTIVE DESERT LOCUST CONTROL
IN FOUR CLCPRO MEMBER COUNTRIES (PALPCP-CLCPRO)
SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
Project Number
Beneficiary countries
Start-up date
Completion date
Department
Division
1.
:
:
:
:
:
:
Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad
January 2004
December 2007
OCAR
OCAR.1
Project Environmental and Social Category:
The project is classified under environmental category II. Indeed, owing to the specific
targeting and sporadic nature of the treatments and the particular features of the zone of intervention
(desert area, very high temperatures, sparse population and with very few crops), the potential, but
not significant, negative impacts on the environment can be perfectly well brought under control by
implementing the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP). The principal objectives of
this plan consist in (i) minimizing the ecological impacts of the rapid intervention for preventive
locust control, while helping to maximize its effectiveness; (ii) defining the principal activities and
corresponding resources, as well as the responsibilities of the various parties involved, and (iii)
drawing up a programme for environmental monitoring and assessment of the project impacts.
2.
Brief Description of the Project
2.1
The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (FORSKAL, 1775), is an insect that poses a threat
to the agricultural production of member countries of the CLCPRO (Commission for Controlling
the Desert Locust in the Western Region), which are Algeria, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania,
Niger, Senegal, Chad and Tunisia. In physiological, morphological and biological terms, there are
two principal and distinct forms of the Desert Locust: the solitary form and the gregarious form.
The solitary form of the Desert Locust lives in very small numbers in desert environments,
specifically in wadis and rainwater catchment areas within or around the Saharan mountain ranges
of its permanent habitat or recession zone. The gregarious form is found in very dense groups
moving in swarms, and in large colonies inhabiting a wider area or areas of infestation. The
transformation from one form to another is determined by bioclimatic conditions. The principal
recession areas are in Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Algeria, Morocco and Libya. The PALPCPCLCPRO seeks to prevent the resurgence of the Desert Locust by applying measures during the
recession periods in the four CLCPRO member countries that do not have the means to do so,
namely Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad. It will build the capacities of the national locust control
units in these countries, by setting up a mechanism for preventive action and early and rapid
intervention against all locust populations exceeding the critical density level, so as to stop
invasions before they start. The project has three components: (1) Capacity-building; (2) Support
measures (environmental action, research and training) and (3) Project management.
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2.2
The project focuses on the application of biological agents that have yielded good results when
used on grasshoppers, notably “Green Muscle” which was identified under LUBILOSA (Project for
Biological Control of Locusts and Grasshoppers), but were not sufficiently tested in that context. This
project will apply biological products, which are to be identified through research financed by the
Italian cooperation agencies, as alternatives to the traditional chemical insecticides that are effective
against this insect. These biopesticides, whose active agents include entomapathogenic fungi
specifically effective against the Desert Locust, will have no negative impact on the ecosystem
(wildlife and vegetation) in the areas treated. The chemical products for preventive control are used in
small quantities, generally on small sites of under 200 ha (primarily pasture ground and secondarily,
food crop areas) scattered over a very vast desert area. These areas are sparsely populated (population
density of under 0.5 inhabitants per km2) and therefore present a minimum risk of contamination of
populations and animals.
3.
Regulatory and Institutional Framework
With regard to the environment and natural resource management, the four frontline CILSS
member countries (Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad) have adopted the following laws and plans: (i)
National Desertification Control Plan of Action; (ii) National Environmental Action Plan; (iii)
Framework Law on the Environment; and (iv) Law on plant protection. These countries have also
promulgated regulatory texts governing the environment and natural resource management
(environmental code, pastoral code, forestry code, hunting and nature conservation code, water
resources code, etc.). Regarding locust control, FAO has published a list of Desert Locust treatment
products that it recommends to member countries and that have a minimal effect on the environment,
provided the instructions for application are followed. This list is updated periodically and in
conformity with CILSS recommendations. Currently, all the front-line countries use only the products
on this list.
4.
Lessons from past experience:
Regarding preventive locust control, a Project to monitor the environmental impact of the
utilization of pesticides against locusts (LOCUSTOX, headquartered in Dakar), which was
implemented from 1990 to 2000, investigated the environmental impact of pesticides used against
locusts, notably in the recession zones of sahelian countries (Mali, Mauritania and Senegal). These
investigations have shown that: i) most of the communities of living organisms (non-targeted insects,
arthropods, etc) adapted well to extremely variable physical conditions and have thus demonstrated a
remarkable capacity for regeneration following disruption, ii) the chances of recovery following
damage are greater, as the anti-locust treatment is rarely repeated in the same site for consecutive
seasons, and iii) solar irradiation and high temperatures accelerate the degradation and decomposition
of the pesticides used, which are biodegradable.
5.
Principal Environmental and Social impacts
The principal environmental and social impacts are summed up below:
5.1
Positive Impacts
5.1.1 Environmental conservation constitutes one of the fundamental themes of the project,
considering that the areas treated during recession periods hardly exceed 0.5% of those to be covered
in the event of invasion. The positive impact of the locust control measures consists in safeguarding
agricultural production and grazing grounds by preventing damage. This project will make it possible
to avert major invasions in CLCPRO member countries and the resultant damage to crops and
pastures, and therefore the need for treatment of large expanses (14 million ha of agricultural and
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grazing land during the 1987-89 invasion) with products that are harmful to the environment (32,000
tonnes). The measures under this project will help protect the vegetation and land from the destruction
observed during locust infestation. The proposed project will thus enable the four countries concerned
to take concrete steps against food insecurity.
5.2
Negative Impacts
During recession periods, the preventive control treatment will concern only small sites,
generally under 200 ha (primarily pasture ground and exceptionally, food crop areas) scattered over an
extremely vast desert area with a very low risk of contamination of populations and wildlife.
Furthermore, all the ecotoxicologic studies have shown that the direct impact of locust control on
wildlife and vegetation is minimal. The only foreseeable project risks associated with the utilization of
pesticides are: i) the risk of contamination of the handlers and applicators; ii) the risk presented by
poor storage of products, ii) risks arising from improper handling procedures, inappropriate
transportation and wrong dosing of treatments, and lastly; iii); the risk of contamination of animals,
where pasture ground is used immediately following its treatment, without the local population being
informed and involved.
6.
Mitigative Measures
6.1
The main measures to mitigate the foreseeable adverse impacts on human health and the
environment are: i) procurement of protective gear and materials for handlers and applicators; ii)
construction/rehabilitation of pesticide warehouses in accordance with health requirements and the FAO
standard plan iii) training the persons required to handle the products in proper methods of product
storage, handling, transportation and dosing; iv) appropriate training of the project area populations, both
men and women, and their involvement in the preventive control mechanism; v) judicious selection of
treatment products and methods; vi) strict compliance with the technical norms and conditions for
treatment recommended by FAO and CILSS; and vii) regular environmental monitoring of the
recommended actions and measures.
6.2
Other measures envisaged include i) conduct of additional studies to assess the impact of
treatment products on the hydromorphic zones (beds of wadis, ponds …etc) with a view to identifying
further mitigative measures; ii) prohibiting treatment of infested areas without involving and
informing the populations concerned; iii) strict compliance with the list of products recommended by
CILSS/CSP (Sahelian pesticide committee) and by FAO, and whose effect on the environment is
deemed minimal, provided the appropriate doses are maintained and the conditions of utilization
(storage, transportation…) are respected, and iv) analysis of pesticide residues in the different
environmental media (plants, water and soil).
7.
Project Environmental Monitoring
7.1
Since the last locust invasion in 1988-89, the four front-line countries have initiated
environmental monitoring measures, notably concerning protection of the health of the applicators,
handling, conveyance and dosing of pesticides. However, these measures remain insufficient, given the
lack of logistic and financial resources. This project will provide support to these countries by financing a
more complete programme for environmental monitoring of the action and mitigating measures
described above. This monitoring will be entrusted, based on agreements, to the environmental
departments of each country. These departments will in particular carry out the following control: (i)
analysis of crop samples, (ii) analysis of blood samples to assess the acetycholinesterase level (iii)
analysis of the residues of pesticides used, etc. Each National Locust Control Unit will be reinforced
through the recruitment of an environmentalist to oversee the environmental aspects, such as the
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monitoring of the implementation of agreements with the technical units concerned. CLCPRO will
harmonize the environmental monitoring at the regional level. The Bank will periodically conduct
environmental and social monitoring of project measures, as part of its supervision missions. The Bank
will further finance the services of short-term consultants for more detailed work on particular aspects,
including the inventory of environmentally sensitive areas that require additional mitigative measures.
8.
Consulting the Public
8.1
In each country, the national anti-locust units will conduct formal information sessions to
promote public awareness. These sessions will take place at the settlements nearest to the breeding
sites to be treated. They will be held in the presence of the local administrative and traditional
authorities and will be open to all interested persons, as well as NGOs operating in the region. At these
sessions, environmental measures will be presented and discussed with the beneficiaries; their views
and suggestions will be gathered and noted in the ensuing report, and recommendations taken into
account for any adjustment required.
9.
Cost Estimates
The total cost of the ESMP is estimated at USD 300,000, which is about UA 211,200,
including USD 211, 200 the equivalent of UA 84,500-- for the environmental monitoring. The
detailed costs are as follows:
Measure
Cost Estimate
(USD 000)
Finalization of the environmental monitoring plan
60
Construction of a pesticide warehouse
73
Construction of a pesticide warehouse
8
Procurement of protective gear and materials
8
Cholinesterase level analysis Kit
10.
32
Environmental monitoring
1 20
Total
3 01
Implementation Schedule and Reporting
The ESMP implementation will commence in the first year of the project, with the recruitment
of the additional staff and the signing of agreements with the technical units. Quarterly and half-yearly
environmental monitoring reports will be produced by the national technical departments responsible
for environmental monitoring of the project activities. The provisional schedule is as follows:
Activities
Period/duration
Signing of agreements
3 months
Construction/rehab. of warehouses in accordance with environmental standards
2 years
Procurement of protective gear and materials
Analysis of samples
ADB Supervision Mission
Training of handlers and population
Reporting
4 years
Starting from year 3
1.5 times/year
4 years
Annual
Environmental monitoring
Project mid-term review
4 years
End 2nd year
Environmental performance assessment (final assessment)
End 4th year