DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AREA:

The project areas are Kongo, Pelungo and Damol-Tendongo of the Nabdam Traditional Council; The Three Communities are located in the central belt of the Nabdam Traditional areas, which lies ten miles West from the Regional Capital Bolgatanga off Bawku trunk Road. The District Capital is Tongo and is about 14 miles south of the middle belt road linking from Tamale to Bolgatanga Secondary School (Wonkogo T Junction) that lead to the Talensi/ Nabdam District Capital Tongo.

The upland soils in the Kongo, Pelungo and Damol Tendongo is degrading rapidly due to the gold mining prospecting which has created large number of burrows pits, bush burning and felling of trees for fuel wood.

The land of the target communities is mostly coarse texture with varying amounts of loosely packed stones and concretion. The coarse texture nature of the soil, while making cultivation is easy, also subject them to high rate of wind and water erosion and where excessive tillage due to intensive cultivation often cause rapid lost fertility of the soil.

Climate and Vegetation.

The climate regime of Kongo, Pelungo and Damol-Tendongo is influenced by two Major air Masses. The North East Trade Winds and the South West Monsoon winds. While the former are dry and dust laden, blowing from across the Sahara desert to the north the latter are cool and moisture laden, blown across from the Atlantic Ocean to the South there experiences a seasonal rainfall pattern often lasting between May and October. The rest of the year is dry and hot. The raids, which begin in May also, sets the pace for farming activities in the target communities.

The natural vegetation therefore consists of short deciduous, widely spread fire resistance trees and shrubs. The grasses which vary in height is liable to burned during the long dry season over the years, the three communities Kongo, Pelungo and Damol -Tendongo vegetation has come under server human activities especially the gold mining activities, reducing it to an open land where only few tress of economic value have been retained to give a stand of about 10 trees per hector.

Fuel wood is thus in severe short supply throughout the target communities and crop residues are used as fuel wood.

Population / Agriculture and Employment

The population of the Kongo, Pelungo and Damol Tendongo stand at over 12,500 giving an average density of a little over 100 persons to the square Kilometer which constitute of both indigenous populates and immigrants from the various regions and the neighboring surrounding countries.
The populace of the Kongo, Pelungo and Damol Tendongo are predominantly rural and has up to 88% engaged in Agriculture. Agriculture constitutes crop and livestock production. The Commonest crop grown include, cereals (Millet, Guinea corn, Maize and rice) Legumes: (Pepper, garden eggs, sweet potatoes and tomatoes). The animals also serve as an insurance against crop failure when they would be sold to purchase food for family consumption. Religious and customary ceremonies such as sacrifies and dowries are the other most important reasons for farmers keeping livestock.
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.2.2 Problem Statement:

The target communities ? KONGO, PELUNGO, AND DAMOL-TINDONGO of the Nabdam traditional areas are of complex socio-economic problems.
The environmental problems of the target communities is land degradation due to unsustainable land management and poor land use practices, illegal gold mining prospecting/stone quarrying, poor soil and water management as well as high incidence of bush fire.

The illegal gold mining is a major problem in the communities Kongo, Pelungo, and Damol-Tindongo, which has as a result of loss of the biodiversity, school dropout, diseases, destroying the forest reserve, low agriculture productivity as well as loss of indigenous spices including the sacred groves that which the traditional herb men obtain their medicinal herbs/ the economic tress.

The land is degraded at a speedy rate with gold mining prospecting at the top of the list. Also most of the environmental programs have often suffered lack of patronage due to poverty. It is observed that, beneficiaries of trees growing programs who have likely to fail as members could rather seek self employment in gold mining activities or migrate elsewhere outside the target communities thereby jeopardize the programmers. This is to attach an environmentally sustaining income generating activity to the programs as a motivation for the participants and beneficiaries.

In the past, the land was very fertile and bulk of the population relied on it for their daily sustenance. The land could regenerate it self after damage because there was no large numbers of burrows pits created in the name of gold mining prospecting and stone quarrying activities. There is a growing consciousness of the problem in the target communities as we Non Government Organization in the communities cure trying to educate the rural people on the need to resuscitate the environment

2.3 MAIN OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this project is to promote sustainable land management in Kongo, Pelungo, and Damol-Tindongo to combat threat of Desertification in the Nabdam traditional area.

3.3 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the project are:

1. To educate the beneficiary communities within the Nabdam area of the district to adopt agro forestry as a better way of restoring and maintaining fertility for improved agricultural production.
2. To promote sustainable livelihood support for production of cash crop and small ruminants.
3. To develop and sustain the capacities of local communities in natural resources management.
4. To establish and operate tree seedling nursery to produce forage, soil improvement as well as fuel wood tree species to meet the needs of the beneficiary groups.
5. To train and assist beneficiary groups especially the school dropouts to under take skill training to earn income and improve their livelihood.

2.4 Project Justification:

This project is in line with UNDP GEF/SGP effort to restore degraded land and promote sustainable use of natural resources for the improvement of the socio-economic well being of the people. More to the point, it is in line with ministry of lands and forestry?s program to restore degraded land to improve its fertility to reduce poverty. Besides the Nabdam Traditional council, AYDAD Organization, chiefs and concern people of the target communities are seriously campaigning against land degradation especially on the gold mining and bush burning/hunting. This is to improve the soil fertility level of the communities to reduce poverty level among the people. This project hopes to support those measures put in place to reverse land degradation in the target communities.
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The proposed project contributes to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and Desertification, particularly in Africa (UNCCD).
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3.0 EXPECTED OUTPUTS:

The intended results of the project are:

? 75 persons educated and trained in bush fire management, soil fertility in preventive techniques, agro forestry composting, and bunding.
? 150 acres of degraded lands put under sustainable management.
? 150 distresses farmers and 60 Youth trained and assisted in livelihood enterprise development.

4.0 PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Various project activities will be carried out to achieve the project goal and objectives. These are enumerated below:

Output 1 75 persons educated and trained in bush fire management, soil fertility in preventive techniques, agro forestry composting, and bunding.

Planned Activities

4.1.1 Organize weekly environmental education programs on Radio Upper Star and URS Radio. This FM Stations will have wide coverage, which includes the project location. Resources person will come from EPA, MOFA, FSD, and GNFS. The activity will be carried out through the project period.

4.1.2 Organize Community Fora in Kongo, Pelungo and Damol-Tendongo

The community fora will promote environmental awareness programs in the target communities, issues to be covered by the project is to develop awareness, change attitudes and behavioral of the people to be able to contain environmental problems. Resource persons will come from EPA, MOFA, FSD, and GNFS. The activities will come off within the 1st quarter of the project.

4.1.3 Organize Natural Resource Management Workshops For 60 Farmers.

Three (3) workshops will be organized for 60 farmers on natural resources management. These will serve as trainer of trainers for the other community members in Nabdam and its environs. These workshops will help the farmers acquire skills and knowledge on judicious use of natural resources for sustainability. Resources persons will come from EPA, FSD and MOFA and the activity will come on within the early part of the second quarter of the project.

4.1.4 Introduce Improved Soil Fertility Technologies to trained farmers.

Hands-on-training will be organized for 60 farmers to acquire improved soil fertility technologies. These farmers after the training will train the rest of the community on the same program. Resource persons will come from ministry of forestry (MOFA). The activity will come on the 3rd quarter of the project.

4.1.5 Embark On Intensive Wildfire Prevention And Management.

Seventy five (75) members anti-wildlife volunteers squad will be formed and trained to serve as watchdog committee to ensure responsible environmental behavior. Twenty five (25) each will come from each of the 3 communities. They will be trained in fire fighting and first aid techniques.
The squad will also help the communities to formulate their own environmental rules and regulations to govern the environment. Resources persons will come from GNFS and EPA. The activity will take place in second quarter of project

OUTPUT 2 150 hectares of degraded lands put under sustainable management

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

4.2.1 Survey and demarcate 150 acres of degraded lands.

150 acre-degraded lands would be demarcated and put under natural regeneration in the 3rd quarter of the project period. The chiefs and people of NABDAM have committed land for the project.

4.2.2 Establish community nursery

A community nursery of 10,000 seedling capacity will be established in Nabdam community?s dam in Sakote to supply seedlings to all community involved in the project. A group of 6 people thus 3 men and 3 women will be trained in nursery management to look after the nursery. The nursery will generate income for the project from sale of seedlings. The activity will be done in the 5th and 6th quarter with resource persons from EPS, MOFA and FSD.

4.2.3 Undertake enrichment planting in the reserve for the 1st year

Seedlings will be supplied from local nursery attendants in the community to undertake enrichment planting in the reserve for the 1st year. These will include the Cassia, Acacia Aurencil Forms Gliricidia Septum, and Leuceam.

4.2.4 Construct fire belts to protect the demarcated areas

The reserve will be protected from wild fire and encroachers from the public by a security/ anti- wild fire volunteer squad to be put in place. Resource persons will come from survey department, GNFS, and FSD.

4.2.5 Establish A Multipurpose Woodlot And Banks.

To reduce the pressure on the forest as a source of fodder for livestock and energy, a 100-hectare multipurpose woodlot will be established to provide fodder for livestock and to supply wood fuel for he community. These will improve livestock production in the area. Fast rowing trees will be supplied from the community nursery for propagation in the multipurpose woodlot. Seeds of improved forage species will also be broadcast to grow freely and serve as feed for livestock. The activity will be carried out within the 3rd quarter and resource persons will come from EPA, FSD, and MOFA.

4.2.6 Establish Agro Forestry On Farms Of Interested Farmers.

The project will encourage 150 interested farmers to establish agro forestry in their farms to reduce pressure on the forest as well as improve soil fertility. The activities will cover 100 hectares. The activity will be carried out by 6th quarter and resource persons will come from MOFA and FSD.

4.2.7 Prepare Participatory Use Plan.

All the three (3) communities involved in the project will be helped to draw a participatory land use plan for the land use for the project. Resource persons will come from the said descriptions. The activity will be carried out by the end of 2nd quarter

4.2.8 Reinstate Burrowed Pits.

At least 80 of the burrowed pits in the project area will be reinstated. Carefully prepared compost will be prepared on site of each burrowed pit and this will spread to 300mm thick. The ecology of the area will be improved with fast growing resilient and economic plans such as Moringa, Mahogany, Dawadawa, Cashew, Mango, and Cashew. In future, the rest of the burrowed could be developed into fishponds according to the collective planning wishes of the communities. The activity will be carried out throughout the project period of eight (8) quarter with resource persons from MOFA.


OUTPUT 3 150 Distress Farmers and 50 Youth trained and supported in Livelihood Enterprise Development

4.3.1 Provide training to 150 farmers in beekeeping, cash crop farming and small ruminants

150 interested community members and interested members of the adjourning communities will be trained and resourced to serve as alternative income source. Thus reducing the burden on savanna forest and therefore promoting natural regeneration. The training would be carried out within the 4th and 5th quarters. MOFA staff will be used as resource persons.
Honey, poultry and small ruminants? production are the basic source of income for the rural people. Market source will be sought for honey, poultry products, and small ruminants. The markets shops, which sell honey on their shelves, would be contacted for market for honey. Hotels, restaurants, and chop bars will be contacted for market for poultry products and small ruminants. The activity will take place by the 7th quarter. Staff of AYDAD will be responsible

4.3.2 Train 50 youth in enterprise livelihood development


4.3.3 Set up revolving credit for 60 farmers to go into cash crop farming and youth members both young men /women to under take skill training in weaving, dress making, and masonry .