Abstract

The need for firewood is enormous in the dry zones of Mali. However, large areas of presently uncultivated land could be turned to production of wood and forage with the proper techniques. Phase I saw the establishment of a research station, the training of young researchers, and promising results from tree plantations at a modest cost. Phase II will continue to select and study species appropriate for the region, develop planting techniques that require little water, and disseminate the results to the farmers of the region.

Post-Project Summary

The researchers continued selecting forest species and types most adapted to the local environment; developing simple techniques requiring little or no water supply; and simplifying and popularizing the knowledge they acquired for the benefit of farmers in the region. Experimentation permitted the researchers to select from among 73 species, seven species that were well adapted to local conditions and productive within a very short time (four to six years). After a vast campaign to make the communities aware of the advantages of plantations, the villagers cleaned out and planted parcels of land totalling 1.25 ha. Three months after planting, about 80% of the plants appeared to have taken, but in June 1984, the plantations were almost completely destroyed by livestock because there were no fences. Nevertheless, the experiments convinced the peasants of the need for reforestation, and a third phase of the project focusing on the development of better techniques for managing reforested areas established by the villagers was approved.

Recipient Institution(s)