Active forest management restores a cultural symbol

For the Pulaar ethnic group of Senegal, "kosam" -- curdled milk -- is a dietary staple and a cherished symbol of health, purity and prosperity. Eaten daily with millet and used in periodic traditional rituals, kosam was once a part of Pulaar society year-round, particularly in Saré Bidji and Ndorna in the southern region of Kolda near some of the country's remaining forest lands.

In early 2001, however, no one in the area could remember the last time their cows had produced milk beyond the six-month rainy season.

"The forest here used to be richer, there was more pasture, and the grasses grew back faster after forest fires," said El Hadji Woora Baldé, a local village chief. "Each cow produced around four liters of milk per milking, whereas for many years now, even in the rainy season, we only get one liter at a time. The grasses they used to eat have disappeared."

Forest degradation began as the populations of surrounding villages -- and the number of unsustainable farming practices -- grew. Natural and accidental forest fires went unchecked, and preventive measures, such as firebreaks, were limited to the perimeters of individual villages. Moreover, outsiders to the area have come in to exploit the forest for fuel wood and charcoal. This combination of factors has resulted in lower rainfall, soil depletion and erosion, the disappearance of healthy pasture and a diminished supply of edible wild fruits.

Villagers in Saré Bidji and Ndorna recognized these problems but felt powerless to stem the damage. Natural resource management had long been the responsibility of the national government and its Forestry Service. Although national decentralization reform in 1996 devolved significant rights and responsibilities to the collectivity level, most villages concerned lacked not only an understanding of their new roles, but also the management, training and equipment necessary to fulfill them.

With support from USAID's local governance project in Senegal, representatives from more than 200 villages in the Saré Bidji and Ndorna collectivities came together beginning in early 2001 to discuss their most pressing needs and brainstorm about potential solutions. Forest management emerged as their number one shared priority. Although the villages each had a forest fire committee dating back to before governmental decentralization, these were long defunct. The population proposed that USAID assist them in rejuvenating these committees. USAID organized workshops to inform local citizens about their environmental rights and responsibilities under decentralization, help re-establish active forest committees and clearly define the tasks of the committee members - which would now extend beyond putting out fires, to include monitoring forest use and reporting infractions to the Forestry Service. USAID also provided grants totaling $54,000 in the form of bicycles, motorcycles, fire gear, and committee uniforms and badges, to enable the committees to get to work.

The elected officials, village chiefs, and representatives of women's and youth groups in Saré Bidji and Ndorna also worked closely with USAID to build their administrative capacity. Budget workshops fostered an increase in local financial resources by teaching elected officials how to guide the budget process, and showing citizens the impact that their tax contributions could have on community goals. A community budget was established through a transparent, democratic process and included new provisions for the upkeep and replacement of the forest committees' bicycles, motorcycles and equipment. USAID also assisted the rural councils and committees in setting up a system for reporting and tracking infractions, as well as an inter-village communication strategy to ensure reliable coordination of preventive and emergency measures. Finally, USAID worked with local elected leaders and officials at the regional Forestry Service to help them cultivate a strong working partnership to protect their resources.

In 2003, for the first time in years, the villagers of Saré Bidji enjoyed kosam straight through the dry season.

"This year our rural collectivity has really seen the impact of USAID's local governance project," Bomelle Baldé, a 46-year-old Saré Bidji resident and mother of nine said. "There was grass for our cows all the way up until the rains came, and we have had milk all year. We are more conscious of the environment now. and we understand the role that our whole community plays in protecting the forest."

Bomelle was able to feed her children milk all year, in addition to using some of the profits from her sale of kosam to purchase fish and vegetables to supplement their diet. In this way, the improved management of natural resources in Saré Bidji has led to a year-round availability of kosam, which resulted in tangible impacts on the health, economy and culture of the community.

A major impact of USAID's work in this area featuring open, democratic discussions has been the change in attitudes to which Bomelle Baldé alluded. In Saré Bidji, Ndorna, nearby Pata, and other Senegalese collectivities, USAID's efforts to strengthen natural resource management through better governance have resulted in a notable shift in both the value that citizens and elected officials place on their environment and the level of responsibility that they take to protect their natural resources.