Savanna Site

The region

The Savanna component is the only site located in the north of the country for the conservation of savanna ecosystems. The climate is of the sudano-sahelian type with a rainy season that runs from May to October and with an annual rainfall of 900-1,200 mm. The landscape is made up of the Benue alluvial plains and isolated mountains (altitude 200-700 m). To the west one finds the Alantica Mountains (peaks up to 1,900 m) and towards the south the escarpment of the Adamawa. On the herbaceous and tree savannas, as well as in the dry forests the main large mammals of the African savanna and a wide variety of small mammals, fishes and birds are found. The site hosts a number of endangered species such as the black rhinoceros, the Derby eland, wild dogs, the cheetah and the mountain redunca.

The project intervention zone has a population of approximately 300,000 inhabitants representing some fifty ethnic groups. The Dourous and Lamas form the majority and are concentrated in the Mayo Rey. The Matakams and Guizigas dominate the Benue Division, while the Doayos and Tchambas constitute the majority in the Faro and Trans-Faro, respectively.

The project

The project area is located in the southern part of the North Province, extending from Garoua toward the border with the Adamawa Province and is bordered by Nigeria in the west and by Chad in the east. This area covers the three National Parks of Benue, Boubandjida and Faro, 28 hunting areas (ZIC) and the communal land that surrounds them.

History of the project:

The French Co-operation started to support the MINEF Provincial Delegation for the North in 1995 with its own funds, followed by WWF and SNV in 1997 with GEF, DGIS and private funding. The conservation efforts made by the executing agencies are centred around the network of protected areas and the local populations. The Benue and Boubandjida National Parks and the Faro Wildlife Reserve were created in 1968, followed by the first 16 ZICs in 1969. In 1972, 11 other ZICs were constituted and in 1980, the Faro Wildlife Reserve was gazetted as a National Park. Finally in 1996, 1998 and 2002, three ministerial orders created the last wave of ZICs and several boundaries were adjusted.

Objectives:

1. Protect biodiversity by strengthening MINEF capacities and the infrastructures of the three National Parks
2. Carry out bio-ecological and socio-economic surveys
3. Execute eco-development activities and draw up a pilot programme in order to associate the communities in the conservation and management of one or several of the hunting zones
4. Draw up and implement management plans for the parks and hunting zones, as well as a landuse master plan for the priority site.