Supporting Adaptation of Productive Practices among Pastoral and Agropastoral Communities in the Rombou Rural Commune

The Rombou Rural Commune in central Niger, is faced with frequent droughts as rainfall levels have steadily declined since the late 1960s, resulting in an extended dry season that now lasts for nine months. Recently, permanent and semi-permanent ponds have dried up and the water table has decreased. The village of Rombou is impacted by the degradation of the nearby Tarka Valley ecosystem, which has forced some residents into unsustainable and destructive practices, such as cutting firewood for sale, which exacerbate problems further. These maladaptive practices combined with future climate variabilities accelerate deforestation and desertification, and threaten the livelihoods of those who depend on the land.

The CBA project aims to foster sustainable water management, agricultural, and pastoral practices that help local residents better deal with current and future environmental challenges. With project partners on the ground such as AGIR, a local NGO specializing in sustainable resource management, the project supports the climate resilience of the village of Rombou through alternative crop production, increasing the communities’ awareness of soil fertilization and regeneration techniques, and implementation of adaptive practices.

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