Socioeconomic development of onchocerciasis areas in Togo

Onchocerciasis Control Programme in the Volta River Basin area Programme de Lutte contre l'Onchocercose dans la R6gion du Bassin de la Volta JOINT PROGRAMME COMMITTEE Office of the Chairman JPC.CCP COMITE CONJOINT DU PROGRAMME Bureau du Pr6sident JPC1 .4 Part 6 October 1980t I JO]NT PROGRAMME COMMITTEE First session Yamous soukro 24-27 November 1980 Provisional agenda item 6 SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ONCHOCERCIASIS AREAS IN TOGO After the preliminary studies, financed by UNDP, in 1975 and 1976 the progranrme for rational exploitation of onchocerciasis-freed areas has now entered upon its concrete implementation phase, with alternating feasibility studies and field activities. Among the recent studies, mention may be made of: DEVELOPMENT OF THE BINAH AND PATALOU Thanks to assistance from Italy, this study of the Kara region has been able to take place. It provides for the development of nearly 4OOO hectares in the area. The urain objectives in view are: settlement over the whole of the Binah and Patalou areas of some 25OO peasanEs to expl-oit the long-abandoned valleys; expansi.on of agricultural output with priority for food crops and especially rice; the introducEion of cash crops such as arboriculture is contemplated; organizatLon of the peasants on a cooPeratlve producEion basis; - improvement of the environment so as to stem the flight from the rural areas. The project provides for the construction of a dam containing 1O million ,3 of water on the Binah and 20.5 million on the Patalou, enabling 600 and 2OOO hectares respectively to be irrigated and allowing the marshland also to be developed. In view of its considerable cost (about SOOO million) this project will be implemented in successive sectlons. DEVELOPMENT OF TI1E MANDOURI PIAIN It may be remembered that this project was formerly one of the series for the creation of nuclei of developmenE. Thus it included a 2OOO hectare ri.ce growing component, a 3O0O head cattle-raising componenE, and a l5OO hectare reafforestation comPonent. this initial study was carried out by the German firm of l^lagner Consult International (WCI) aE a cost. of 58 million. JPC 1 .4 Part 6 page 2 Just recently this project has been a subject of special interest in FAO, which would like to steer iE rather towards social action. Thus, since the beginning of 1980, a new study has begun with the object of determining a ner^r orientation for the project namely: - repopulation of the valley; the expansion of agricultural output by development of rice-growing and improvement of dry-land farming; the esEablishment of support services for the peasantry (extension work, provision of 1oans, etc. ); improvement of the road system and social infrastructures; improvement of other sectors of agricultural activity such as stock-raising, forestry, etc This project will therefore include a 2OOO hectare rice-growing component made possible by the construction of a protective embankment. along the Oti. Ihe Iatest preliminary study document,s sent by the FAO Investment Centre entrusted with the work put the cost of the project at 24OO million. The completion of the studies is scheduled for early 1981. DEVELOPMENT OF THE ''FOSSE AUX LIONSII This is actually not a study but an updating The development of this valley includes three components, namely: water, human, and pastoral and agricultural. ftre programrne includes: - hydro-agricultural development mainly consisting in the damning of the Koumfab so as to establish a reservoir of 88 million m3 of water. a socio-agricultural prograflme to exploit an area of 2OOO hectares by settling IOOO smallholders benefiting from improved structures and logistic support. Ihe updating of the study had also demonstrated the need for supplemenEary studies ln the lpheres of geotechnics, topography and hydrology (human, agricultural and pastoral). j tast August, on the conclusion of an agreement between France (FAC) and TOCO, a subsidy totalling 110 million CFA francs was granted for these studies. DEVELOPMENT OF THE TCHIRI ZONE The Tchiri project constitutes one of the sections of the large-scale progralffne for Ehe development of the Oti va1ley. It involves the agro-pastoral development of nearly 10 OOO hectares by the peasants who are able to reseEtle the zone after the eradication of onchocerciasis. The topographical study covering 1OOO hectares has just been completed and the naps delivered to the Togolese Government. As for the implementation study, it has been enErusted to the Togolese Development Studies Corporation (SOTED). The work is already far advanced and it is hoped to have the final documents by the end of the year, ,a should be noted that these two studies, financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are costing 22 2OO OOO and 57 500 OOO CFA francs respecrively I I JCPI.4 Part 6 page 3 Lastly, it may be recalled that the project is concerned inainly with peasant rice-growing and the marshland. DEVELOPMENT OF THE Tt6 E.UO BASSAR PI,AIN The goals are to increase arable and st,ock farming and encourage and guide irmigration into the Bassar zone. For the I,16 plain, collection of dat.a will be undertaken with a vlew to its being opened up for exploitation. The study is being financed with a sum of about 20 million CFA francs provided by the World Bank and reserved for the Maritime Region. The SOTED, which has been entrusted with the execution of the study, is to present the report at the end of September 1980. The integrated development of Bassar and the development of M6, Ehough two separaEe activities, must be closely linked for implementation. This non-exhaustive list includes other studies such as those on the Borgou and Darko ranches, etc. But it is in the sphere of actual achievements that the process of socioeconomic develop- ment of the areas freed from this terrible disease of onchocerciasis is rnanifested. In this specific context, several activities have been undertaken recently, while those whose implemenEation began earlier are continuing. It is under this heading that we shall refer to the following programmes. DEVELOPMENT OF THE IGRA VALLEY Designated EDF project, the development of the Kara Valley began back in 1974 and its continuation with a second section rdas approved in 1977. This is a social and economic project aiming at: - decongestion of the Kaby6 uplands by settlement of 1OOO peasant families on the unoccupied rands in the Kara valley at the rat.e of 250 families per year; improvement of output in the intervention zone; the operation for ,producEive occupationt, of E.he Kara zone includes designed to give the settlers a feeling of security, namely: allocation of land to the peasants; specific objectives construction of a bridge over the Kara; establishment of rural infrastructure (tracks, wells, construction of housing, shops, etc. ) ; introduction of animal-traction farming; establishmenE of an extension and guidance servi.ce. The operation is proceeding smoothly and to date some 628 families have been settled on 3OOO hectares with the necessary infrastructure. The decongestion campaign has been linked with a campaign to provide extension services for the indigenous population in years to come. The 1OOO families will be reset,t.led by 1982. The first section will have cost 117 million, while the expenditure in the implement.ation of the second section is estimated at nearly 2.5 thousand million. I \ JCPl.4 Part 6 page 4 DEVELOPMENT OF NORTHERN TOGO This programe, financed jointly by UNDp, FAO and the Togoleseduring it.s initial phase, at the following objecEives: Government, is aimed, expansion and improvement of production by the introduction of aniuralfertilizers and the use of selected seeds; traction, t l - diversification of production; - improvement of accosmodation facilities; - soil protection and regeneration; - training of the peasants and rural craftsmen The long-term activities to be undertaken will enable Ehe structures already established to be reinforced while at the same t.ime laying stress on: - intensive development of unutilized land; - development of stock-raising linked to arable farming; - determination of a type of technical, economic and social tralning service. fhe progranule started in 1976 and is proceeding smoothly. Expenditure for the next five years is estinnt.ed at over 3.5 thousand million. THE ATCHANGBADE-SIRIG FOOD-CROP PROGRAMME Planned as a contribution t.o the modernization of village agriculture so as to enable the popululations concerned to safeguard themselves from shortage of food products, the PrograrmE aims at: improvement of productivity by increasing yields per hectare and expanding areas under cultivation; improvement of farmlng incomes by urarketing of surplus food products on the urban merkets i levelling out of regional disparities; - meeting the dietary needs of the region Thanks to the creation of pivotal points and to the modernization of the farms and the village precincts, this project will result in the developmenE of over 25OO hectares various crops between now and 1983. of for IEs financing is provided for by the Mutual Aid and Loan Guarantee Fund of the countries of the Entente, USAID and the Togolese Government i-n an amounE. of 4L7 million CFA francs. The prograume has just started this year so we shall have to wait some time yet for the results. THE PROGRAMME FOR INTENSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE IN THE SAVANNAH AREAS Its implementation has just starEed and iEs financing has been provided for by Togo and the EDF in a Eotal amount of 14OO million. This year over 3OO families out of a total of 2OOO concerned will be the subject of a follow-uP study. IJCPl.4 Part 5 page 5 The objectives are: - determination of the of the region; technical meEhods and producfion system best adapted to the ecology establishment of a demonstration centre and of test farms on which to try ouE, reproduce and disseminate new vari.eties and improved cropping techniques; training cf the farmers; - establishment of cooperative-type village organizations capable of ensuring the supply of basic equtpment and means of production and of subsequently taking over the training functions. After five years of operat,lon, this project will cover the dlst,ricts of Nano, Sissiak, Nanergou, and Nioukpourma, all located to the west of Dapaon. TIIE I{AMIELE PROJECT Among the agro-industrial type projects planned for, Ehe NamiEI6 project is the only one to have got under way. the initial operations began in 1979 and the programme includes a comPonent for improveoenE and overall development of the peasant sector with training for rain-fed and irrigated rice-growing and a stock-raising component for over SOOO head of live- stock. It will cover in all over 40 OOO hectares, including 25OO hectares of lrrigated rice. Already over 1OO0 anim:ls of the Z6bu, N'Dama and Borgou breeds are avallable on an improved 4OO hectare pasturage. Ttre Gravlllou dam has been renovated and is enabling very encouraging trials of rice-growing to be made. The large dam planned will be designed for irrigation and to provide water for the town of Mango and neighbouring villages. It will also unke electrification possible. Ttre financing of the project is provided for by a Swiss loan and its execution has been entrusted to the Universal Engineering and Financing Corporation (UNEFICO). The onchocerciasis eradication progranrme should, if all the financial conditions are Eet, cover all the rnajor rlver basins of Togo, viz. those of the Oti, the Kara, the Keran, the Mono and the Slo, all these areas being of course affected by the disease. In its present phase, however, the campaign against onchocerciasis covers only the northern half of the countryr ao effort to extend it to the Mono and Sio valIeys, further to the south, being planned for a second phase. As can be seen from the vari.ous projects presented, the programmes for the zones freed of the disease are designed in a way that is both more flexible and more precise, depending on studies whose implementat.ion is possible provided the necessary financing is available. Another objective aimed aL is to avoid uncontrolled repopulation of these zones, r4Taste of resources and unproductive triel and error. Under the Government's global development policy, the freed zones are scheduled for integrated development based on control of water. Thus hydro-agrlcultural developmenE has a Particularly important role to play in the exploitation of the lands wrested away from the disease. Consequently, control of the disease will have to be continued beyond the regular onchocerclasis programme area so as to prevent reinfestation. I I t \ a Ii II t I I