Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANN) of farms: stakeholders share their experiences in Ouagadougou

Actors in the promotion of the Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANN) technique on farms from 8 African countries shared their experiences in this area from Tuesday June 8 to Friday June 11, 2021 in Ouagadougou. It was during an “International collaborative training workshop in Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANN) technique for farms in Africa”. An initiative of the NATUDEV Association in partnership with the SOSEB and ICAF associations with the support of PMF/FEM and UNDP.

A total of producers practicing RNA, specialized NGOs promoting RNA, design offices, experts and companies from eight (8) French-speaking African countries took part in the Ouagadougou give and receive meeting on RNA. This is the “International Collaborative Training Workshop in Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANN) technique for farms in Africa”. Organized from June 8 to 11, 2021 by the Nature and Development Association (NATUDEV), in partnership with the associations SOS Energie au Burkina Faso (SOSEB) and Initiatives Climat en Afrique Francophone (ICAF) with the technical and financial support of the Microfinancing Program of the Global Environment Facility (PMF/GEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). These are Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Togo and Burkina Faso.

The principle of Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANN) consists, according to the President of NATUDEV, Alexis Kaboré, “of identifying, materializing and protecting young wildlings for the natural regeneration of parks or natural formations. It is an agroforestry technique that protects and manages the natural regrowth produced by tree stumps and shrubs in the fields. The desired tree density varies between 25 and 400 plants per hectare depending on the ecosystem and the objectives pursued. Seeding by direct sowing can also be carried out to help enrich the biodiversity of the agricultural operation.”

Mutual learning for better success rates in the field!

This training in RNA, indicates Mr. Kaboré, aims “to contribute to the fight against deforestation and climate change by consolidating and scaling up good practices within the framework of South-South exchanges of experiences”. According to him, it aims, among other things, to enable mutual learning with a view to increasing the success rates of RNA experiments in Africa and to create a network for sharing information and ideas between players in the field.

To this end, the session first consisted of communications on the innovative and promising aspects that each participant has experienced in their country. Support actors and producers, during the exchange phase, made observations and suggestions. They also carried out a field visit to discover the RNA experience developed by farmers supported by NATUDEV in the Nahouri province in southern Burkina.

The visit to the fields and discussions with producers focused on the advantages of ANR, the difficulties they encounter, the choice of species, the virtues of the species they have chosen to maintain, etc. Visitors also made observations, raised concerns and provided advice. The question of preventing breeder-farmer conflicts was particularly raised. The producers have shown confidence on this subject, based on their experience.

Resolutions and recommendations for the popularization of a technique of the future

The four days of the workshop allowed participants to make several resolutions and recommendations of which we obtained a copy. Under the resolutions, participants committed to:

-take into account the difference in climatic zones in the choice of plant species to be preserved within the framework of the RNA;

-involve women more;

-establish a sub-regional network of RNA stakeholders with the mission of ensuring that exchanges are maintained;

-always share and disseminate the techniques and experiences learned;

-work to harmonize the understanding of the notion of RNA by highlighting the evolution of the technique in different countries over the years and develop a technical sheet;

-involve more public authorities in charge of agriculture, the environment and livestock in activities concerning AN;

– undertake advocacy for the consideration of RNA in public policies and legislation given its economic, ecological and social importance;

-consider RNA as local, endogenous, improved knowledge;

-systematically plan the scientific evaluation of the AN.

Recommendations to States,

x PTF and NGOs.

Under the recommendations, the participants recommend to States:

-the creation of a legal framework favorable to the practice of RNA and institutional and financial support for stakeholders;

-the clarification of the status of plant species in legal texts;

-building the capacity of agents of the ministries of agriculture and the environment on natural fertilizer species;

-the establishment of a framework for consultation between local authorities, farmers and breeders, in particular such as village or municipal monitoring committees within the framework of the RNA in areas where they exist.

To technical and financial partners, the participants recommend supporting AN popularization initiatives given its impact on climate change.

As for Initiatives Climat en Afrique Francophone (ICAF) and local NGOs, the participants recommend the production of a module of RNA practices for producers in local language that can be used on Android phones; the creation and management of a bulletin “RNA and Climate Resilience in French-speaking Africa” for knowledge sharing and visibility of relevant experiences by ICAF; providing tutoring on ANN techniques; the establishment of the “Best RNA Actor” prize at the national level and South-South cooperation; and raising awareness about the RNA through caravans, youth camps and rural radios for the entire community.

NATUDEV Communication Service