Q&A: “You Clearly Saw the Horrors of Desertification”

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Interview with Euloge Vidégla

COTONOU, Mar 15 2007 (IPS) - Seven years of working in some of the poorest parts of Benin put Euloge Vidégla in the front lines of the battle against desertification. An agricultural economist by training, he managed the Local Development Support Project (Projet d’appui au développement local, PADEL), mostly in the northern Atacora region, from 1997 to 2004.

Vidégla recently sat down with Michée Boko of IPS to talk about the ways in which PADEL tried to improve life for communities in northern Benin, where poverty and harmful practices conspire to degrade the land. Notwithstanding the benefits of projects such as PADEL, he believes more needs to be done in the West African country to address desertification.

IPS: Could you give us a few more details about PADEL – the scope and aims of the project?

Euloge Vidégla (EV): The main objective of this project was to reduce the extreme poverty in two regions of northern Benin, Borgou and Atacora. I was especially involved in Atacora. This project also had the specific goals of supporting decentralisation, installing some infrastructure, contributing to strengthening the local population’s capacity and combating desertification – while improving the people’s surroundings.

We specifically worked in the Cobli, Materi and Boukoumbé communities. These are truly desert areas where you clearly saw the horrors of desertification. The wind could not be blocked at all because there were practically no trees to stop it. And there were violent winds which swept away just about everything in their path, especially the roofs of houses.

The soil was also completely degraded, dry and difficult to cultivate. We led some initiatives to combat land degradation by building stone embankments in a half moon or semi circle (shape), which help to fight soil erosion. This technique allows one to prevent run off water from carrying away arable land.

IPS: Were communities aware that it was in their interests to participate in these programmes?

EV: They were aware of it because…we showed them the situation before and the situation after…Before, they had wild animals very close to their homes and they could see and hunt them without difficulty. But today, there are none. One has to go very far to find them. There were also lots of trees near their homes (previously). Today, they themselves see that the trees have disappeared. They easily take note of the seriousness of the situation when it is shown to them in this way.

IPS: Which farming or traditional practices did you see as dangerous for the environment in these regions?

EV: What often happened in Atacora, and still continues to happen, is uncontrolled bush fires…Given that there isn’t much greenery in these regions, the bush fires degrade the land. This is one of the most dangerous practices which must be outlawed if we want to preserve the land and the environment.

IPS: Why are these fires started?

EV: It’s often hunters who start the fires, to drive game out. Peasant farmers also start fires thinking that this will clean the soil, when it only serves to degrade it further. This is a problem of traditions which must be fought. When we put bush fire brigades in place, the trend was greatly reduced.

IPS: What other dangerous practices did you observe?

EV: In Atacora, people continue to chop wood for cooking, although there are no longer many trees in the region…There are people who are openly selling wood despite the intense fight (for conservation) being led by water and forestry officials. People cannot even use paraffin stoves because the paraffin is too expensive.

IPS: What solutions do you propose, then?

EV: The fight against the excessive cutting of wood must be intensified – this is fundamental. If the state can also introduce cheap gas in these regions to reduce the use of firewood, it would save the environment.

IPS: Apart from Atacora, what other regions of Benin are threatened by desertification?

EV: Desertification is fairly advanced in the Karimama and Malanville areas in the far north of the country. I believe that quick action should be taken in these regions. The situation is already alarming.

IPS: Can agriculture still be practiced there?

EV: Yes it can, but not in an extensive way as in the south of Benin. It can be done intensively in certain areas where…techniques to enhance the soil with cow dung, compost etc will be used.

IPS: Do you think that Benin is doing what it should to combat desertification effectively?

EV: No, it is not doing enough. When you see countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger – with all that they are doing, but not coping yet – you understand that we still have a lot to do. We are at a slight natural advantage to these countries, but we are not exploiting this advantage yet. Everyone has yet to wake up to the danger that is already at our door. (END/IPS/AF/WA/AB/DV/SU/EN/DS/MD/MB/JH/07)