The Sustainable and Participatory Energy Management project - PROGEDE ( Credit of US$ 5.2 million )was implemented by the government between 1997 and 2004. There was close collaboration between the World Bank and Dutch Co-operation ( co-financier ) from project preparation to supervision. At the time of project preparation, forest-based traditional fuels ( firewood and charcoal ), mainly used for household cooking purposes, represented 53% of Senegal’s final energy consumption. Over the years, the operation of the charcoal industry had resulted in (i) the gradual loss of forest cover ( approximately 30,000 ha per year) and thus of the ecosystem’s carbon sequestration capacity and biodiversity; (ii) the degradation of the rural environment ( particularly of the soils ); (iii) the impoverishment of the rural areas; (iv) an acceleration of the rural exodus; (v) a massive transfer of wealth from the rural communities to a few urban-based traders – 76% of charcoal consumption was in the principal urban areas.

The project would focus on (i) supply side management activities through the implementation and monitoring of 300,000 hectares of environmentally sustainable community-managed forest resource systems in the Tambacounda and Kolda regions of Senegal, creating in the process a protection zone around the Niokolo-Koba National Park; (ii) demand side management activities in the form of promoting private sector inter-fuel substitution and private sector and NGO-based improved stoves initiative; and (iii) capacity development activities to strengthen the institutions involved in the management of the sector, and the promotion of the participation of civil society in the operation of the sector.

Impact on the ground

• The Preparatory and Support Activities Component its achievements included the following:

  a. A comprehensive vegetation cover assessment and inventory was carried out of the Tambacounda and Kolda regions.
  b. Monitoring and evaluation systems related to project implementation were set up.
  c. Capacity building programs and field extension guides were prepared for participating regional Forest Services offices and staff, as well as for community groups and NGOs.
  d. Detailed implementation plans were prepared for the Demand Management and Inter-Fuel Substitution Options component, including the identification of private sector and NGO initiatives to be supported by the project.

• The Sustainable Woodfuels Supply Management component directly benefited some 250,000 people – equivalent to approximately 21% of the population in the Tambacounda and Kolda regions – and an estimated 100,000 urban charcoal-consuming families. It achieved the following :

  a. Sustainable community-managed forest systems were established over an area of 378,161 ha, with a supplying capacity of more than 370, 596 tons per year of sustainable fuelwood, equivalent to some 67,400 tons of charcoal per year.
  b. A buffer zone was created around the Niokolo-Koba National Park.
  c. Participating rural communities and NGOs implemented participatory management modules and produced and marketing woodfuels and other potential wood and multiple non-wood products.
  d. Community-base micro enterprises were established including beneficiary-operated improved carbonization units, apiculture cooperatives, collective ( women ) and individual agricultural diversification units/systems; livestock and poultry-raising, arts and crafts units, etc.
  e. Established a sustainable income generation base (wood and non-wood products) of about $12.5 million per
  year, equivalent to a $40,000 average per participating village.
  f. Some 20% of Senegal’s current energy supplies are now derived effectively from renewable resources.

• The Demand Management and Inter-Fuel Substitutions Options component directly benefited some 250,000 families in the principal urban and peri-urban areas of the country. The number of families corresponds to approximately 30% of the urban and peri-urban families of Senegal. It also benefited several hundred urban-based traders including charcoal wholesalers, charcoal retailers and stove artisans. It achieved the following :

  a. The urban charcoal trade was reorganized and modernized to establish long-term supply agreements (contracts) between rural communities and urban traders.
  b. Existing charcoal traders were helped to diversify their economic activities.
  c. Technical and market feasibility studies were carried out to validate the further promotion of kerosene and LPG as substitute household fuels.
  d. Inter-fuel (kerosene and LPG ) substitutions were supported as was distribution of improved stoves by the private sector and the NGO community.

• The government added several other initiatives including:

  a. Establishment of a permanent energy sector digital database and information system; and
  b. Concept design and establishment of urban and peri-urban “energy boutiques”.

• The project funded : training for new stove producers to increase in-country stove production capacity; consumer awareness and market support to help stove distribution and use; a sustainable financial intermediation system which would enable certified new stove producers to set up production facilities and operate until they could capitalize themselves and qualify for regular commercial banking loans
• The Forest Service was transformed from a “para-military law enforcer agency” with extremely limited transparency and accountability to a technical assistance and capacity development agency with a participatory vocation and significantly improved governance.
• There has been revitalization and strengthening of traditional social institutions and of their natural management resource roles and responsibilities. This was done by changing resource tenure rights within the project zone and supporting the re-orientation of existing economic activities or introducing new ones.
• The project recognized and promoted the role of women within the village structures and this resulted in the revitalization of women’s groups and associations
• Charcoal traders within the project zone have gone from being “enemies” of the rural communities to becoming actual commercial partners – legal contracts have helped make this change.
• A targeted communication/information system has helped to raise consumer awareness on energy efficiency (at the individual household level) and has resulted in a positive attitude towards sector reforms.
• The 317 villages involved experienced far-reaching changes in terms of their knowledge base and capacity, awareness of rights and responsibilities and a clear sense of self-reliance to achieve developmental expectations.

Lessons learned

• The project demonstrated that the production and marketing of traditional biomass fuels can not only be stabilized, while arresting deforestation and contributing to ecological conservation, but that it can become a highly effective social and economic rural development strategy.
• The stabilization of the traditional energy sector essentially depends on the implementation of comprehensive changes in the woodfuels’ supply system and chains. While demand management are important and need to be pursued – especially dissemination of improved end-use technologies and practices – that alone cannot resolve the existing problems.
• The establishment of environmentally and socially sustainable woodfuel supply systems can only be achieved through the introduction of integrated community-based forestry and natural resources management schemes. Government lacks the financial resources, the manpower and the incentive to do this; the private sector is not interested because of the long payback period, inherent risks and low profit margins.
• A minimum policy platform is required. This includes : (i) clear and legally enforceable forest resource and land tenure rights and responsibilities; (ii) a transparent decentralized fiscal and taxation system ; (iii) a clear and fair pricing system; and (iv) guaranteed access for woodfuel producers to final consumer markets.
• Specific investments in women’s activities (rural vegetable gardens, micro-credit, etc. ) result in the most significant and tangible poverty alleviation, especially in terms of health, nutrition and education of the beneficiary population, especially children.
• A CDD approach using well-targeted capacity development, organizational and institutional development support and investment financing directly to rural communities illustrated that absorption capacity is not an issue.
• A sustainable income base and a productive demand for energy has made the 317 project zone villages prime candidates for rural electrification and increased access to other modern energy services. Without these elements, long-term and unsustainable subsidies become a dominant feature.

This Infobrief has been excerpted from Implementation Completion Report No. 32102. For more information, please e-mail Boris Utria : butria@worldbank.org