1.
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
1.1
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEA
Although
the decision to create an Environmental Agency was taken after the Cabinet
adopted The Gambia Environment Action Plan (GEAP) in 1993, the full work
force of 40 staff members was not employed until in 1995. Presently,
the NEA is functional with all its three divisions fully staffed.
1.2
FORMATION OF THE HAZARDOUS AND PESTICIDES
CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT BOARD
The importation of pesticides and
hazardous chemicals largely unregulated until in 1994, when the multi-sectoral
Hazardous and Pesticides Control and Management Board was formally established.
The Board regulated the licensing of pesticides hazardous chemicals
imported and used in the country. It also reviews and approves
strategies and projects dealing with chemicals.
1.3 SAFE DISPOSAL OF
15 TONNES OF OBSOLETE AND CONFISCATED PRESTICIDES
The NEA was able to secure external
funding for the removal and safe disposal of 15 tons of obsolete and confiscated
pesticides which could never have been disposed off in any environmental
friendly manner within our country, due to lack of proper facilities and
technical capacity. The entire consignment was instead transported
in July 1999 to the United
Kingdom for high-temperature incineration.
1.4 PHASE-OUT OF OZONE
DEPLETING SUBSTANCES (ODS)
With funding from the Multilateral
Fund under the Montreal Protocol, the NEA created a National Ozone Office
in June 1997, to implement strategies and build capacity to phase out
ODS. So far, over 200 refrigeration technicians have been provided
technical training in retrofitting, and additional 120 customs officers
have been trained to detect and prevent different types of ODS being illegally
imported.
1.5 THE COASTAL PROTECTION PROJECT
The alarming rates of coastal erosion
causing the destruction of important infrastructure, especially hotels
and cemeteries along the beach, prompted the government to acquire US$20
million from the African Development Bank, for the construction of sea
defences at strategic locations and developing of the capacity of selected
Gambians to manage future works, and coordinate development activities
within the coastal zone. The project is expected to be completed
in December 2004. Meanwhile a Coastal Zone Management Unit under
the auspices of the NEA, has been created.
1.6 NEW SANITARY
LANDFILLIN TAMBANA, BRIKAMA
Due
to the public outcry cased by the extremely poor management of the
Bakoteh Waste Dumpsite, the government commissioned a Waste Study
for the Greater Banjul Area to address the waste management problems
holistically. An outcome of the study is the identification of
a new landfill site
in Tambana that has satisfied all internationally set selection
criteria. A sum of US$1.4 million will now be spent to improvement
the Bakoteh Dumpsite to an acceptable standard, after which
it will be closed for all future dumping of waste. The waste
disposal for the centre GBA
will instead continue in an environmentally sound manner in
Tambana. The project to rehabilitate the Bakoteh Dumpsite
is expected to be completed before June 2005.
1.7
PRODUCTION OF THE STATE OF ENVIRONMENT REPORT
The report was the first of its kind in our sub-region,
and was formally launched in 1997 by His Excellency The President himself,
being the Chairman of the National Environment Management Council (NEMC).
The aim of the report has been to describe the present state of the environment
in the entire country, and the on-going processes addressing the degradation
of the environment as well.
1.8
ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS PASSED
In al effort to protect the public and general environment
from the effects of deleterious practices, the government has
passed three new pieces of regulations, namely: a)Discharge
permitting regulations to control of effluent into the environment
and management of waste product in industrial processes; b)Regulations
establishing the environmental Quality Standards Board with
a mandate to set environmental standards; c)Ozone Depleting
Substances regulations to regulate the importation of ODS and
appliances using ODS. Top
2.
THE FORESTRY SECTOR
| Project |
Year |
Region of Intervention |
Value |
Management Focus |
Status of Implementation |
REMARKS |
| Gambian-German Forestry Project |
1994 |
Western & Lower River Division |
3,6000,00 Euro |
Community Forestry and legal frame works |
|
Nation-wide support on
Forest Policy |
| Central River Division
Forestry Project |
1996 |
Central River Division |
9,454.00 Euro |
Community Forestry and joint forest park management |
|
|
| Upper River Division
Forestry Project |
1997-2000 |
URD |
1.6 million ECU |
Decentralization Forest Management
Responsibilities |
|
|
| SDRD |
1999-2004 |
URD |
D487, 500.00 |
Decentralization forest management responsibilities |
|
|
| FAO-TCP |
2003 |
WD, LRD & CRD |
164,000.00 US$ |
Development of Forest based
enterprises |
|
|
2.1 IMPACTS
OF THE FORESTRY SECTOR PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
These various projects and programmes
are promoting community based forest resource management, which has yield
tremendous ecological, economic and socio-cultural benefits. The
impacts can be summarized under the following headings:
1.
Ecological Impacts
2.
Environmental Knowledge and Awareness
Awareness on environmental problems
has been sufficiently raised among the local population by the extension
work of Forestry Department, other State Department and NGOs, Knowledge
about environmental degradation, forest management and protection as well
as government policy is very high.
Many villages are careful not to
degrade their resource bases. It has been observed in Brefet even
before this impact assessment that villagers were harvesting their palm
trees (Borasus aethiopum).
2.1.1
Bushfire Occurrence and Size of Affected Areas
It has been difficult to draw conclusions
from the bushfire analysis since no comparable fire statistics for the
divisions exist, there is no base line for objective comparisons. Villagers
however reported that bushfire is reducing both IN number and intensity.
The low level of bush fire incidence throughout the country confirms this
assertion.
2.1.2
Ecological Trends
According to the FAO’s State of the
Worlds Forest report in
2001, The Gambia has gained a net increase of 1% in forest area (from
42% to 43%). This increase is undoubtedly attributable largely
to expansion of the community forestry programme.
The results of the impact assessment
study show that local tree species are increasing in the vicinity of villages
involved in Community Forest (CF) scheme as compared non-participating
villages. The study further indicated that CF villages are becoming
increasingly aware of the importance of forest protection and are therefore
getting more concerned about the State Forest Parks as well.
The populations of many animal species
like monkeys, baboons, hyenas and warthogs are increasing in many community
forests with improved vegetation cover and less bushfires. The
availability of vegetation cover also influences the migratory pattern
of many animal species.
2.1.3
Forest Services
for Recreation
Eco-tourism is gaining popularity
in CF Villages closed to the urban areas. This could be very sustainable
alternative to commercial forest product utilization. Tumani Tenda and
Brefet (all CF villages) have started running their community forest-based
eco-tourism centres. These enterprises would create employment
for the youth.
Tumani Tenda Ecotourism Centre, which has been operating
for five years, now employs over 20 youths from the village. The
village has used the profit from the center to finance the construction
of the village primary school and to electrify the village as well.
2.1.4
Improved Grazing
The availability of grass and fodder
is improving with decreasing bushfires. It has to be mentioned
that some communities have raised alarm that their forest is getting closed
and this inhibiting the growth of grass for livestock grazing. This
concern should be addressed through silvicultural intervention like opening
the forest canopy to allow more sunlight reaching the forest floor.
2.1.5
Good Governance Impact
The participatory forest management
process was one of forerunners of decentralization in this country. The
constitution of forest management committees is done with a view to hand
over forest management responsibilities to the local communities. These
committee members are “democratically” elected to represent the villages
in all matters pertaining to the forest.
The training that the committees
received from Forsetry Depattment in recordkeeping, communication and
simple accounting all contribute to ensure that the local forest resources
are managed and utilized in a fair and transparent manger for the benefit
of all the members of the communities. Top
3.0 THE FISHERIES SECTOR
The Gambia Government accords high
priority to the development of the fisheries
sector because of its increasing
role in providing much needed protein and employment opportunities to
help reduce poverty, malnutrition and rural-urban migration.
LIST OF IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS
| Project
|
Year
|
Region
of Intervention |
Value
|
Management
Focus/Objectives |
Status
of implementation |
Remarks
|
| Community Fisheries Centres |
1994/95 |
Jappeni, Jarreng, Bwiam, Yeliitenda/
Bamba tenda
|
|
To assist youths engage in fishing
and related activities for income generation (20 gear stores, 2
sheds, 7 canoes, 4 engines and fishing nets |
Ended
|
|
| TANJI PROJECT JAPAN/GG |
2001 |
Tanji Beach, Kombo
South, WD |
$4.5 million
|
To improve fishing and preservation
facilities for inland fish distribution. |
On-going
|
|
| Improved Livelihoods in Post harvest
Fisheries |
2004 |
KMC; WD NBD; LRD |
$0.5 million |
- Reduce poverty and vulnerability to poverty.
- Develop and improve policies and institutions
- To develop capacities of post harvest
stakeholders.
- Strengthen Institutional for responsible
resources use linkages
|
On-going
|
|
| GUNJUR PROJECT JAPAN/GG |
2003 |
Gunjur Village- Kombo South |
$7
million |
To improve artisanal coastal fisheries
in Kombo South |
On-going |
|
4. DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
| Project
|
Year
|
Region
of Intervention |
Value
|
Management
Focus/Objectives |
Status
of implementation |
Remarks
|
| Nat. Biodiver. Strat. and Action Plan (NBSAP) development
|
1998/9 |
Nationally |
$243,000 |
To catalogue the status of biodiversity
in the Gambia, determine
gaps and develop strategies and action plans on how to fill the
identified gaps for the sustainable conservation and use of biodiversity |
On-going
|
Developed NBSAP, implementing
coastal project |
| National Biosafety framework |
2003 |
Nationally |
$192,000 |
To prepare the Gambia’s first ever
national biosafety framework/ legislation to ensure an adequate
level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling
and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology
that may have adverse effects on the environment and human
health. |
On-going
|
|
| Capacity needs Assessment |
2002 |
Nationally |
$193,000 |
To assess the critical capacity
needs of the Gambia for biodiversity
conservation and sustainable use as it relates to the
implementation of the convention on biological diversity (CBD) |
On-going
|
|
| ICAM- The Integrated Coastal and Marine biodiversity Management
Project |
2003 |
GBA, Baobolong, Wetland Reserve |
$985,104 |
To conserve and sustainably manage
globally significant biodiversity in the coastal and marine ecosystems
in the Gambia and to
strengthen coastal and Marine Protected Areas |
Incipient
|
|
| Transfrontier wetland habitat and mangrove ecosystem restoration
and rehabilitation |
2003 |
Nuimi National
Park/and Sine Saloum National
park |
|
To contribute to the restoration
of fragile mangrove ecosystems and habitats and community sensitization
on birds in cross-border wetlands of Niumi and sine saloum as one
ecological entity |
On
going |
|
Top
5. DE PARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
Expenditure towards water supply: GAD836.1 million (at 1US$=D30,
IE=D37)
Number of Water Points: 609 Wells
155 Boreholes
102 ‘Reticulation Systems
Total Population Served: 288,500 rural
populations approximately 22% of national population These
achievements are based on the following Projects:
1.
GOTG/SAUDI DEVELOPMENT
FUND WATER SUPPLY PROJECT
Title: Saudi Sahel Project
Phases I, II and III
Classification: Drilling
of wells and rural development in Sahel Countries
Implementation Agency: Department of Water Resources
Mode of Implementation: Contracted
Sector and Sub-sector: Natural Resources
and Department of Water Resources
Geographic Area served: WD, NBD, CRD (North) and URD
Population served: 30,000 beneficiaries
Financiers: Saudi Development Fund/IDB $4,000,000
GOTG $14,000
TOTAL COST:
US $4,014,000
Period Covered: 1990 to 2004
Objectives: The project
falls under the Government’s efforts to alleviate poverty, promote the
basic needs of the rural population, encourage economic growth, and promote
decentralization through:
a.
Provision of safe drinking water to all,
b.
Hygiene and sanitation education campaigns, and
c.
Use of community participation.
Project Components: Construction
of 30 new dug wells
63 drilled boreholes
10 Solar
powered (capacities range from 20m3 to 40m3 per
day) Top
2.
GOTG/UNDP/UNCDF/UNDESA RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION
PROJECTS
Title: Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation
Number: GAM/93/003 GAM/92/C01
Classification: Water Supply/Sanitation
Ministry: Department of State for The
Presidency and Natural
Resources
Implementing Agency: Department of Water Resources
Collaborating Agencies: Department of Community Development
Services
Department of Medical and Health Services
United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Mode of Implementation:
National
Execution
Sector: Natural Resources
Sub Sector: Water Resources
Geographic Area: WD/LRD/CRD
(South)
Total Population Served: 32,000 beneficiaries were served.
Mode of Finance: Grant
Financiers: UNDP US $1,168,900
UNCDF US $4,628,900
GOTG US $ 242,000
TOTAL: US $6,039,800
Start Date and Duration: 01 January 1997; 3 years
Objectives: The project
falls under the Government’s efforts to alleviate poverty, promote the
basic needs of the rural population, encourage economic growth, and promote
decentralization through;
a.
Provision of Safe drinking water to all,
b.
Hygiene and sanitation education campaigns, and
c.
Use of community participation
Project Achievements:
- Construction
of 120 new wells
-
Rehabilitation of 60 old wells
-
Installation of 270 hand pumps
-
Establishment 10 solar powered (capacities range from
40m3 to 94m3 per day) reticulation systems
-
Construction 360 VIP Latrines
-
Develop strategy plan for the water sector Top
3. GOTG/EC/EDF/SDRD
WATER SUPPLY PROGRAMME
Project Title: EC/EDF/SDRD/Village
Water Supply and Regional Solar Programme (EDF 6, 7 and 8, SDRD RSP 1
and RSP
Period covered: 1994 to 2004
Area Covered: WD/NBD/URD
Population Covered:
Over 200,000 rural people (approx. 15% of national population)
Financier and Cost E14 million
(>D500 million at today’s exchange rate)
Achievements: 82 solar
powered water supply systems installed
340
wells dug and equipped with hand pumps
Improved
access to drinking water supply to over 200,000 rural people.
Top
4.
GOTG/ADB/UNDP DISSASTER RELIEF PROJECT
Project Title: GOTG/ADB/UNDP
Assistance to the 1999 flood victims
Period Covered: 1999-2004
Area Covered: NBD,
CRD and URD
Population Covered: 22,000 rural
People
Financier and costs: $500,000
Achievements: 44 wells
equipped with hand pumps
About
22,000 rural people served with save and portable water supply
5.
GOTG/UNDP ASSISTANCE
TO THE 2002 DROUGHT
Project Title: Emergency
Response to Unseasonal Rains of 2002
Period Covered: 2003 to 2004
Area Covered: WD/NBD/CRD/URD
Population Covered: about 4,500
rural populations
Financier and Cost: US $50,000
Achievements: Construction/Rehabilitation
of 10 wells for human consumption
Construction/Rehabilitation of 5 cattle watering points. Top |
