The Local Convention, Governance Tools and Strategy for The Management of Natural and Land Resources in The Rural Commune of Tondikandia, (Tillabéri/ Niger)

Abstract

In Niger, the management of natural and land resources is the responsibility of the Public Authority through legislative, legal and regulatory instruments such as the rural code, the environmental code, etc. Despite the existence of these instruments, we are witnessing the degradation of natural resources and the recurrence of conflicts over their access, appropriation and use are recurring. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the Local Convention as a tool for governance and management of natural resources in Tondikandia Commune. The methodology used consisted firstly in diagnosing the natural resources, and then in assessing the relevance of the management rules established by local stakeholders, using a participatory approach, through the management methods established and implemented consensually by local stakeholders. The results of this study reveal a deterioration in the commune natural and land resources. For example, the areas of tiger bush and shrub steppe, which were respectively 4.68% and 44.19% of the land-use area in 1993, have shrunk to 2.20% and 31.56% in 2013, while cultivated areas have increased from 14.03% to 29.66%. This situation is further exacerbated by demographic growth, combined with the effects of climate change, whose impacts include a decline in productive potential, the disarticulation of production systems and conflicts over access to natural resources. With decentralization, local stakeholders are involved in planning their local development through the Communal Development Plan. Some communes in Niger have recently adopted the Local Convention as a tool for managing natural resources, including Tondikandia, where it has had an impact in reducing community conflicts and restoring biodiversity. In fact, natural resources that were in decline between 1993 and 2013 have been restored, notably tiger bush and shrub steppe, which represent 2.23% and 31.62% respectively of the total area in 2023. As a result, the Local Convention approach is seen as a mechanism for sustainable management of communal natural resources.