Gaya, 5 June 2026 — The Gaya urban municipality has kicked off an ambitious initiative to revive 500 hectares of degraded pastoral lands, backed by the Integrated Urban Development and Multisectoral Resilience Project (PIDUREM). Two key sites—one in Gaya and another in Tara—served as symbolic launchpads for the groundbreaking efforts.
Early that morning, the Gaya department prefect led the inauguration ceremony, symbolically breaking ground alongside the municipal delegate, the prefecture’s secretary-general, the canton chief’s representative, PIDUREM’s regional coordinator, and their team. Also present were the Deputy Regional Director of Environment for Dosso, the local environment department head, delegates from ten partner NGOs, the Tara village chief, and local residents eager to witness the start of the transformation.
Reviving pastoral landscapes and preventing soil erosion
The PIDUREM-funded initiative targets severely degraded pastoral plots, aiming to restore soil fertility, prevent erosion, and enhance land capacity for livestock. Planned interventions include reforestation efforts, installation of water and wind erosion control systems, construction of bypass structures, and rehabilitation of access roads to ease pastoral operations and monitoring.
Climate resilience and local economic boost
The project is designed to bolster community resilience against climate change impacts while safeguarding natural resources. PIDUREM’s regional coordinator highlighted that the initiative would generate temporary employment for nearby residents, injecting much-needed income into the local economy during the execution phase.
This effort aligns with broader PIDUREM strategies in the region to curb land degradation, strengthen food security, and mitigate conflicts between farmers and herders. Technical and environmental monitoring will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the interventions and refine practices based on real-time findings.
Direct beneficiaries and partner NGO roles
The project directly benefits pastoral households and herders in neighboring villages, whose grazing routes will be restored and secured. Partner NGOs, integral to implementation, will conduct awareness campaigns on sustainable land management and ensure the upkeep of completed works. Construction and planting activities have begun without delay, with an initial phase of site preparation and tree planting scheduled for the coming weeks. Regular assessments and progress reports will be produced to ensure transparency and inform future funding disbursements.
