Mid-term evaluation of the project to support the Great Green Wall in the Sahara and the Sahel Burkina Faso

Context of the service

The Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWSSI) was launched by African Heads of State in 2007, with the aim of halting the degradation of land and biodiversity in Africa's drylands, enabling these ecosystems to provide essential services and thus contribute to the eradication of poverty and hunger.

Burkina Faso has developed the IGMVSS through a Strategy and an Action Plan 2013-2017, which includes four objectives, in particular the 3rd "Promoting and disseminating research findings" and the 4th "Ensuring the coordination and monitoring of the action plan".

Since 2014, the APEFE has been supporting the implementation of objectives 3 and 4 of this Strategy through the Capacity Building Programme (PRC), implemented in two phases (PRC1 2014-2016 and PRC2 2017-2021).

In 2019, the APEFE wished to conduct a mid-term evaluation of the PRC2, in particular concerning the achievement of the four results (support for the coordination and monitoring of the IGMVSS; training of actors; communication; pilot actions in the Commune of Bourzanga).

Services provided

The mid-term evaluation of the PRC2 aimed to provide external advice and recommendations to the PRC2 team, the APEFE and the Burkinabe partners, in a participatory and formative manner.

The evaluation was carried out by a pair of forest engineers, who are well acquainted with the country, the challenges of sustainable land management, and the actors involved. They mobilized bibliographic data (more than 70 references) and interview data with various structures: National Coordination IGMVSS, central and decentralized services of the Ministry of the Environment, IGMVSS partners, elected officials and beneficiaries of the Commune of Bourzanga.

Four semi-structured interview grids were used, in order to involve each actor as much as possible and to be able to triangulate the information collected. The experts evaluated the design of the project, its steering and implementation system, its activities and results (Coordination, Capitalization/Dissemination, Training, Experimentation), and they made recommendations for the end of the 2nd phase and a possible 3rd phase.

Summary of the service

Mid-term evaluation of the Capacity Building Programme 2nd phase (PRC2) for the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative (IGMVSS): Evaluation of the project design, its steering and implementation mechanism; Evaluation of its activities and results (Coordination, Capitalization/Dissemination, Training, Experimentation); Recommendations for the end of the 2nd phase and with a view to a possible 3rd phase.