THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GAMBIAN RANGELAND AND WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: LESSONS FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

This article examines the conception, design, implementation and monitoring of The Gambianrangeland and water development project based in Niamina Dankunku and Niamina Westdistricts of the country. It attempts to make a management evaluation of the project, gaining aninsight into the nature of the development problem and the approach adopted by the project forits solution. It then seeks to examine the lessons that southern African countries could learnfrom this experience in the light of similarities in socio-economic circumstances. The conceptionof the project was sound in so far as it attempted to tackle the problem of environmentaldegradation by a system of controlled management of scarce range resources. However, thequestion of increasing cattle off-take which could have also reduced grazing pressure on rangeresources was not addressed. The project's initial focus on the relatively well off category ofcattle owners was corrected by incorporating a food-aid component to address project's concernfor the poorer segment of the society. While it was a good idea, the use of food-aid took away theexpected financial contribution of the local community to project management and financed asignificant part of project activities. The paper welcomes the conception of the incomegeneration components but finds their introduction rather arbitrary. The project's flexibilityand its approach of participatory management are recognised as its main strength, which couldassure sustainability of project achievements. In addition, the project is a good example ofstrong co-operative involvement of a number of development agencies in jointly solving thedevelopment problem and co-ordinating development assistance.