40-years ago, the Azawak had abundant pastures, permanent ground-water, and large acacia forests thanks to a 5-month rainy season. Livestock and wildlife abounded.

Today, rains last approximately one month. Desertification and water scarcity are settling in. Groundwater evaporates rapidly; forests and pasturelands have all-but disappeared. During the dry-season, villagers travel up to 50 km/day to find water; people subsist on less than 6 litres/water/person/day. 80% of livestock herds and biodiversity have dissipated. Infant mortality is at 25%, with rates of 14.7% child acute-malnutrition, and 37% chronic malnutrition (OCHA).

Climate-related geopolitical issues -- like migration and religious radicalization -- impact women and girls disproportionately. There are over 100,000 climate refugees (IOM); 80% of which are women vulnerable to slavery, prostitution, rape, and trafficking. Without their refugee-parents, children left to themselves are vulnerable to disease, lack of water, and malnutrition. Daylong water and food chores make attending school nearly impossible, thus explaining the 99% illiteracy rate.

LRER scientific and sociological experts will develop an M&E plan and gather baseline measures to develop corresponding indicators. These will be used to evaluate project impact over the short, mid and long-terms on: biodiversity; local ecosystems and weather patterns; human resilience. Monitoring will be ongoing. An internal evaluation will take place yearly, while an external evaluation will be undertaken every 2 years.

Following are examples of indicators and impact goals:

• School children and youth leaders mobilized for climate mitigation in 100% of our current partner schools (and new schools) within two years.
• Jobs and other economic opportunity (goal: 35%increase over 3 years)
• Flood and erosion prevention (35% decrease/5yrs)
• Pastures restored (55% increase/5yrs)
• Food production (65%increase/5yrs)
• Livestock herds (55%increase/5yrs)
• Rainfall quantity in and around restored sites (40%increase/5yrs)
• Food availability/decreased acute child malnutrition (45%decreased malnutrition/5yrs)
• Migration (50%reduction/5yrs)
• Year-round groundwater existence in watersheds (70%increase/10years)
• Water-table recharge (goal: 60% increase/10yrs)
• Forests restored (75%increase/10yrs)
• Local fauna (70%increase/10yrs)

Next Steps

Amman Imman will

• Identify partners to share responsibility for certain program components, including staff training and community workshops.
• Establish financial partnerships. €200 000 is needed for the initial pilot project. More funding will be necessary when we launch LRER in additional sites.
• Publicize LRER through traditional and social media.
• Create an online education package for school partners.
• Seek the support of national and international experts from the government, the private sector, institutions and NGOs during all project phases.
• Hire one or more local environmental-expert staff to monitor projects, work with project partners, and educate/train additional farmers/herders and community members.
• Increase on-ground materials/equipment to facilitate project logistics and its growth (vehicle, excavation equipment not provided by contractors, etc.)
• Hire exterior consultants to conduct project evaluations every two years.