The Consultation on Fisheries Problems in the Sahelian Zone was made possible by financing assistance from the United Nations Development Programme through a Preparatory Project entitled “Regional Project for the Review of Fisheries Problems in the Sahelian Zone RAF/74/055”.
The long-range objectives of the project as stated in the project document (RAF/74/055, Annex 9) were:
to prevent a drop in protein consumption in the countries of the Sahelian Zone, and
to increase availability of fish protein to the countries of the area in accordance with their development plans.
The specific short-range objectives were:
to evaluate the extent of the damage caused to the fisheries by the Sahelian drought
to recommend measures to minimize or stop the damage to the fisheries
to recommend measures to further develop the fisheries of the zone
to produce a report on the findings of the mission relative to 1) and 2) above
to prepare an action programme as a result of discussions at the intergovernmental meeting following the mission.
The mission visited the following countries: Niger, Dahomey, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Mali, Senegal and Mauritania. Its composition, itinerary and the persons contacted are given in Annex 10. The list of participants in the Consultation which followed the mission is given in Annex 1.
The mission, in accordance with its objectives, evaluated the extent of the damage caused by the Sahelian drought. This is given in extenso in Annex 6. An action programme of assistance for the protection and development of the fisheries of the Sahelian Zone in the form of a large-scale project was likewise recommended by the mission and the Consultation and is given in Annex 8. This action programme is to be initiated by a Preparatory project for a Programme of Protection and Development of the Fisheries of the Sahelian Zone of Africa. The short-term objectives of the proposed Preparatory project are to investigate the conditions in which the recommended large-scale project could be set up, to study its feasibility and magnitude, and to prepare the work necessary for its eventual implementation.
The Report of the Bamako Consultation, which reviewed and completed the findings of the mission, is given hereafter with its relevant annexes.
