Carbon Sequestration and Rural Livelihoods Improvements through Acacia Plantations

This activity is promoted by the BioCarbon Fund and is integrated as an activity in the PAC (P065991/73011), given the project's emphasis on sustainable natural resources management. The development of Acacia Senegal plantations by PAC communities who wish to do so in the context of their local development plan, will bring benefits in terms of: 1) rehabilitation of degraded land, 2) management of an agrosilvopastoral production system (intercropping food crops with acacia), cash income through arabic gum production from the acacia trees, and 4) cash income from sale of carbon emission rights through the sequestration of carbon by the acacia trees. The activity results from partnerships between the communities, the PAC, ICRISAT (technical assistance, supply of vegetal material,and ASI (private firm who will commit to purchase the gum and will trade the carbon emission rights). Community acacia plantations are one activity among many, that communities can selected as a microproject within the priorities identified in their local development plan, and that would be eligible to matching grant by the PAC through IDA funds.