Our mission
The Sahel Integrated Resilience Programme (SIRP), led by WFP and partners, is dedicated to restoring ecosystems and supporting vulnerable communities across Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. SIRP addresses land degradation, climate change, and food insecurity by integrating sustainable land management, water conservation, agroforestry, and regenerative practices. Through community-centered planning, SIRP revitalizes degraded landscapes and builds resilience, equipping communities with the knowledge and resources to thrive amid environmental and economic pressures.
The Sahel region holds immense potential for transformative change. Its vast landscapes offer opportunities for carbon sequestration, positioning it as a player in global climate mitigation. Additionally, the Sahel’s young population can drive social and economic progress if empowered to lead regenerative efforts. By fostering resilient landscapes and sustainable livelihoods, SIRP envisions the Sahel as a global model for climate adaptation, food security, and sustainable agriculture.
Classification
- Farmlands
- Forests
- Freshwaters
- Grasslands, shrublands and savannahs
- Urban areas, human settlements, gardens
- Increases Health & Wellbeing
- Mitigates Climate Change
- Protects Freshwaters
- Reduces Disaster Risks
- Safeguards Biodiversity
- Supports Livelihoods
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Employees140
VolunteersImpact
The Sahel Integrated Resilience Programme (SIRP) has achieved transformative outcomes in ecosystem restoration and community resilience. Since its launch in 2018, SIRP’s integrated resilience activities have reached 4 million people across 3,500 villages, restoring 300,000 hectares of degraded land, 4,000 hectares of vegetable gardens, and 2,790 ponds.
Over 2.2 million people participated in conservation efforts using techniques such as zai pits, half-moons and stone bunds, but also large-scale infrastructure such as dykes, dams and water-spreading weirs. This was enabled by hundreds of participatory planning exercises, mobilizing communities around shared goals, strengthening social cohesion and reducing resource conflicts (IFPRI, SIPRI).
These efforts have recharged millions of liters of groundwater, boosted vegetation cover by nearly 50% (NASA/USAID), and sequestered millions of tons of CO₂. In 2022, over 80% of SIRP-supported villages in Niger withstood severe food crises without humanitarian aid, demonstrating strengthened resilience.
Beyond landscape restoration, SIRP is committed to social support systems, essential for long-term sustainability. By investing in school feeding, nutrition initiatives, and regenerative practices, SIRP fosters ownership, reduces pressure on natural resources and protects the conservation investments. To date, over 1.4 million children and women benefited from nutrition programs, and 900,000 children in 2,869 schools receive school meals, supporting health and attendance.
To strengthen its local anchorage, SIRP partners with the Sahel University Network (REUNIR) to empower students with hands-on training in soil and water conservation and sustainable land management. This collaboration builds local expertise and prepares future decision-makers.
With its comprehensive approach, and broad base of partners, SIRP aims to show how integrated restoration can be a model for sustainable development in arid regions.
