Badia Ecosystem and Livelihoods Project (BELP)

The BELP will contribute to restoring the Badia through a dual approach of adapted rangeland management and promotion of alternative income-generating activities for target communities in Ar Ruwaished sub-district (a poverty pocket in the northern Badia) and Al Husseinieh and Al Jafr sub-districts (poverty pockets in the southern Badia). In order to support the livelihoods of local communities, the project will promote a people-centered sustainable natural resource base development approach. The BELP also carries an innovative value in terms of approaches and specific activities, which if proven successful would pave the way to replication and scaling-up in other parts of the Badia. This integrated approach would allow Badia communities to improve their livelihoods while reinforcing their capacity to manage and sustainably use the ecosystem services that are available to them. The project will comprise three components: i. Community-Centered Ecotourism in the Northern Badia ii. Adaptive Rangeland Management and Alternative Livelihoods Support in the Southern Badia iii. Management and Monitoring and Evaluation 14. The project will be implemented by the National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension (NCARE) during four years, 2013-2017. The paragraphs below provide a brief description of project components. See Annex 2 for a detailed project description.