Sustainable Housing for Rural Families in Africa

A UN-Habitat/AVN Partnership

One year after winning the World Habitat Award, AVN recently signed a memorandum of understanding with UN-Habitat for the implementation of joint actions promoting affordable and sustainable housing access for all in Africa.
This agreement establishes a cooperation framework materializing a collaboration initiated several years ago and sustained by common ambitions.

The terms of this memorandum relate, notably, to:

• Mobilization of joint resources for the implementation of adapted building projects;
• Information and awareness of institutional, development and civil society actors for their support to the implementation of these projects;
• Support to training and capacity building of the supply sector to stimulate market development;
• Promotion of the Nubian Vault concept through exemplary demonstration projects;
• Joint organization of national and international events.

To AVN, this official support from UN-Habitat brings a new international dimension to the recognition of the programme it leads. This momentum should generate interest from partners and donors, benefitting the programme growth and therefore its impacts.

Moreover, UN-Habitat’s support in advocacy initiatives should being a positive influence on the decisions of public institutions in favour of eco-responsible building solutions, adapted to the needs of their constituents.

Since 2016, AVN’s Burkina Faso received support from UN-Habitat’s focal point in this country for the mobilization of institutional stakeholders, including the Ministry of Urban Plannning and Housing. This support contributed to the political advocacy led these past seasons by AVN for the inclusion of adapted housing practices in local public policies.

For UN-Habitat, AVN’s programme must be showcased as a successful large-scale example of good practice enabling the implementation of a concrete solution for access to adapted and affordable housing for all, as was emphasized by Christophe Lalande during the Award ceremony in Nairobi in May 2017. To date, in light of the programme growth and its results, AVN is regarded as the leading operator for adapted housing in West Africa.

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Burkina Faso: The Nubian Vault for the improvement of poultry farming

In Burkina Faso, poultry farming is common practice (by over 86% of the population), especially in rural areas. It contributes to the reinforcement of local economies, increased food security (production of meat and eggs, a revenue generating activity) and social cohesion, allowing for a reduction in poverty.

Welt Hunger Hilfe Burkina Faso (WHH-BF), in partnership with the association Project Ecology and Reforestation (PER) and AVN, initiated a pilot Nubian Vault poultry construction activity in the commune of Kongoussi from January to April 2018. This action aimed to support poultry farmers in the province of Bam (northern central region) in order to improve farming conditions in an effort to adapt against climate change.

This activity inscribes itself within the project: “Changing agricultural practices to prepare against strong rainfall and rising temperatures". Its objective was to test Nubian Vault technology in order to prepare for its expansion on a larger scale.

Using the Nubian Vault technique for the construction of cattle buildings presents many advantages compared to other widespread cement/ metal or earth/ metal building practices:

• Better thermal and hydric inertia;
• Better protection against bad weather;
• Greater confort of use and space;
• Moderate costs;

all of this to the benefit of farmers and animals, and thus the production process.

The 4 beneficiary poultry farmers (2 of which are women) all contributed to the realization of this pilot project with the providing of materials and preparation of bricks. Later, AVN helped by employing 6 NV builders to insure construction. During this first phase, 4 VN henhouses of 14 m2 were constructed. In continuity of the project, other similar constructions are planned for the next season.

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Climate Chance Summit Africa 2018: the commitment of non-state actors for the continent

The first Climate Chance Summit Africa took place in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) last June, as a follow-up to the international event of the same name, but with a focus on the continent of Africa. Amongst the 600 participants from 41 countries (including 27 African states) including regional and local authorities, NGO’s, and civil society actors, AVN was invited to co-chair one of the 10 planned workshops, «The sustainable housing coalition for West Africa », and, as a member of the Global Alliance for Building and Construction (GABC), to co-chair the regional round table for local authorities in West Africa.

The GABC Regional Round Table for Local Authorities in West Africa

Organised the day before the Climate Chance summit by GABC and several other actors, including AVN, this event brought together some 30 representatives of local authorities and key actors in the West African construction sector, to exchange ideas and to develop a regional strategy for transforming the sector.

Amongst the themes covered, AVN, based on its many years of experience in the field, emphasised the promotion of local materials and skills, the various options for financing affordable and sustainable housing, the training and capacity-building of local actors, the coordination of projects with local authorities and civil society organisations, and the accompaniment of States in the implementation of their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC).

The discussions ended with setting up of a regional coalition and the drawing up of a road map.

Workshop on the Sustainable Housing Coalition for West Africa

Following on from the Round Table, AVN organised a workshop to encourage the creation of this coalition of West African non-state actors. Major challenges were evoked, notably:

• The mobilisation of key actors to bring about change, in particular the local authorities and civil society organisations, often excluded from international climate discussions;
• The adoption of a simple shared approach to advocacy relating to the real daily challenges faced by members of the coalition;
• Proposals for specific field projects which can be implemented rapidly;
• The mobilisation of national and international funding for implementing such projects.

Participation in this workshop was very diverse (representatives of local authorities, civil society organisations, construction specialists, and international development actors) and rich in suggestions for a real sharing of good practice between West African actors. All the participants agreed the need for greater support for public building projects, from their conception to the response from local firms to calls for tender, so as to prioritise adapted and sustainable construction practices. This challenge constitutes the foremost aim for the coalition this coming year, as well as a collective mobilisation of advocacy for specific projects.

From a global perspective, Climate Chance was an opportunity to emphasise the importance of cooperation between government agencies and civil society organisations for the implementation of efficient projects to help fight the impacts of climate change.

Nine local officials signed the Declaration of Local and Subnational Leaders of Africa, including those from Senegal and Burkina Faso, countries where AVN’s programme is active.

The summit closed with the signing of the Declaration of the Climate Chance Summit by the majority of participants.

Links:

• A UN-Habitat/AVN Partnership
• The Nubian Vault for the improvement of poultry farming
• Climate Chance Summit Africa 2018: the commitment of non-state a