An example of a major successful sustainable agriculture project. Niger was strongly affected bya series of drought years in the 1970s and 1980s and by environmental degradation. From the early1980s, donors invested substantially in soil and water conservation. The total area treated is on theorder of 300,000 ha, most of which went into the rehabilitation of degraded land. The project in theIllela district of Niger promoted simple water-harvesting techniques. Contour stone bunds, half moons,stone bunding, and improved traditional planting pits (zaı ̈) were used to rehabilitate barren, crustedland. More than 300,000 ha have been rehabilitated, and crop yields have increased and become morestable from year to year. Tree cover has increased, as shown in the photographs. Development of theland market and continued incremental expansion of the treated area without further project assistance