PreviousDeveloping local and national activities
THE ROLE GOVERNMENTS IN FUTURE CONSERVATION PROGRAMMES WILL BE TO PROVIDE LAND USERS WITH THE BACK-UP THEY NEED TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT THEIR OWN LAND-USE PROGRAMMES
The Asia and the Pacific region covers a vast area and a huge range of environmental conditions, cultures, political systems and economies. It is therefore impossible to produce a land and soil conservation and rehabilitation blueprint that can be applied without modification anywhere in the region.
In fact, there are no universal panaceas or readymade solutions that can be applied anywhere without modification. If the problems of land degradation are to be overcome, each country must develop its own conservation and rehabilitation policy, strategy and programmes tailored to its own unique circumstances.
Nevertheless, the general principles for the control of degradation remain the same for all countries and these are outlined in this document. A fundamental requirement is that governments provide the backup services the land users need if they are to contend with degradation problems. These include strengthening and rationalizing relevant government institutions establishing an advisory system as well as attending to the legislation, training and research needs of the conservation effort.
Developing local and national activities
Establishing an advisory committee
Leadership for the development of a national policy, strategy and programme can best be developed by a specially appointed committee or commission. This committee should represent all major interest groups and include senior government officials, representatives from different regions of the country, farmer associations and NGOs. There should be representatives from government units responsible for macro-economics and budget allocation as well as the technical departments such as agriculture, forestry and the environment. This helps to ensure both the amount and continuity of funding needed in the battle again land degradation.
The concept of watershed management Watershed management was first used to define physical boundaries of water catchments. The objective, sometimes openly stated or sometimes just implied, was to protect a downstream facility 'in the national interest'. Plans to do this were often made with little or no reference to the needs of upstream land users. Times have changed, and the 'top-down' approach to conservation is today much rarer. Watershed management is now a 'people-friendly' approach aimed at resource conservation, management and sustainable land use. It is useful, for example, in the conservation and rehabilitation of upland areas, island communities with specific degradation problems and parts of landlocked countries. In each case, the objective is to encourage management of a specific area by the people and for the people. Several countries in the Asia and the Pacific region, notably China, India, Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka, have adopted the concept of watershed management as the fundamental means of tackling land and water conservation. In Indonesia, for example, actions to prevent forest and land degradation are focussed on 39 high priority watershed regions, following a watershed master plan to be carried out over a 25-year period. Integrated Watershed Management Programmes are being developed with participation of all the concerned agencies, and Will be implemented in 12 priority watersheds. The Programme for the Rehabilitation of Degraded Forests and Critical Lands aims to rehabilitate 1.9 million hectares of degraded forests and 4.9 million hectares of degraded land, and to provide sustainable land-use practices, such as sedentary farming, to 500 000 families of shifting cultivators. Several
other countries in the region are implementing management
plans for small-scale watershed at the local level with
participation by rural people. In many of these areas,
small watersheds are the planning and implementation
units for a national master plan for watershed
development. |
The first function of the committee should be to develop policy and strategy, but it should remain in existence to monitor progress, help revise and reformulate policy where necessary and ensure coordination between different government departments, NGOs and farmer associations.
Another important function of such a committee is to ensure that different programmes for the environment such as national environmental action plans, desertification control plans and forestry action plans are coordinated, complementary and do not compete for limited resources and funds. This function is likely to become of growing importance as different organizations launch related, but potentially conflicting, schemes.
Australia has established a Soil Conservation Council to perform this function. This is made up of representatives from the different states and territories of the Commonwealth. This Council has developed a National Soil Conservation Strategy using the principles presented in the FAO World Soil Charter for guidance. In developing this national strategy the Council took into consideration the views of no less than 49 groups and individuals that took the opportunity to express their views.
Strengthening government services
Administratively, land and soil conservation and rehabilitation are handled in different ways in different countries. In some, the major responsibility lies with the Ministry of Agriculture; in others, such as Indonesia, a Ministry of Forestry may be responsible for the implementation of field programmes and in yet others, new Ministries for the Environment are taking a leading role in the development of policy and monitoring of activities. In some larger countries, such as India, the responsibility for field activities is delegated to state or regional administrations with central government taking responsibility for policy and the allocation of funds.
There are advantages and disadvantages in all these arrangements and it is for each government to decide which arrangements best suit its own particular needs. However, it is important that each country has one clearly defined ministry, department or unit with overall responsibility for conservation and with the authority to coordinate.
In nearly all countries, central organizations are backed up by a network of provincial, district and township offices. When plans are made to strengthen government institutions, it is important that these local offices are given particular attention; it is through them that land user association will communicate with local and central government.
Unfortunately, no country in the region has the necessary finances or trained personnel to provide all the services that are needed. Compromise is therefore unavoidable if a realistic programme is to be developed within the limitations of the available resources. Continuity is most important. It is preferable to start with small numbers of staff, limited facilities and a modest budget than to embark upon an over-ambitious programme which cannot be maintained and which may have to be cut back or abandoned in the future.
Extension services should be developed as an instrument for intelligent communication of new practices and technology, and for the formulation of the problems of land users. Researchers should look upon extension agents as active articulators of field problems. The role of policy makers and administrators is to ensure active collaboration between all involved.
Encouraging the activities of NGOs
NGOs have been playing an increasingly important role in land conservation in the region in recent years. Many are very efficient at the grassroots level and can often involve village organizations in a way that is impossible for government organizations. Their effectiveness in small-scale projects is becoming widely recognized and some major donors are now channelling an increasing amount of their funds through NGOs.
In most countries of the region, NGOs provide a largely untapped potential for governments to promote and expand their conservation and rehabilitation programmes - a potential which should not be overlooked in the development of national policies and strategies.
A national soils policy for Indonesia FAO has been helping Indonesia formulate a national soils policy, as part of the service the Organization provides member countries. Other FAO soils policy studies have already been carried out, with the help of UNEP funds, for the Syrian Arab Republic, Uganda and Jamaica. Drafting a national soils policy begins with a round table meeting between members of the government requesting the study and representatives from FAO, UNEP and the International Society of Soil Science. FAO then provides soils experts, land-use planners and lawyers to review soils data and existing land-use legislation. The findings are presented as draft policy guidelines. The guidelines for Indonesia were prepared over a two-year period by a team of four national and international consultants. They suggest that an overall land-use plan be drafted. Soil conservation practices, the study warns, should deal not only with mechanical and vegetative means of abating soil erosion, but should also concentrate strongly on farmers' involvement and poverty alleviation. The government will need to undertake a number of activities to implement the National Soils Policy, including:
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Creating a legal framework for conservation
In soil conservation the law has far too often been seen only as a means of enforcing unpopular measures such as the protection of forest and grazing areas. These measures, which have often deprived the rural poor of their livelihoods, have become very unpopular with the general public and have almost inevitably failed. This has led many to the unfortunate conclusion that the use of legislation is counterproductive in land conservation and rehabilitation programmes.
In fact, innovative legislation can offer governments an important tool for promoting conservation. Most countries need legislation to make conservation work - to establish the necessary government institutions, to legalize their mandate and to ensure that they receive a regular budget.
A thorough review of all relevant legislation is an essential element of a national conservation strategy. Where necessary, existing legislation should be revised and new legislation introduced. Emphasis should be placed on the introduction of measures which will encourage more productive and sustainable forms of land use, and effective stakeholder participation.
Reviewing the workforce and training
Staff requirements, training and facilities requirements should all be reviewed as an important step in the development of a national programme. In doing this, particular attention should be given to:
• training technicians in how to involve rural communities in planning and managing their own conservation programmes, as well as the latest conservation techniques;
• incorporating conservation as a vital part of all farmer training courses; and
• organizing short seminars for administrators to sensitize them to conservation and the important role that they have in national programmes.
The importance of these needs has already been recognized by the Asia Soil Conservation Network for the Humid Tropics (ASOCON), which has promoted training for conservation staff in the region and is able to provide information on request.
Identifying research needs
As the general approach to land conservation and reclamation changes, there is a need to identify research needs, particularly adaptive research in conservation practices. These must be suited to local conditions, easily integrated into existing farming systems and readily acceptable to the land users because of the tangible benefits that they offer.
Traditional conservation practices often offer a starting point for research as farmers are inclined to accept new ideas which are based on already tried practices. There are many well-known traditional conservation practices in the region, ranging from the use of log contour fences in Papua New Guinea to bench terracing in Java and a variety of agroforestry systems in the Philippines and Sri Lanka. As populations increase and the pressure on the land intensifies, traditional systems need to be adapted to the changing requirements of land users.
Once research priorities have been identified, it is necessary to consider whether the research is best conducted nationally or regionally. As most countries in the region have limited facilities and a shortage of trained research workers, it is often best to ask regional networks, such as ASOCON, to investigate conservation issues that are common to a number of countries.
Developing conservation programmes
Once government policy and strategy have been finalized, programmes need to be developed. These plans should be flexible and designed to be periodically reviewed and updated. Typically, national conservation plans need to be developed at three levels.
1. At the national level, where government policy is combined with physical, social and economic data to produce a general national conservation programme for the next 10 to 20 years. This programme should be published as a formal government document and incorporated in the national development plan where it forms a framework for subsequent legislation, administrative action and budgeting for conservation. Care must be taken at this stage that the plan is complementary to other related national action plans.
2. At the district or province level, more specific and detailed programmes need to be developed, based on the national programme but in the form of rolling multi-year plans which can be reviewed and updated annually. An important aspect of these plans should be the identification of the specific inputs from different government and donor agencies.
3. At the local level, programmes must be tailored to the individual requirements of the community (the village or some lower administrative level) and developed in collaboration with the communities themselves. Members of the ASOCON network have already been involved in developing a methodology and planning system at this level. Once formulated, these local level plans should be referred back to the district level and provision made for technical support and any other inputs that may be needed for their implementation.
Strengthening regional activities
LONG-TERM TRAINING, INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ARE BEST EXECUTED THROUGH REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL PROGRAMMES
Regional and sub-regional programmes provide opportunities for the transfer of experience between countries in combating land degradation. In the past there has been little regional cooperation on arresting land degradation. Communities in general and policy makers in particular were not aware of the real environmental costs involved. This situation is now changing and environmental awareness is growing in the region - as is evidenced by the establishment of intergovernmental programmes such as the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme. NGOs are also active in such initiatives as the Asian Forum of Environmental Journalists and the Association of South Pacific Environmental Institutions. A number of regional and sub-regional TCDC (technical collaboration between developing countries) networks have also been established. Prominent among these is the Asia Soil Conservation Network for the Humid Tropics (ASOCON).
All these organizations have the potential to play an important part in catalysing regional programmes which are needed in the following areas. However, while Asia and the Pacific's commitment to TCDC is very strong, finance is often required in relation to TCDC projects for travel. Too often important TCDC activities are prejudiced by the inability of countries to send national delegates to attend important regional initiatives.
ASOCON The Asia Soil Conservation Network for the Humid Tropics (ASOCON) was formed with UNDP/FAO support in 1989 but became an independent network in 1993. The network aims to assist its member countries, through a programme of information exchange, regional workshops, expert consultations and learning activities to enhance the skills and expertise of those responsible for the development and dissemination of soil and water conservation practices for small-scale farmers. The ultimate objective is to help small-scale farmers in southeast Asia use the land that is available to them more sustainably and more productively. ASOCON activities include collecting and disseminating information about soil conservation, documenting successful soil conservation practices, publishing a newsletter, preparing case studies of soil conservation projects, organizing workshops and seminars, launching regional programmes promoting the exchange of research and extension information, and providing advice and training for national programmes. ASOCON members include China (southeastern provinces), Indonesia, Malaysia (provisionally), Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. Each member country has a National Network Coordinating Committee, whose function is to assist the National Coordinator in coordinating ASOCON activities within the country. Membership of the Coordinating Committee includes representatives from all the different national agencies involved in soil conservation. The National Coordinators form the Network Consultative Board which, as both the steering committee and the policy-forming body, determines ASOCON's work programme. ASOCON,
Manggala Wanabakti Block VII Lantai 6, Jalan Gatot
Subroto, PO Box 7632 JKB Jakarta 10076, Indonesia |
Training in improved land husbandry
The senior staff of many countries have had to be sent outside the region for advanced training in improved land husbandry and conservation technology. This is expensive. It means that far fewer people have been trained than are required. However, a number of institutions within the region can now provide the type of training that is needed. For example, ASOCON has conducted regional learning programmes. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) for the Hindu Kush Himalayan region is also involved in capacity building and training. Training in improved water management with farmer participation has been provided with assistance from FAO. In addition, FAO and other international agencies are now providing training at the national level in a number of related subjects such as the use of integrated plant nutrition systems, the management and reclamation of salt-affected land, agro-ecological zoning and land-use planning. Many of these activities would be more efficient if expanded to regional activities. Experience gained through these activities raises the possibility of developing regional or sub-regional training, utilizing the TCDC approach and 'distance learning' programmes.
Information exchange
Many advantages are to be gained from regular exchanges and dissemination of information and experience among countries in the region. Existing regional TCDC networks which address land degradation issues include the Regional Network of Research and Training Centres on Desertification Control in Asia and the Pacific (DESCONAP, run by ESCAP), the Bio and Organic Fertilizer network, the Problem Soils network, ASOCON, and the Network on Irrigation and Water Management. Most of these networks have reference databases, directories of co-operators, regular newsletters and periodic meetings. Most still depend on FAO for funding and management support. These networks now require more formal recognition and support by participating countries, and their management: should be gradually transferred to centres of excellence in the region.
Research on land degradation
There is an urgent need to develop land, water and forestry management systems that are acceptable to farmers in the region. The research needed to develop such systems, however, is often expensive and time consuming. Much can be gained by pooling research efforts among countries with similar problems. Research results can be shared by establishing simple research networks or by building a research component into existing networks and programmes such as the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions.
Several national institutions from countries in the region are currently participating in global FAO research initiatives. These include the study of erosion-induced productivity loss, integrated plant nutrition and sulphur deficiency in soils. initiatives by other international agencies related to land degradation in the region include the Asia and the Pacific Land Networks of the International Board of Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM), with headquarters in Bangkok.
Soil erosion in south and southeast Asia An Assessment of the State of Human-induced Soil Erosion in South and Southeast Asia (ASSOD) has been carried out by the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) in the Netherlands, FAO's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and national institutions in 16 countries in the region. The project was formulated and funded by UNEP and resulted from recommendations made at the Third Meeting of the Asian Network on Problem Soils. A sequel to the earlier GLASOD project on global assessment, ASSOD places more emphasis on the impact of degradation on productivity, taking into account differing levels of inputs and management. ASSOD's first objective is the preparation of a computerized database on soil degradation at a 1:5 million scale. This database will then be linked to a geographic information system which will enable the data to he output in whatever map form users may require. ASSOD
is specifically designed to increase awareness among
policy and decision makers of the importance of soil
degradation in the region and to help them establish
priorities when formulating action programmes. |
Farmer-centred agricultural resource management (FARM) Governments, UN agencies and NGOs in Asia are cooperating in a regional programme called Farmer-Centred Agricultural Resource Management (FARM), which aims to create partnerships between resource-poor farmers and specialist technicians and scientists. Launched at a meeting in New Delhi in September 1993, FARM aims at promoting sustainable agricultural and natural resource management in marginal areas, with the active participation of resource-poor farmers and their communities. FAO is executing agency for six of the seven sub-programmes and UNIDO executes the seventh. The US$12 million programme is funded by UNDP. The
programme will launch integrated sustainable agriculture
demonstration sites, support networks, train officers and
farmers, and support the analysis of sustainable
development policy options. |
Coordinating international action
WHEN THE DONOR COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS WORK TOGETHER TO FORMULATE POLICY AND ELABORATE PROJECTS, THE RESULT IS AN INTEGRATED PROGRAMME THAT IS LIKELY TO OBTAIN LONG-TERM FINANCING
The challenges to achieving sustainable agriculture and rural development are greater in Asia and the Pacific than in any other region. The problems arise mainly from high population pressure and land scarcity, rural poverty and inadequate sharing of resources combined with the nonparticipation of most of the concerned population in decision-making processes. The result is land degradation at a level which is threatening the resource base on which present and future generations depend for survival.
So extensive is the problem of land degradation in Asia and the Pacific that few countries are in a position to control or prevent it without the support of non-governmental organizations, technical assistance agencies, donor organizations and financing institutions. Fortunately, these bodies are all interested in helping - given the right conditions.
The first of these is that governments must commit themselves to the long-term policies, strategies and programmes that can bring about sustainable forms of land use.
Secondly, governments must meet and confer with donors, NGOs, technical assistance organizations and other concerned agencies at an early stage as they develop their programmes and projects. This is necessary because they want to be consulted during the planning process and to be in a position to see that their resources are put to the best use. By making its ideas and requirements known from the start, a government stands a better chance of obtaining what it really needs - be it equipment, the training of staff, finance or other inputs - over a long period in a systematic and orderly way.
Coordinating international action
For their part, technical assistance agencies and funding institutions welcome the opportunity to help formulate long-term programmes By doing so they can identify where and how their inputs can best be used, and can then select and develop individual projects designed to fit together into an overall programme.
The Framework for Action for the Conservation of Lands in Asia and the Pacific (CLASP) is designed to be adaptable to the political and administrative system of any country in the region. The following steps are envisaged.
First, a government informs FAO that it wishes to join. A technical officer from FAO then visits the country, reviews the position, discusses what must be done and advises on how work should proceed. An advisory or coordinating committee is then formed with the initial task of gathering all relevant, available data. This includes socio-economic data as well as information on the country's land resources and its land degradation problems.
The next step is important. It involves the preparation of an options and issues paper. In summary, this paper brings together information on the extent, severity and rate of progress of land degradation in the country and its socio-economic effects; it looks at what has been and is being done to overcome the problem, and the effectiveness of this work. It shell outlines possible courses of action that the government may want to take and what the national policy and strategy could be. Meetings are then held and the paper is presented to senior government officials and other key people and organizations, including the donor community.
Once agreement has been reached, the paper is finalized and circulated to NGOs, donor and other outside organizations which may be interested in supporting the national programme. A series of formal and informal discussions is then held before a document is finalized which outlines the national policy, strategy and programme for government approval. Once approved this becomes part of the national development plan. Meanwhile further discussions are held with donors and a round-table meeting is held at which donor organizations are invited to pledge support for the various projects and activities which will make up the programme The plan is then implemented. FAO will be available to assist and advise at all stages of the process.
The benefits of joining the international scheme
The potential benefits of developing and implementing a land conservation and rehabilitation policy in this way are great. The scheme allows governments to develop and implement their own policies and programmes tailored to their own unique needs. At the same time, it presents a mechanism through which all donor, financing and technical assistance organizations and NGOs can play an active role throughout the whole process and therefore feel committed to the resulting programme. All those who should be involved in the scheme are fully briefed and are aware of how the policy, programme and projects are developing.
Participating nations stand to reap many benefits. The overall objective, of course, is to prevent or slow down land degradation so that sustainable agriculture becomes a practical possibility. This is achieved because the scheme provides access to:
• improved national and international data on land degradation and its importance;
• improved training;
• a wide range of donor support; and
• the skills, techniques and materials that have been:, successfully used in the fight against land degradation in other countries and other regions.
In the process, many important social and economic goals are likely to become more attainable:
• farming risks are reduced and farm incomes increased; creased;
• food security is improved;
• fuelwood supplies become more copious;
• migration to towns and cities is reduced;
• the quality and quantity of water supplies are improved;
• flooding in valleys and coastal areas is reduced;
• the effective life of irrigated and hydro-electric dams is increased; and
• improvements in the general environment lead to higher living standards.
CLASP is a natural outcome of the growing environmental awareness of the region's leaders over the past ·. decade It will provide the nations of the region with a sound means of investing in the future of their greatest resource: their land. And it will provide the international donor community, with an opportunity to contribute to carefully planned, long-term programmes that will have lasting impact.
'The Conference recommended that FAO should continue to assist member countries in formulating national strategies and policies in developing and applying appropriate technologies for arresting land degradation.'
21st Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific
5-15 February 1992, New Delhi, India
D/V9909E/1/12.95/2000
