best practices for combating land degradation

8/7/2019 Best Practices for Combating Land Degradation

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ModelingtheWayforCombatingLandDegradation>>>>>Emerging100BestPracticesinSustainableLandManagementinCambodia

Introduction

UNCCD defines best

practices in sustainable

land management as

"measures, methods oractivities; that performbest or achieve thehighest impact accordingto predefined criteriaassessed hrough avalidationprocess."t

The land degradation situation in Cambodia, manifested mainly by

deforestation and soil erosion, requires awide range of innovative

solutions. Thisispartlybecauseofthecomplexnatureofthecauses

of land degradation ( natural fertility limitations , poverty,

governance,climatechangeetc).Also,limitedgovernmentbudgetary

resources require us to develop and promote more cost effective

solutions.

Cambodia is a signatory to the UN Convention to Combat

Desertification (UNCCD). The Convention aims to address land

degradation,worldwide. Asasignatory,Cambodiaisnowcompleting

a National Action Program (NAP) to combat desertification and

promoteSustainableLandManagement(SLM).

SLM isthecollectionofstrategiesandpracticesthatallowustouse

landbasedresources(forests,soilsetc)todayinwaysthatensurethe

future generations can also fully use them. Examples are

conservationagriculture,agroforestryandcommunityforestry, etc.

Inrecentyears,governmentandnongovernmentorganizationshavedevelopedandtestedvarious

innovative SLM strategies on the ground. Many of these have been successful. Some are now

consideredas"bestpractices" insustainable landmanagement(SLM).Technologiesandpractices

thathavebeenproventohaveworkedoverseveralyearsandvalidatedby thirdparties, canbe

referred toas"bestpractices" "Bestpractices"doesnotmean that theyareperfect.Sometime

developmentworkersrefertothemasthe"bestasofthemoment"

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Photoabove:Threeexamplesofbestpracticesinsustainablelandmanagement(SLM):a) Monksandcommunitiesprotect18,000hectaresofforestsinOddarMeanchay(leftphotobyUNDP/ChansokLay); b) Inagriculture(topphoto),multiplecroppingwithlegumespromotesoilfertility(photobySengVang);c) theLocalGovernmentprotectstheneedsofwaterusersbyregulatingsandmininginSiemReap, usingthewatershedplanningapproach(bottomphotobyPhanSothea).TheeffortofthemonksandcommunitiesundertheMonkCommunityForestry(MCF)ProjectinOddarMeanchay(leftphoto)receivedaGlobalUNEquatorialAward. BuddhistMonksleadersleadbyVenerableBunSaluth(shownaboveinaritualtoprotectforestwildlife)workedwith6villagestoprotecttheirforestsandsustainlocalforestbasedlivelihoods.ThecommunitiesnowformpartofamajorCambodianinitiativeforREDD(ReducedEmissionfromDeforestationandDegradation).


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FiveThemesThe Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

through itsSustainableLandManagementProjectand together

with

the

UNDP

and

GEF,

conducted

the

first

of

a

series

of

search

foremergingbestpractices inSLM, followingUNCCDguidance.

TheMAFFalsoconsideredtheguidelinesandexamplessharedby

the World Conservation Approaches and Technologies or

WOCAT.

One hundred best practices in 5 themes were targeted.

Informationonbestpracticeswouldbeused tohelp formulate

more effective programs for SLM. These include programs in

sustainable agricultureand agro forestry, forestprotection and

forest regeneration. At the same time, farming communities,

local

governments

can

use

this

information

directly

as

models

for

theirownlocalinitiatives.

UsingUNCCDandWOCATguidance,MAFFrecognizedtwotypes

of best practices: "technologies" and "approaches". Specific

farming techniques (e.g. integrated farming systems etc) are

examplesoftechnologies.Ontheotherhand,"approaches"can

refer to "delivery systems" and "planning and facilitating tools" such as extension methods,

effortstoimprovesecurityoftenureandthelike.

MAFF,inconsultation

withNGOpartners,

identified20best

practices(BP)ineachthe

followingfivethemes

(Seealsoseparate

articlesforeach):

1. Sustainableagriculture

2. Communityforestry3. Communityfisheries4. Community

protectedareasand

5. SLMorientedinitiativesofLocal

authorities.

MAFF, in consultationwithNGOpartners andother agencies identified an initial twentyBest

Practices foreachof the fivethemes,oratotalofonehundredBestPractices.TheCriteriafor

identifyingthe100practicesincludedrelevancetothekeyissues;thepracticehasbeenproven

effectivebydifferentpeopleforseveralyears;and theextent towhich thebestpracticesare

replicatedbyothers.

BestPracticesinAgricultureTherearesignificantproblemsofsoilerosionandlowsoilfertilityproblemsinincreasingareasof

farm lands. MAFFbased researchers, in consultation with NGO partners, identified 20

technologiesandapproachesthataddresstheseissues.ThetypesofSLMorientedtechnologies

include

integrated

farming

systems,

improved

cropping

practices

and

soil

fertility

enhancement

measures.Examplesoftechnologiesinclude:

Integratedfarmingsystemson smallfarmlands, nowpracticedin6provinces UseofBiodigesterandcomposting, nowpracticedby6,400users in8provinces SystemsforRiceintensification(SR1),nowpracticedinatleast3,000villages Modelfarmandhomegardensystemtodiversify lowlandricefarmproductivity Farmerbasedbreedingofimportanttraditionalricevarietiesadapting toclimatechange

Concurrently, MAFF also identified SLMApproaches in agriculture that improve the abilityof

governmentandNGOextensionpersonnelandcommunityleadersto:


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Understand the agro ecological situation oflocalcommunities(AgroEcosystemAnalysis);

Identify and understand the types of soils(e.g.:SoilsTechnologyInformationPackage);

Improveextension through farmer to farmerexchangeandfarmerfieldschools(FFS)

Maintain small irrigation systems throughFarmerWaterUserCommunity(FWUC).

Support theroleof livestock inSLMthroughvillageanimalhealthworkers (VAHW)

Best Practices in CommunityForestry:Community Forestry is a strategy that protect and

regenerate forests, provide supplemental livelihoods and protect local watersheds whichultimately improve agriculture. Among the key challenges are the pace of legalization and

decliningNTFPstocks.MAFF FAbased researchersconsultedwithNGOpartnersandcameup

with20siteswithbestpracticesthathelpedaddresstheseissues.

Fiveofeachofthe5themesora

totalof25bestpracticeswerefurtherreviewedbyMAFF

researchersaswellaspartner

researchersfromMOE.Thiswas

alsoinconsultationwithpartner

NGOs,totheextentpossible.The

reviewstudiedthenatureofthe

practices;theirstrengthsand

limitations;andtheextentof

theirspread.

Mostofthesepractices inthe20sitesdealwithcommunityrulesforforestuseandprotection

and conflict resolution. Several sites supported the leadership role of women while others

attributetheirsuccesspartlythoughpositivepartnershipswithlocalauthorities.Otherswereable

toaddvaluetoforestbasedlivelihoods. Fiveexamplesarenoteworthy:

Forestprotectionefforts inSreKhnongCommune inKampot leading tobetter runoffcontrolandimprovedsoilfertility

Localgovernmentinitiativestoprotecttheforestsof OkreangCommuneinKratie Community effort to for value added NTFP livelihoods in Tum Ring Commune in

KampongThom

ForestregenerationandcommunityforestplanninginBanteaySeryDistrict,SiemReapleadingtoperceivedimprovementgroundwatertable

Co leadershipbywomeninTrapangTravCommuneinUdorMeanchyprovinceBestPracticesinCommunityFisheries:Communityfisheriesarepartoffarmingsystems.Farmersareseasonalfishermenwhilefloodedforests are sometimes devoted to agriculture during the dry months. Protection of flooded

forestscontributestoagriculturalsustainability.TwentybestpracticeswereidentifiedbyMAFF

FiA teamincollaborationwithNGOpartners inthefollowingcategories:

StrategiesforminimizingthecuttingoffloodedforestssuchasimprovedsmokedstovesinKampongChhnangprovince;

Stabilizing fishaccess throughdryseason communityfishrefugepondssuchasthose inKampongSpeu;

Planningandmobilizationtoolssuchasactionresearchapplied inStungTreng; Microlivelihoodloansfromacommunityrevolvingfundtostartupacrabbankas inKep StartingarevolvingfundforcommunityfishersasappliedinSiemReap


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Best Practices in Community ProtectedAreas:

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Protectedareas(terrestrialandcoastal)provideecologicalservices

for agriculture. Protected areas help protect watersheds for

agricultural

communities

and

are

important

for

biodiversity

protection including agro biodiversity. The MAFF collaborated

with partners at the Ministry of Environment (MOE), to identify

twenty sites with best practices. Of these,5 sites chosen were

further documented because of their potential to be models of

CPA:

NTFPenhancementandlocalauthorityengagementinPrekThnout commune,Kampot

Community ecotourismandwatersourcedevelopment inChambok,KampongSpeu;

ProtectingNTFPbased livelihoods inRomanyCommune ,PreahVihear; Multisectoralcollaborationtoprotectthewildlifeforeco

tourism and livelihood improvement, Pring Thom

Commune,PreahVihear

Mangrove reforestation through ecotourism in PeamKrasboCommune,KohKong

PotentialBestPracticesby LocalAuthoritiesin

Land

Management

Local authorities are mandated to protect local environments.

Often,theylackknowledgeandskillstoimplementmandates.Lack

of clarity of some policies also discourages action by local

authorities.

Twentycaseswereidentifiedaspotentialbestpracticesthattryto

overcome the constraints cited above. Someof the20dealwith

preparation of environmentally sound land use plans. They are

currently being validated. Many deal with direct measures by

communes to protect natural resources or indirect measures such as supporting community

forestry and community fisheries. Several are working on improving land tenure security of

farmers. Fivenotableexamplesfromacandidatelistof20include:

Identification of 100 Best

Practices in Sustainable

Land

Management

is

part

of

Cambodia'scontributions to

The UN Convention to

Combat Desertification or

UNCDD. .

http://www.unccd.int/)

Cambodiawill also benefit

from the best practices

being shared by other

countries under this

convention. For more

information on global best

practices, visit thewebsite

of

the

World

Overview

of

Conservation Approaches

andTechnologiesorWOCAT

http://www.wocat.net/.

UseofthewatershedapproachinSiemReaptogovernlandusesuchassandmining ComingupwithcreativesolutionstolandconflictsasinSnaAnsa,Pursat EstablishmentofsociallandconcessionsasinKratie DirectconservationofsugarpalmtreesasinTramKokDistrict, Takeo PromotingenergyefficientstovesinlivelihoodactivitiesasinThnoutCommunePursat
http://www.unccd.int/http://www.wocat.net/http://www.wocat.net/http://www.unccd.int/


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Commonfeaturesofthebestpractices

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Thereare common featuresamong the5different setsof

BestPractices. Forexample,atransparentandparticipatory

process can encourage communities to invest time and

resources for SLM. Government agencies who transform

themselves into facilitators to promote community action

tend to be more successful in their work. Community

knowledge sharing as is an effective form of technology

transfertospreadgoodpractices.

Intermsoflandscapelevelaction,communitieswhoengage

local authorities on interests related to natural resource

management and protection tend to more successful. .

Conflicting land development priorities are dominant

constraints.Thecommunes interest to investSLM isbeing

challenged because of uncertainties in land allocation

policies.

Even though these are small amounts, commune

investment fundscanhelpsustainlongtermSLMinitiatives.

Also, provincial governments can help resolve competing

land use decisions and the need to invest in systematic

documentationandsharingofknowledge.

MoreinformationonBestPracticesFormore information,pleaseseealsoseparatearticles for

eachof the5Themes. Itmaybenoted that the100Best

Practices cited here is an initial list only. Many other

emergingbestpracticesfacilitatedbybothgovernmentand

nongovernmentorganizationsarewaitingtobestudiedanddocumented.Otherinstitutionsare

alsoinvolvedinidentifyingbestpractices.Thesearealsocitedinthe5separatearticles.

Significance of Best practicestotheNationalPoliciesIf the enabling environment

would be provided, more

communities, communes as

well as field offices of

government units would be

able to adapt these best

practices in their own

situations.

These technologies and

approaches can be promoted

in wide areas (in most

communes)andatlowercosts

togovernment.

The National Action Program

to combat Desertification

proposes specific public

investments that would

stimulate the sustainability

and spread of these best

practices.

ThisstudyonwasmadepossiblebythejointeffortoftheMinistryofAgriculture,Forestryand

Fisheries or MAFF, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global

Environment Facility ( GEF) for the Project entitled Building Capacity and Mainstreaming

SustainableLandManagementProjectinCambodia.

best practices for combating land degradation

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