Entirety | PANORAMA

Collaboration and partnerships with the science community and scientific institutions

Skipper Boris Herrmann, Team Malizia & the Ocean Pack

Antoine Auriol / Team Malizia / The Ocean Race

The Ocean Race’s extensive network of science partners

The Ocean Race Science Programme is run in collaboration with various science partners, bringing together organisations and teams to pioneer new approaches to data collection, advance technology to contribute to global standardised data mapping, and increase our knowledge of oceans and their relationships with climate change. It provides a unique, and promising, expansion to observational networks, and enables the development of new sampling technologies (e.g. OceanPack-RACE – developed according to sailors’ and scientists’ specifications).

Partnerships with the scientific community allow the data collected by the racing boats to be processed and quality checked by science partners, and then made available through global open-source databases. Databases include, amongst others, the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) and the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) – which informs the Global Carbon Budget, itself informing environmental projections and targets. The deployment of drifter buoys, operated by Météo France, contributes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) drifter programme.

The unique benefits provided by the race: the racecourse’s route through remote corners of the world, as well as the race yachts as vehicles for employing scientific sampling and measuring technology.
Organisers and stakeholders’ (teams, athletes, etc.) interest and desire to contribute to scientific research.
The science community’s appreciation of the opportunities that The Ocean Race provides for scientific research.
Diversity of sailing and scientific stakeholders involved.

Discussions with partners and start-ups are ongoing following feedback regarding the use of plastic to construct drifter buoys, and the difficulty to recover these at their end of life. The aim would be to deploy either instruments that are water degradable or that can be recovered.

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Global

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDybMTqNppY

Financial support for project development

Once the pre-feasibility studies were completed, technical and financial cooperation was provided to 15 projects throughout the country, mobilizing both public and private investment funds (counterpart resources).

Two calls were made to access non-reimbursable funds, and projects proposed by 8 municipalities with 3 consortiums, 1 municipal council, 2 private companies, 2 organizations, 1 Integral Development Association and 1 ASADA were developed.

Develop prior capacity building work to ensure the successful implementation of the projects.
Before issuing the call for projects, work should be done with the municipalities and companies to prepare pre-feasibility studies that are consistent with their mitigation needs.
It is recommended to have a GHG Emissions Inventory that functions as a baseline to measure the results of the investments made with non-refundable funds.

Capacity building and parallel technical and financial support were fundamental for the success of this type of Grants.
It is important to create spaces for the exchange of experiences and lessons learned in this type of process.
When evaluating a technical project proposal, it is important to assess not only its financial viability, but also to assign a value to the social and environmental impacts.

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Local

National

Communication Tools for Local Governments

Support was provided to strengthen the communication capacities of local governments, providing tools for effective communication with the participation of the inhabitants of the canton.

An initial diagnosis was made to identify shared challenges among different local governments, highlighting the absence of a strategy to guide the different communication actions in waste management, which reduces the impact and delays the education and awareness-raising process that is being pursued.

This process was built in a joint and participatory manner, improving communication and bringing the canton's population closer to simple solutions to improve integrated waste management and the quality of life in their communities.

A Communication Toolkit on Integrated Waste Management was also developed to support the municipalities in their communication, awareness-raising and call to action aimed at the citizens of their cantons, since citizen participation is a fundamental and essential element of effective integrated solid waste management.

The content responds directly to the needs identified through a prior consultation process aimed at both municipalities and technical experts in the field.

In order to generate changes in behavior and habits, continuous and persistent communication and educational processes are required.
It is essential that local governments invest in waste composition and characterization studies or in reports or diagnostics that allow them to communicate with data.
When formulating a message, what is said is as important as the tone used. Eco-angst and scolding should be avoided.
The same language and concepts should be used when educating about solid waste. When multiple voices are heard, confusion is generated.
Develop communication actions where citizens go from being receivers of a message to co-creators of it.

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Local

Technical Training

Municipal capacities in Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) were strengthened throughout the waste service chain to facilitate the implementation of improvement projects focused on reducing GHG emissions, which are supported by the Project.

A course on Sustainability in ISWM was conducted, in which 15 municipal managers were trained on key topics such as life cycle analysis, circular economy, recycling value chain, public-private partnerships, and project formulation and financing.

Information was also gathered for the preparation of 15 cantonal GHG inventories, with their respective action plans and pre-feasibility studies for their implementation.

In addition, 14 municipalities received training in logistical and operational improvements in solid waste management, while 12 companies and 15 municipalities received training in administrative, operational, regulatory, tariff and marketing aspects. A total of 133 people participated in the process of exchanging experiences.

The support of a Project that technically and financially backs the training processes is a fundamental for carrying out the different capacity building activities.
Collaboration between municipalities, organizations, companies and other stakeholders is essential to share knowledge and resources, which allows for the successful implementation of the activities
Having available information is an essential factor when collecting data for the preparation of cantonal GHG inventories and pre-feasibility studies.

There is interest on the part of municipalities and private companies to continue training on the subject and to have exchange spaces where they can find support to solve problems associated with integrated waste management.
People who work in small and medium-sized collection centers and in companies related to IWM have limited training opportunities to make their businesses more sustainable and improve their professional development.
It is necessary to work with a circular economy approach, and to enhance capacity building in entrepreneurship and innovation in grassroots waste pickers and small waste managers, so that they can perceive their work as a viable business instead of relying solely on government assistance.

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National

Community Resource Person Model

Women sitting together supporting each other in learning on aquaculutre practices

Aquaculture farmer community support

GIZ, SAFAL/Baanyan Tree Productions Pvt Ltd

Aquaculture farmer sitting in class room attending a capacity building training on sustainable aquaculutre

Capacity building training for aquaculture farmer in Odisha

GIZ, SAFAL/Baanyan Tree Productions Pvt Ltd

Women from Self-Help Group sitting under tree to hold training with print material

Women Self-Help Group using SAFAL training material

GIZ, SAFAL/Baanyan Tree Productions Pvt Ltd

The Community Resource Person (CRP) model in India is a community-driven bottom-up approach to development and empowerment, particularly in rural areas. It involves identifying and training individuals from local communities to act as facilitators, educators, and mobilizers to address various socio-economic challenges and promote sustainable development.

Under the SAFAL project more than 143 CRP trainers and 500 CRPs and have been trained between 2021 and 2023 in Assam and Odisha. CRPs themselves are aquaculture farmer belonging to the local farmer institutions who are supporting up to 25 farmers by providing extension services advisory services to more than 6.000 farmers in rural areas on sustainable aquaculture practices to their communities.

The selection process of CRPs involves conducting a Participatory Research Appraisal within farmer institutions followed by an intensive capacity building course. The training, likewise, for CRPs and CRP-to-farmers, are conducted in tailored sessions conducted with the help of Knowledge Products (KPs) and Information, Education & Communication (IEC) material, such as the Farmer’s Handbook, the Farm Record Book and various training material. Those were co-created among scientists, government officials, experts in sustainable aquaculture practices, aquaculture operators and SAFAL technical to fit the exact needs of the local farmers.

The training cascade contains basic and advanced modules using the didactic methodology for easy adoption of adult learning. The program consists of 30 per cent classroom and 70 per cent hands-on training. Making it accessible to farmers all over the regions, it is designed in a way that it can be held in remote and rural areas using flipbooks, posters, and pamphlets to teach without access to electronics.

CRPs are based within their farmer institutions and are motivated by social, environmental, and financial incentives, including selling goods and services, and facilitating access to finance.

Through this self-financed CRP model, thousands of small-scale farmers are empowered with knowledge and resources. CRPs act as local knowledge centres, disseminating trainings. This ground-level approach boosts yields within planetary boundaries while ensuring nutrition and food security.

You can find more information about the training materials (knowledge products and Information, Education & Communication material) and download them in the building block: Knowledge Products and Information, Education & Communication Material.

Tailored Training: Offering training sessions tailored to the needs and capacities of small-scale farmers, with a focus on practical knowledge and skills relevant to their specific contexts.
Participatory Approach: Involving farmers directly in the learning process, allowing for a bottom-up approach that considers their perspectives, challenges, and needs.
Effective Extension Services: Utilizing a network of Community Resource Persons (CRPs) who act as extension workers, delivering training, knowledge, and support directly to farmers in their local areas.
Quality Course Materials: Providing high-quality course materials co-created among local stakeholder and experts, ensuring the content is accurate, relevant, and accessible to farmers.
Financial Incentives: Motivating CRPs through a combination of financial incentives, such as sales opportunities, as well as non-financial incentives like recognition and social impact.
Access to Finance: Supporting farmers in accessing finance through guidance, facilitation, and connections to relevant financial institutions and government schemes.
Local Context Sensitivity: Designing training models and materials that are sensitive to the local context, including cultural, social, economic, and environmental factors.
Multiplier Effect: Employing a Training of Trainers (ToT) approach to multiply the impact of training efforts, enabling CRPs to train and support a larger number of farmers.
Government Support and Alignment: Aligning with government priorities and policies, and demonstrating the effectiveness of these models to policymakers, which can lead to increased support, funding, and scalability.

Customization is Key: Tailoring training sessions and materials to the specific needs, challenges, and contexts of small-scale farmers enhances relevance and effectiveness.
Empowerment through Education: Providing farmers with practical knowledge and skills empowers them to make informed decisions, improve their practices, and enhance their livelihoods.
Local Ownership and Engagement: Involving farmers directly in the learning process fosters ownership, buy-in, and sustainability of interventions.
Importance of Extension Services: Utilizing a network of Community Resource Persons (CRPs) as extension workers effectively delivers training and support at the grassroots level.
Financial Incentives Drive Engagement: Offering financial incentives, such as salaries and profit-sharing opportunities, motivates CRPs and encourages their active participation and commitment.
Collaboration Amplifies Impact: Collaborating with Farmer Institutions, SHGs, and other stakeholders enables aggregation of resources, knowledge-sharing, and amplification of impact.
Access to Finance is Critical: Facilitating access to finance empowers farmers to invest in their businesses, adopt new practices, and improve productivity and profitability.
Local Context Matters: Sensitivity to the local context, including cultural, social, economic, and environmental factors, is essential for the relevance and success of interventions.
Training of Trainers Multiplies Impact: Leveraging a Training of Trainers (ToT) approach enables the multiplication of training efforts, reaching a larger number of farmers and communities.
Alignment with Government Priorities: Aligning with government priorities and policies can facilitate support, funding, and scalability of interventions, making them more sustainable and impactful in the long run.