Entirety | PANORAMA

Implementation of nationwide hilsa fishing bans

Hilsa fishermen

IIED

Each year there is a nationwide ban on catching, selling, transporting, marketing or possessing juvenile hilsa fish from 1st of November – 30thJune, 2-3 months complete ban on all kind of fishing including juvenile hilsa target species in 5 sanctuary areas (river stretches) in the major hilsa nursery ground and an additional short ban of 15 days in September/October at four hilsa spawning locations. This is to allow for protection of hilsa fish stock and uninterrupted spawning. Boat rallies are used to raise awareness and support for the fishing bans, as well as mass media, leaflets and posters explaining the importance of hilsa conservation.

The central government must have the will and resources to be able to introduce a nationwide scheme such as this – in Bangladesh there exists a raft of acts providing the legal framework to support hilsa fishery management

For the fishing ban to be effectively enforced, there must be good coordination between any central government bodies with jurisdiction over fisheries
Good quality of ecological baseline data on spawning is an essential requirement for developing an appropriate fishing ban schedule

Illegal juvenile hilsa fishing hasincreased since 2011; a major reason for this is the lack of resources available to support ban enforcement operations at night. Corruption (bribery) also hindered ban enforcement. Such issues damage the perceived legitimacy of the entire fisheries management scheme

Decentralisation and devolvement of management and magistracy powers could potentially alleviate such issues
Lack of equipment and supplies, such as boats and food, inhibit the capacity of staff to carry out enforcement activities even during the day
There is a sense that some of the costs and benefits of the fisheries management plan are not distributed fairly: for example, it is perceived that fishers in bordering countries benefit from the increase in fish stock that result from fishing bans that impact only Bangladeshi fishers

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National

Proposed Buffer Zone of the Galeras FFS

It is very important for the Galeras FFS to have environmental management of the buffer zone. This process began in 2005, achieving significant results such as the proposed delimitation, zoning, and regulation of 10,615 h as a buffer zone, 38.2% of which correspond to protection zones. The High Andean and Andean Forest Sanctuary is cited here as a precedent for strategic conservation connectivity. Through this, a technical committee was formed where a dynamic and management process materialized, in which the active participation of all stakeholders has been encouraged, in addition to the incorporation of all conservation strategies under different social, technical, political and environmental work schemes of the territory.This practice generated an integral management, which has represented a challenge in the conservation of the Galeras FFS and its area of influence, but also an opportunity for the management and articulation of efforts around conservation, something that has allowed to generate trust among the actors, greater technical coordination, joint planning and sustainable co-responsibility over time.

Existence of the sustainable development project Ecoandino World Food Program. In this regard, the participation of 23 villages in the area of influence of the Galeras FFS and the signing of 900 socio-environmental pacts are noteworthy.
Construction spaces with community and institutional actors appropriate for the development of the proposed delimitation and zoning of the area.
Implementation of projects of cooperating agencies such as AECID, GEF, World Bank and Patrimonio Natural.

The environmental territorial planning of the buffer zone was a participatory process in which public entities, the environmental authority (CORPONARIÑO), the municipal administrations that have jurisdiction over the protected area, other state entities, and the community in general with interests in the surrounding areas worked harmoniously and jointly with the objective of conserving and preserving the supply of ecosystem goods and services provided by the Sanctuary.

Cofinancing from international cooperation projects such as: AECID, GEF-World Bank Natural Heritage Project, implemented in the protected area and its zone of influence, allowed the Sanctuary to obtain a higher degree of credibility and governance over the territory, achieving recognition of the protected area at different scales. These contributions were reflected in the area's management effectiveness.

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Local

National

Frugal Rehabilitation Demonstration (FRD): developing and adapting the methodology (FRM) through action-research

Once demonstration sites are selected, local ASM groups receive training and are contracted to implement FRM through six steps:

Preparation & Planning: degradation, boundary, hydrological & equipment assessments; labor, volume estimates; waste management; OHS standards
Technical Rehabilitation: infill, regrading and reprofiling; use of limited mechanisation
Topsoils: identification, conservation and re-distribution across sites
Biological Rehabilitation: topsoil enrichment ; natural regeneration assessments; identification of native and key vegetation communities; seed collection; seeds and natural fertilizers distribution into topsoils; tree, shrub and grass plantings
Mitigation Hierarchy: integrating rehabilitation planning into active ASM design and operations so as to reduce primary environmental impacts and unnecessary rehabilitation efforts
Handover of completed rehabilitation site to relevant government administrations for approval/sign-off

National and local government permission to implement Frugal Rehabilitation Demonstration projects.
Resources to fund demonstration labour effort and technical application of methodology at site.
ASM capacity and willingness to receive training and implement the methodology on site.

Successful application of the FRM: all the key physical and ecological requirements for successful rehabilitation are (with few exceptions) available within reasonable proximity of the site. They just need to be identified and adapted to context.
Habitat rehabilitation targeted to native vegetation communities can be successful without the use of non-native species.
Identification and recovery of topsoils are critical to success.
Biological rehabilitation works well together with topsoil seedbank to establish a path to ecological recovery.
Low level mechanised approaches to heavy-lifting of material in topographic filling can be effective but a dependence on mechanisation in the later stages of rehabilitation is not recommended. Overuse of machinery in these latter phases can result in reduced capacity for biological recovery.
FRM can be applied in abandoned areas, where mineral reserves are exhausted, and it can also be integrated into current ASM operations to reduce rehabilitation efforts.
Handover and sign-off from local authorities is key to ensure ongoing commitment.

Documentation and dissemination of results

Establishment of National FRM working group with government and sectoral stakeholders

On the basis that government ministries are willing and able to work together to develop solutions to address impacts of ASM on the wider environment, Protected Areas and on stakeholders impacted by such mining activity, a national working group (which includes such ministries, agencies and relevant representative stakeholders) needs to be established. This will help steer the process of project engagement with local government, artisanal miners and wider stakeholders at the local level to set the scene for Frugal Rehabilitation Demonstration (FRD). A key step in this process is to select sites for FRD that can serve the development and application of the methodology within the ecological, economic and social context. The purpose of establishing this FRM working group is to ensure a participatory, consultative approach to the development of the methodology, and to enable a demonstration site selection process that ensures an informed and strategic approach based on agreed criteria. Sites selected for methodology demonstration need to be typical, representative and associated with formalised ASM capacity to undertake the rehabilitation.

The key enabling factors were the collaborative approach to developing the FRM and adequate resources to undertake the participatory approach both at meetings and in the field. The working group was involved in a coordinated travel program to select, assess, monitor and review rehabilitation progress and approaches at sites.

The working group’s participation and involvement in the development of the FRM was critical to its eventual endorsement and adoption. Key ministries and associated agencies played a role in selecting FRD sites, visiting them through the rehabilitation process and discussing the development of a methodology that was informed through action-research across a range of representative sites. It was also important to have exposure and engagement with formalised artisanal miners, who were keen to participate in the work and help develop a mechanism for promoting best practice and their association with such practice.

Planning phase

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Ministerial and Sectoral Alignment: a partnership-based approach to developing a Frugal Rehabilitation Methodology

Acknowledging and identifying conflicts between ministries and sectoral stakeholders is important. It is important at the early stages of an initiative to recognise these problems and to establish and work through a consultative platform to make the case for a methodology that is of value to all stakeholders, that is inclusive of artisanal miners and the stakeholders impacted by such mining as well as government ministries. It is only through such collaboration that a methodology can be developed that addresses environmental concerns, meets artisanal miners needs for performance-based incentives and access to land, and can be valued by government in formalising condition-based permitting for mining. It is within the context and platform of engagement that the FRM can be demonstrated to be of value to all stakeholders, and deliver outcomes at the local as well as national level.

Government recognition of range of problems across the sector
Government alignment on best environmental practices and effective enforcement
Government willingness to engage in wider partnerships to assess problems associated with informal ASM and to seek solutions and incentives for better environmental practices
National and stakeholder willingness for ASM formalisation to be conditional on environmental performance
ASM sector willing to implement FRM
Stakeholders willing to endorse ASM licensing based on improved environmental practices

It is critical for the initiative to have support from the national government, as a gateway to engaging with local government and other local stakeholders impacted by artisanal mining. Also, it is important that leading ministries that may potentially hold conflicting views (e.g. mining and environment) appreciate and support the initiatives’ capacity for developing solutions and approaches that can deliver benefits of interest to all parties (ministries).

Documentation and dissemination of results

Rehabilitation (lining) of canals to reduce seepage losses

Rehabilitation works at irrigation canal at Sughdiyon village

GIZ

Checking the quality of concrete lining at canal rehabilitation in Sughdiyon village

GIZ

Concrete lining of irrigation canal in Sughdiyon village is almost finished

GIZ

New concrete reinforcement in old irrigation canal

GIZ

Measuring of irrigation water flow in rehabilitated canal

GIZ

Many irrigation canals are either made as earth canals only or the concrete lining is broken. Leaking canals lose substantial amounts of water, which is consequently not available for irrigation. Furthermore, if affected by flood and debris flows, such canals can easily break and cause substantial damage.

The communities and land users together with the district water management authorities chose the sections requiring reinforcement and lining. Works were implemented with technical and financial support by GIZ, which provided the engineers guiding the rehabilitation measures and financed the purchase and transportation of materials. Communities and land users carried out the works through "hashar", the joint communal voluntary work.

The rehabilitated irrigation canals provide safe and stable irrigation water supply, waterlogging and flooding of lands alongside the canals is prevented. The further maintenance is carried by the local communities through their mahalla (village commitees) and jamoats (communal self-governance structure at sub-district level).

The combination of sound engineering knowledge and suitable materials - financed by the donor - with the willingness of the community members and land-users to contribute their time in form of voluntary work made the solution possible.

The key for success is in the combination of good engineering skills and adequate materials with the work contribution of the local people. A fully externally funded and implemented rehabilitation would not have achieved the ownership and future maintenance. Thus it would likely have been less sustainable. On the other hand, without external engineering skills and provision of suitable materials the communities and land users would not have been able to implement the works in good quality.

Entirety

Local

Efficient irrigation

Outlet of reservoir for drip irrigation with valve for fertilizer application

GIZ

Efficiency of irrigation can be improved in terms of sourcing of irrigation water, distribution and field level use. Site-specific improvements have been introduced, which can serve as models. They include:

1. Sourcing of irrigation water:

- Use of of subsurface water flow in dry riverbeds;

- Use of rainwater harvest from house roofing for small vegetable fields;

- Use of wells with low water discharge in combination with water tower and reservoir to allow for drip irrigation of small orchards and melone fields.

2. Water distribution:

- Lining of irrigation canals with high seepage losses;

- Improved water diversion structures for allocation of optimum water quantities.

3. Efficient irrigation of crops:

- Drip irrigation of various crops, e.g. onion, potato, corn, melon, apple;

- Sprinker irrigation of potato.

The major enabling factors are the collaboration of various actors - water management departments and agricultural departments at district level, village administrations, extension service, communities and farmers.

Drip and sprinkler irrigation have been successfully tested in various crops, but the economic viability of these efficient irrigation technologies varies. Drip irrigation is only economically viable where limited irrigation equipment can allow for production of high yield of expensively sold crops, e.g. fruits and melons. For mass crops, like onion and potato, the investment required is too high compared to the prices achieved for the harvest. However, if irrigation water becomes more scarce, irrigation equipment becomes more affordable and/or prices of agricultural products increase, this situation may change and drip irrigation may become affordable for such crops as well.

Sprinkler irrigation already nowadays can be efficient where increasing temperatures challenge the productivity and quality of potato crop.

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Partnerships

The project fostered collaboration amongst organisations to work together on a topic of current global interest, Chain of Custody and Traceability.

The main organisations working on this project were MDPI, an Indonesian implementation NGO, AP2HI, an industry association bringing together progressive handline and pole and line tuna companies and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Smart-Fish Indonesia.

All organisations have a strong interest in ensuring industry progress towards and understanding of traceability, and require strong industry relationships to ensure successful project outcomes. This collaborative project allowed organisations with different backgrounds, interests, expertise and objectives to coordinate and work towards achieving their interests within this field.

This approach allowed us to ensure close collaboration with industry, to get their permission to audit their supply chains and to work directly with them on improvement. The collaboration ensured additional funds were available to be leveraged to broaden the focus of the project from not only Chain of Custody but also on the more general concept of traceability, relevant to increasing market and regulatory demands.

New import regulations are coming online in the US market in 2018 and suggestions have been made that the EU will update their regulations within 2018-2019. This made the industry aware that changes and improvements within supply chains are necessary to meet market demands. International projects such as the Smart-Fish Indonesia program and the USAID Oceans project are focusing on the topic of data, traceability and transparency making collaboration easier at this time.

Coordination between various organizations, as was the case in this project, takes time and energy which should be factored into work-planning and budgeting from the onset. This should be taken into account for the implementation phase and for the contracting and reporting phases of a project.

Managing other organisations, in the form of sub-contracts in a wider project, requires very detailed work-planning and deliverable expectation discussions. The outcome of the project relies on good communications about the deliverables and expectations.

All organisations in a larger collaborative effort can work on their own objectives, but a combined vision and some combined objectives are useful to accelerate progress and add strength to the validity and need of the promoted topic. An agreed shared vision can reduce the potential for conflicting approaches being communicated to stakeholders and external partners of the project.

Entirety

National

Enhanced Service Delivery

Users of hydrological and meteorological data in Japan have grown significantly in number with the development of new technologies and sectors; from aviation and shipping to public services such as weather forecasting, there is increasing pressure on hydromet services to provide accurate, real-time information.

Today, up-to-date information on severe weather events is provided to the general public by the JMA, in collaboration with central and local disaster management authorities and other key stakeholders. Reaching first responders and the general public is a critical component of Japan’s effective early warning system, and early warnings at the municipality level have improved over the last decade largely in part to better communication and cooperation between stakeholders.

For example, MLIT’s Erosion and Sediment Control Department established a partnership with prefectural governments to promptly issue landslide alert information to at-risk citizens.

Financial resources and will to enhance service delivery.
Collaboration across government and private sectors to ensure optimal service delivery.

A comprehensive multi-hazard approach should be adopted, with collaboration between relevant actors such as disaster management agencies, local governments and private sector entities.
Early warning systems must be able to deliver essential information to first responders and the general public at the local level.
The end-user’s needs should inform and shape the development of hydrological and meteorological services, such as delivering clear information through the most appropriate medium.

Modernization of Systems

The effort to modernize hydrological and meteorological systems in Japan began in the 1950’s and continues to the present day. For example, the JMA Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) is a network of over 1,300 automatic weather stations that was incrementally upgraded from the 1970’s. The system is now capable of collecting data sets from key stations every minute and can deliver information to end-users within 40 seconds. This data serves as a crucial input for early warning systems and enables accurate tracking of weather patterns. Another major milestone has been the series of Geostationary Meteorological Satellites (Himawari-1 to Himawari-8) which have further strengthened hydromet services in not only Japan, but across the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, the Japan Meteorological Business Support Center (JMBSC) and the Foundation of River & Basin Integrated Communications (FRICS) work to ensure the broader use of hydromet data by municipalities, the general public, and private sector actors.

Sufficient financial resources and technical know-how to modernize systems.
Political will to mobilize resources towards modernization of systems.

Strong, quality-assured, user-centric observation systems are critical for delivery of effective hydrological and meteorological services and underpin climate change adaptation and DRM strategies such as river management practices and establishment of early warning systems.
A “second” operating center, such as a back-up facility that can resume all essential functions and services in the case of an emergency, should be established in order to ensure business continuity.