Implementation | PANORAMA

Reduce demand on wood energy

Box kiln for charcoal production

@giz

Training on efficient charcoal production

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Distribution of cook stoves

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Two approaches to the energy-efficient use of wood energy have been introduced in the project communities. 5000 efficient charcoal cookstoves and 5 mobile charcoal kilns (Adam box kiln) have been distributed for improved charcoal production and consumption. The box kiln has been proven to have an efficiency of 30% compared to traditional kilns and is easier and cheaper to construct than conventional metal kilns. The local communities have been trained in the operation of the metal box kiln. In addition, training of trainers was conducted to introduce other more efficient ways of charcoal production like e.g. the Casamance technique.

The majority of the charcoal producers in Ghana are using the earth mound technique to produce charcoal with low efficiency of mostly below 20%. With improved techniques, efficiencies can be improved by up to 35% which can half the demand for wood for producing the same amount of charcoal. In addition, carbonisation is done in fewer days and needs less work labour.

Charcoal producers welcomed the box kiln due to the faster carbonization, higher efficiency and less work (e.g. no digging of soil). As the charcoal producers work mainly individual it is important to establish producer groups so the kiln can be used continually. As the charcoal production normally takes place where the trees are logged, it is also important to arrange a transportation system for the box kiln or use it beside the established energy wood plantations where higher amounts of biomass are available.

Implementation

Local

Sustainable management of forest resources

Training on bush fire controlling

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Bush fire danger index sign board

@giz

Training in forest monitoring

@giz

Logging of trees in natural forests for charcoal and fire-wood production is mostly unregulated and not monitored in Ghana. This leads to overexploitation and unsustainable forest management. The implementation of an inventory and monitoring system which based on communities’ needs is key to achieve sustainable forest management.

Community forest management plans were developed which integrate the sustainable management of the project restoration and energy wood plantation sites, but also the protection of selected zones like e.g. river buffers and general management of the forest resources. Regular uncontrolled bushfires destroy upcoming natural regeneration and planted tree seedlings. A bush fire management system was therefore integrated in the plans as well and supported by the training of fire volunteers in patrolling and suppression of uncontrolled fires

Communities and charcoal producers need to be well integrated in the development of a forest monitoring and management system. Beside that it needs to be supported by the local authorities to determine, for example the sustainable volume of wood which can be annually harvested and to select zones and tree species which should be protected from logging. For a functionable bush fire management it is key that especially farmers and herdsman are aware about the risks and damages uncontrolled fires can cause and how they can control them.

Local culture is central for innovation

Project, especially aiming at technical innnovation (such as agricultural production) seldom take into consideration local culture.

However local culture that includes local knowledge, systems based on specific values and worldviews is at the basis of livelihoodsn including agricultural production.

Co-designing interventions using multiple sources of knowledge

External innovations are always perceived as a threat to local practices and culture and are met with scepticism by local stakeholders, a priori.

Interventions should favour local knowledge and practices and/or promote the emergence of innovation by the local stakeholders themselves, instead of them being imposed.

Implementation

Local

No blue print

A ‘local community’ represents a heterogeneous group of people, characterized by their ethnic origin, political orientation and shared history, defining (dynamic) power relationships between it`s members.

Each community possesses therefore a ‘social capital’ that can be described as its capacity to respond to an external intervention (e.g. a project).

A blue print approach would therefore not be suitable.

No ´One solution` for all approach on different sites.

From the project teams` perspective, it means that the same approach used to engage and work with different communities will not produce the same results and that a good understanding of the local power relationships and governance systems will help in adapting the approach to the local context.

Inception phase

Implementation

Local

Process vs. Technical innovation

Most project aim at introducing technical innovation in the system (e.g., produciton system). If this was so simple, development projects would not be needed anymore.

More important than technicnal innovations are process innovations that target how people, institutions interact, negotiate and share a collective objective. Thoses processes are crucial for the sustainable management of natural resources.

Governance system specialists.

Particpatory approaches.

Understanding the difference between ‘technical innovation’ and ‘process innovation’ and why the former needs the latter to succeed, especially for the sustainable use of natural resources.

The project team needs to acknowledge that they may not necessarily be introducing novel technology, but just a different way of implementing existing technology involving inclusive governance systems

Implementation

Local

Fully transdisciplinary project

ProSuLi being a development project implemented by researchers, we wanted to test if a full transdisciplinary project could make sense for the benefit of TFCA.

No activities were imposed on final beneficiaries beside the participatory approach (that was flexible adapted ot each of the four sites' contexts).

The project’s hypothesis was that collective action supported by targeted capacity building and co-designed governance systems could result in a better appropriation of one’s livelihood and more sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of the whole social-ecological system.

Strong multidisciplinary project team, many of us already knowing each others and with many social science colleagues.

Time for trust building between project members and local actors / final beneficiaires (usually a 3-years project would not have enough time for such trust building).

Resources for mulitple interventions/missions that cannot be listed at the beginning of the project as the apporach needs to adapt to the local context (e.g., power-relationships between local actors).

Such a transdisciplinary project challenges all stakeholders, including academic principles and dogmas, because it demands embracing more complexity and accepting complex courses of action that are not ‘simple solutions’.

The project team needs to be transparent and willing to learn any existing lessons from previous and ongoing development interventions and to source additional expertise along the way.

Implementation

Monitoring

Local

Be creative with the methodology

Participants during daily quizz

GIZ

Training on an intersectoral topic such as climate change and health is more challenging for participants because their academic and practical background knowledge might not cover both topics. The training will likely cover a lot of new information for each participant. Given the complexity of the topic, it is even more important to develop and utilise a wide range of methodological approaches to maintain energy levels and focus during the training.

Interactive and innovative methods require good preparation from the presenters. It is often necessary to prepare aids or specific content. Using some methods can be challenging for participants who have never encountered them before and may take more time than originally anticipated.

Add several animated or guided group work sessions
- For example: divide participants into different subgroups (i.e. by disease type: vector-borne, water and foodborne, airborne, zoonotic, direct impact) and have them work out which diseases to choose, how to investigate the link (vulnerability assessment), and how to adapt to climate impacts (national public health adaptation planning)
Refrain from lengthy reports that repeat the previous day's content; instead, ask questions in the form of a group game (quiz);
Share slides and summaries so participants can interact more freely and don't feel the urge to note everything down;
Use a different icebreaker each day so the group gets to know each other better;
Schedule site visits, guest lectures, and organise poster presentations to be held by participants.

formation-ccs_toolbox.pdf

Multiple Grant Agreements

Working Group meeting

GIZ/ Klaus Peter Schnellbach

11 grant agreements have been given to NGO and academic institutions in the three countries of the Selva Maya to implement research and pilot projects on One Health. The call for applications was launched early 2021 and based on an assessment grid the grant recipients were selected. Criteria included innovation, replicability, and interdisciplinarity. The grantees currently implementing their projects include WCS, ARCAS, BWRC, the Universidad del Valle Guatemala, CINVESTAV, BIOS A.C., etc. The 11 recipients are automatically AOHSM members and share their project results on the website. Through their AOHSM membership they have connected and created synergies with other grant recipient projects for upscaling and replicating.

Enhanced visibility of research endeavours and work on the ground through AOHSM events translating project results from science to the policy level. Grant agreements are designed in a way that gives the recipient maximum flexibility in the implementation.

Constant communication between and with the grant recipients is necessary to ensure synergies and avoid duplications. Conditions on the ground such as heavy tropical rains can lead to delays that make contract addenda necessary.

It is also important to highlight the benefits for the grant recipients of being members of the Alianza and publishing their results on the website. Support needs to be offered where possible, since all grantees are confronted with a high workload.

Implementation

Multi-national

Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (MSP)

In multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs), stakeholders from the state, the private sector, civil society and academia plan, coordinate and implement joint activities to tackle the challenges of sustainable development. They use an agreed steering structure that enables them to function strategically and operationally. Smoothly functioning decision-making mechanisms are, among other things, crucial to cooperate across organisation. Yet, depending on the complexity of the issues involved, decision-making can be a challenging process. The AOHSM is based on the principle of collegial leadership, i.e. non-hierarchical and self-organised cooperation, proceeding on the basis of solution focussed action. The exchange amongst the AOHSM working groups is facilitated by rotating moderators. Currently, a governance structure for the AOHSM is being developed taking into consideration the opinions, ideas and experiences of key members of all working groups.

Cooperation, open communication, a clear understanding of the joint objectives, formally signed expressions of interest, official declarations of membership by institutions' authorities, voluntary dedication of time and efforts to the groups. Creative and participatory capacity building on the tool MSP and the One Health approach helped to convice and motivate the members.

The One Health approach requires constant and continuous explication using evidence and concrete examples on how it can be a solution to the region's environmental problems. Creative introduction to the topic as well as the identification of One Health champions in the three countries, and giving them international visibility at seminars and webinars, is useful to make the abstract approach implementable.

Inception phase

Implementation

Multi-national

Capacity Building MSP

Capacity Building One health

3D-printing

Archireef leverages the latest technologies in 3D printing to create artificial habitats that are truly ocean-friendly. With the algorithm-based adaptiveness and 3D printer’s versatility, our reef tiles have been proven 4 times more effective in keeping the corals alive than conventional methods, securing 95% of coral survivorship.

Most, if not all, players in the coral restoration industry involve the use of harmful materials such as concrete blocks and metal rebars. We use clay, which is a truly ocean-friendly material that is non-toxic to the ocean. We are also able to tweak the design of our biomimicry pattern based on the growth form of local species, allowing a 4X higher effectiveness in restoration success.

With full control over our R&D (via a hub in Hong Kong) and our production (via a facility in Abu Dhabi), we have established a strong basis for both new product development and full scale commercialisation. With this in mind, our 2025 goal is to expand our footprint to 10 large restoration sites across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.