Monitoring | PANORAMA

Use of the Organic-Based System of Rice Intensification as the preferred protocol for rice cultivation

farmers planting 8 day old rice plants one foot apart one plant per hill as per SRI specification

zidofa

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a group of agronomic management practices and principles which delivers optimum conditions for rice plants to manifest their fullest potentials for growth and yield. This climate and enviroment friendly method of rice cultivation uses 50 percent less irrigation water, requires 90 percent less seeds and allows for the cultivation of rice using only organic inputs with zero chemical or synthetic fertilizers.

SRI ensures that farmers in the group all use the same protocols or method of cultivation, use the same seed varieties and prepare organic inputs using the same formulas and use them in the same dosages. These ensure that quality of rice grains are consistently of high quality and of the same organic integrity from farmer to farmer.

Additionally, organic SRI plants exhibit substantial root architectures which allows them to withstand long periods of drought or extreme bouts of wind and rain. The deeply entrenched roots also allow for maximum uptake of nutriens and water as well as allows the rice plants to sequester deeper in the soil horizon, organic and photosynthetic carbon. The use of intermittent irrigation also lessens emissions of methane as a Green House Gas and the non-use of fertilizers reduce carbon emissions.

Key to the project would be the successfull execution of organic-based SRI practices and principles by the participating farmers. As such, continued training for SRI and organic agricultural practices should be conducted.

The availability of organic fertilizers and inputs is critical to replace the nutrients otherwise previously provided by synthetic fertilizers..

On-site and continuous farmer monitoring and mentoring will reduce risk and increase probability of succes especially for first time practitioners.

Volunteerism is key to success as the lack of farm labor could delay the execution of agronomic tasks related to SRI and will result in compounding of problems. If rotary weeding is delayed or not done as scheduled, weeds will grow out of control and will lead to failuer. If not enough organic inputs are avaiable and applied to the rice paddies and sprayed to the plants as foliar fertilizers, then yield will not be maximized.

Farmers who are too dependent tend to cheat and apply chemicals and poisons for diseases and pests when no one is looking. Random monitoring and strict mentoring discourages this. Only when the plants have shown their robust health will most first-timers be convinced that healthy organic rice plants can ward off pest and disease infestations on their own.

Lack of farm equipment will likewise adversely affect the planting and cultivation schedules. Preparing project proposals to government agencies should be done in advance as it may take a year or two for assitance and support to be placed in the pipeline for delivery

Documentation and dissemination of results

Visibility, communication, and guidance lead to replication

The first community garden was built by Mr. Temp and his brother on their own initiative on a plot of vacant urban land in front of Temp's house in São Paulo's East Zone.

Both have experience in organic agriculture: His brother runs their great-grandfather's farm in Agudo in the South of Brazil, and Temp, after having studied business management in Rio de Janeiro (1985-88), completed a two-years course in organic agriculture on a farm in Tübingen, Germany (1993-95).

The garden area had been abused as a dumping site. When neighbours saw the garden being built there instead, they became aware of and interested in this alternative kind of landuse. A group of people got together to help and to replicate the implementation of gardens. Temp guided them.

Today, having implemented 25 community gardens, he considers guidance crucial for the success of the gardens. Furthermore, this guidance needs to be continuous and intensive especially in the first year of a garden's implementation. Afterwards, community gardeners are able to manage their garden autonomously, but it is important for Cities Without Hunger to be present as contact persons and to lend bigger machines when needed.

guidance for the implementation of gardens: practical knowledge and experience in organic agriculture
visibility of garden in the neighbourhood
word-of-mouth communication between neighbours spread the word of the possibility to build community gardens

interested neighbours need continuous guidance on the ground for the implementation of gardens
visibility of gardens is crucial for people to understand that alternative landuses are possible, and evoke the desire to replicate these
gardens are successfully implemented on residents' own initiative rather than using top-down approaches

How Temp started the community gardens (German)

Closing the gap between city administration and local residents

Before he founded Cities Without Hunger, Hans Dieter Temp had worked as project coordinator in the city of São Paulo's public administration, supporting the creation of the Secretaria de Relações Internacionais da Prefeitura de São Paulo, the mairy's secretary for international relations. He found that the effort put into administrative tasks could do little to tackle the actual problems of local people in

the city districts, because the city administration was lacking staff responsible for such tasks, and because residents were lacking basic prerequisites to improve their situation. He wanted to close this gap and to be present on-site as coordinator to support the local network. In December 2003 he quit his job at the city administration and began the foundation process of Cities Without Hunger.

on-site experience in the socioeconomic deprived East Zone of the city
personal contact to residents of the East Zone
experience in city government and administration allowing for identification of a gap between administrative level and the local level of residents' daily life

In order to ensure the efficacy of administrative and governmental action, a close connection to local people is crucial.
Personal relationships to people whose situation shall be improved by administrative and governmental action can be very helpful in identifying actual needs and starting points for action.

Upscaling of implementation of Dynamic Agroforestry Systems

The producer family with their garden is always linked with a broader sphere, such as the relationships between gender and generations, the social organisation, community, local and international markets, the cultures, and – something often overlooked as important – religion and/or spirituality. These aspects, however, should be considered within the concept of training.

The proposed methodology is based on a period of intensive theoretical and practical training of local trainers (facilitators) and lead farmers. In addition, the participants must "rebuild" their knowledge on their own plots of land. Individual practice must be supervised and accompanied by a senior trainer experienced in Dynamic Agroforestry.

Lead farmers present their practical know-how and document the processes experienced in the following installation period. In this way, a practical implementation of the concepts worked on can be achieved within a concrete context for the production level of a rural family.

Upscaling is achieved as followed:

- 1 local trained facilitator trains 10 lead farmers

- 10 lead farmers accompany 5 to 10 farmers each in implementing DAF

- 10 trainers accompany 100 lead farmers

- 100 lead farmers = 500 to 1000 followers

- A long term concept of developing programs for at least 5 years

- Participitory institutional framework

- Commited and open-minded staff

- Budget for training, follow up, equipment, and monitoring

- Accurate selection of local trainers and lead farmers

- Practically skilled SAF senior trainers

- Access to market for cash crops

- Short term benefits for farmers (anual crops, less labour, no expenses for external inputs)

The most important experience is the benefit of land preparation without fire. The advantage of SAF can be seen already after a couple of months, which helps to encourage farmers to extend learning plots step by step to the whole plantation. Short-term economic needs foster monocultures with expensive external inputs, creating more short-term economic needs. Also, agriculture is not a desirable future for many, and the young migrate to cities (generational conflict). National mega-projects such as dams threaten local initiatives. Other adverse conditions are unfulfilled basic needs, bad infrastructure and extreme climate conditions that impede dedication to long-term SAFS initiatives. However, we note an increasing awareness of the importance to preserve trees and biodiversity, and interest in SAF because of the need to restore soil fertility, and because families see that those who implement the mode are being less affected by climate change impacts, have better working conditions, healthier and more diverse food, and better markets (e.g. for organic cacao, coffee, coconut or coca).

Planning phase

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

National

Building Sustainable Value Chains Based In Local Biodiversity

Runa works to build sustainable value chains for innovative products based in local biodiversity. Runa focuses on products that are emblematic of local culture and have a history of use and sustainable production among the indigenous communities we work with. Runa supports local producers to access a variety of market opportunities that balance value-added activities, stable market access, and the ability to sell any excess production locally. Runa works with communities to create spaces for smallholder farmers to turn traditional productive systems into sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Runa’s success in developing sustainable value chains can be attributed to collaboration with locals to utilize their vast knowledge of agricultural and non-timber forest products and production techniques and the existing demand in international markets for novel and exotic products. Though new value chains require investments of time and resources, Runa has been able to provide financial and capacity building support and assume risks that otherwise might incur to farmers and impede their participation or the success of the project.

In order to create sustainable value chains based in biodiversity, Runa recognizes the importance of working directly with producers to develop strategies and formalize best practices for small holder farmers. Our analysis shows that in the beginning years of market development for a new crop, it is unlikely that market forces alone will be able to incentivize ecological and socially sustainable production, especially as dictated by the Fair Trade and USDA organic standards. Additional support is necessary to cover the costs required to achieve social and ecological impacts while economic sustainability develops. We have also learned that high demand and stable prices are necessary for farmers to invest in adopting new management practices to improve production. A farmer’s access to a stable market and confidence that they will be able to sell their crop makes them more likely to take the risk of experimenting with new techniques without the fear of economic loss from an income generating activity.

Implementation

Monitoring

National

Strengthening Farmer Associations

Runa Foundation’s strategy for community development is to create strong community-based organizations and associations that can invest money and resources into their own development to improve livelihoods. Over the past 3 years, there has been a great deal of organizational advancement among the guayusa producer associations. Unlike other parts of Latin America, there is not a strong history of agricultural cooperatives in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Given this context, we prioritized Fair Trade Certification and strengthening farmer’s capacity for organization and resource management, in order to ensure that indigenous producers are able to connect with markets in a way that is just and equitable. One of the main components of success in establishing producer associations has been to mimic the functioning of current governance structures that are used locally to manage communities, land, or resources. Instead of imposing a structure that has worked successfully in other parts of Latin America, producers determine the structure and function of their associations, and we work with them to build a governance system that is efficient and legitimate in the eyes of producers.

The advancement of associations can in part be attributed to the participation and buy-in from local actors, which creates and defines a work structure for planning, coordination, and monitors the progress of the associations. A structure that is flexible and able to adapt to the needs of individual associations is essential. This often requires investing more time and resources to have additional meetings or workshops to ensure that the associations are building capacity to advance in a sustainable way.

It is sometimes difficult to motivate associations to participate in the many activities required for the certification of their product. For established crops such as coffee and cacao, the anticipated purchase volumes, higher prices, and established markets for certified products help to ensure that sales and the social premium contribution from their Fair Trade certification act as a sufficient incentive. However, as a novel product, the lack of market stability jeopardizes continued and quality participation of producers and associations. We have also learned the importance of creating mechanisms for collaboration among all stakeholders involved in the value chain and establishing clear guidelines to lead our work. Over several years we have been collaborating directly with the associations as well as private- and public-sector actors and analyzing and revising the different activities involved in the guayusa value chain utilizing an adaptive management approach that has been highly successful for this collaborative work.

Implementation

Monitoring

National

Use of natural indicators

In order to be able to interpret and effectively respond to ecosystem variability and change, wild flora and fauna were also used as indicators. Farmers observed the development of wild plants and the development and behavior of wild animals, and used this information to plan and adjust land management. For example in Roslagen, Sweden, the size of birch leaves can give an indication of when to sow. The presence of certain plant species gives an indication on soil quality.

Being in an environment where natural habitat co-exists with the agro-ecosystem and is protected enables the use of natural indicators.

In variable conditions, the timing of planting and harvesting is critical. Natural indicators capture multiple information that is important for crop success or at least reducing failure.

Implementation

Monitoring

Local

Exchange of Traditional Knowledge

Input from all genders and ages will capture a greater diversity of ideas

The Nature Conservancy

When conducting a P3DM workshop in a place with a high percentage of an indigenous community (like Palau), the utility of traditional knowledge is invaluable and irreplaceable. The format of a P3DM workshop can help capture traditional knowledge better than many planning exercises, and can ensure the prolonged preservation of such knowledge by storing it in a tangible model.

The P3DM captures traditional knowledge through organized, structured discussions around the model. Advanced planning to advertise the event is important for word of mouth to reach those living in more isolated communites. Semi-structured interviews around the model can capture most of the ideas; attention should be given to quieter participants who may shy away from sharing in crowds.

Representation by the elderly community; high demand for such a workshop to take place (the greater the enthusiasm, the greater the knowledge input); access to researching traditional knowledge in advance through surveying or literature review; spreading news of the workshop early by word of mouth

- Involve a process during the workshop where elders interact directly with the younger generation so that such a learning exchange occurs directly and in real time

- Elders typically demonstrate more traditional knowledge and are able to supplant important spatial information that does not exist in modern land use plans – it is critical to get as much involvement from them as possible. Reach out to them at early stages

Implement an awareness raising campaign

Interactive booth with educational games and lionfish tasters

Blue Ventures

Social marketing campaign banner

Blue Ventures / Cobalt Creative

In order to establish a commercial lionfish market, it is important to understand the perceptions of stakeholders (particularly fishers and restaurant owners) and the general public towards catching and eating lionfish. For example, in a survey of the general public undertaken in Belize in 2015, around half of respondents who had not eaten lionfish stated that they would not try a free sample because they believed it to be dangerous. Furthermore, lionfish exploitation was significantly associated with knowledge about the invasion.

Once the barriers and misconceptions around catching/eating lionfish have been identified, they can be resolved by developing a targeted outreach programme with the general public and social marketing campaign targeting restaurants and consumers that informs people about the lionfish invasion in a way that reflects local concerns and values.

Activities may include:

cooking demonstrations
educational presentations
lionfish tasting events (held in partnership with local restaurants/cooks)
safe-handling workshops
interactive, educational booths with lionfish tasters

Specialized surveys with particular groups:

interviews with fishers to understand barriers to lionfish fishing, including the economic viability of lionfish markets compared to traditional fisheries markets
questionnaires with restaurant owners / seafood suppliers to identify attitudes about lionfish and barriers to increased lionfish exploitation
surveys amongst the general public to assess their knowledge about the invasion, and their perceptions of lionfish as a seafood dish

To reach a wide range of audiences, awareness raising activities can be held at many different kinds of events including food festivals, lionfish tournaments, and with schools, restaurants and recreational dive tours.

Safe-handling workshops are ideally carried out as a knowledge exchange, led by a fisher or fishers already engaged in lionfish fishing.

Monitoring regeneration of ecosystem

Monitoring plot

RSPB

Monitoring was undertaken in four main areas:

- Vegetation: the colonisation by saltmarsh plants, and development of saltmarsh communities

- Benthic invertebrates: particularly of species important as food sources to wintering waterbirds

- Use by wintering waterbirds

- Sedimentation & geomorphology

It was undertaken pre-breach and post breach annually for 4 years (until 2007), as a PhD study. After that monitoring was completed in 2009, 2011 and 2014.

University programmes such as PhDs and Masters courses, as well as volunteer organisms provide reduced cost monitoring. A PhD study and a few Masters projects provided monitoring data. A contract ecologist and an apprenticeship partnership also provided data. Formal bird monitoring has been supplemented by regular monitoring of wintering waterbirds via the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) scheme and ad-hoc informal monitoring by reserves staff (e.g. collecting records during site visits).

After an initial intensive period of monitoring (from PhD), the frequency of monitoring was reduced due to lack of resources and requirement. Working with student projects, and other means for continual monitoring is essential because it produces evidence required on the effectiveness of the scheme.

Furthermore, continual observation of a site helps indicate management thereof. For instance, a fence used to bisect the site, but is was removed in 2015 after observation that it impeded bird usage of the other side of the fence.

Monitoring

Review phase

Local