The participation of civil society in co-management
Authorities and civil society gathered
GRUPAMA
Meeting of authorities and civil society
GRUPAMA
Civil society acts as the driving force and articulator of the biodiversity conservation and nature tourism development proposal.
On the other hand, participation and co-management ensure a broad base of society to implement the proposal.
Local NGOs know the reality and problems of the area and are in horizontal contact with the inhabitants. In addition to identifying the problems, they can and should contribute to their solution.
In general, civil society maintains continuity of proposals over time, while political actors alternate due to electoral changes.
On the other hand, civil society maintains its focus and centers its interest on the project, while the authorities must attend to a number of issues that dilute their attention.
Notwithstanding the above, CSOs can make contributions in cultural, artistic and sports issues.
At the beginning, the loss of power implicit in co-management generated some discomfort among political actors. It is difficult to accept the interference of third parties who are not elected by popular vote.
It was also difficult for the representatives of civil society to determine exactly the limits of their powers and not to exceed them.
Pluralism and non-partisan group action, even if each individual maintains his or her own preferences and political activities, has served to reduce the fears of political actors and to gain their respect and that of the community.
Community resource governance in support of protected area and landscape planning (top-down/bottom-up synergy)
MEP used Mali’s decentralisation legislation to create, with local people, a model of “elephant-centred” CBNRM. This legislation performed a vital enabling function that resulted in a model of resource governance at the village and commune levels, that was enshrined in local and commune conventions, as well as the commune socio-economic development plans. The MEP then worked with government to further reinforce these systems by drafting new legislation that created a new protected area covering the whole of the elephant migration route using a biosphere model which supported the community conventions. The aim was to give a mandate to the government foresters to be able to support local communities in the enforcement of their conventions if need be, thereby strengthening the community systems. This aligns government and community interests to mutually reinforce each other and provide a cost-effective approach to reserve management. This top-down approach complements the bottom-up approach of community engagement.
The model of “Elephant-centred” CBNRM that had been devised.
The importance of enabling legislation to catalyse grass-roots empowerment.
The need for a neutral “facilitation” agency to bring the different parts of the community together.
The speed of the process of creating new legislation is lengthy and depends on the degree to which government partners are engaged and championing the initiative, however NGOs can provide technical support and reminders to generate forward motion.
Promoting sustainable livestock management to support livelihoods and conservation
Livestock extension services with the community
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Livestock plays a critical social and economic role in Laikipia – over 50% of the land is under livestock production. This building block aims to support local rural communities increase livestock productivity whilst reducing environmental damage. The approach supports livelihoods as well as addresses key threats to biodiversity.
Livestock extension services improve skills and knowledge in all aspects of livestock husbandry and natural resource management. Artificial insemination services are provided at affordable prices to improve cattle quality and can demand higher prices. Training and support are provided on:
Husbandry – livestock disease management, health care, administration of drugs to prevent disease.
Resource management – water and land management including best practice grazing management to support livestock and reduce land degradation.
Alternative micro-enterprise – aimed at women and youth, support in establishing enterprises such as poultry and beekeeping.
Trained farmers are encouraged to share their knowledge and skills with other community members. This approach means more people are reached. Livelihoods are enhanced as well as building support for conservation through benefit-sharing.
Community engagement – building strong relationships with local communities to engage in the initiative and ensure the services meet their needs.
Needs driven design – ensure extension services are designed in such a way that they address the needs of and are important to the pastoralist communities.
Trusted engagement with communities – important to build strong relationships with regular dialogue, to listen to their needs, and provide opportunities for feedback.
Address the whole value chain – need to understand the whole chain, where there might be gaps, and how they can be addressed. For example, access to drugs emerged as an issue as the current supply was a very long distance away and unaffordable. We supported communities to access micro-finance, and facilitated local and fair priced access to drugs.
Promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing – encourage farmers’ groups to work together, share learning from training with their peers and neighbours. This collective action also had benefits of greater buying power through economies of scale.
Sustainable and integrated productive land management approach
Integrating livestock and wildlife
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
The innovative integrated land management approach was pioneered by Ol Pejeta and other conservancies in Laikipia County, Kenya. It is a nature-based solution that enables a healthy habitat for wildlife and generates income that can be reinvested in conservation and community development. The approach has been implemented since 2004, along with a community development programme that includes agriculture extension services.
Cattle are integrated with wildlife across the conservancy in carefully managed grazing patterns that replicate the ancient movement of vast herds of ungulates that used to roam the land. As cattle are moved across the rangeland, grasses are kept short and healthy, encouraging those species and new growth that sustains wild herbivores. Cattle are kept in mobile bomas overnight to protect them from predation. This concentration also creates ecological hotspots where manure fertilizes new grass growth. The bomas are relocated every 1–14 days, depending on the weather.
The grass-fed cattle are of high quality and demand premium prices. They are sold under our Conservation Beef brand, generating income for Ol Pejeta. This approach means the land is productive as well as provides healthy habitat that supports a wide range of wildlife species. It also enables benefit-sharing of conservation for communities.
Strong management – ensuring cattle numbers achieve the right balance of rangeland management, productivity, and healthy habitat for wildlife.
Community engagement – building strong trusted relationships with the community to support the approach.
Adaptive management – continuous monitoring of the habitat, wildlife interactions, and cattle densities, to inform adaptation strategies as necessary.
Robust monitoring – ensuring grazing patterns and intensity are carefully managed so that habitat is maintained, and wildlife interactions are managed.
Boma rotation – understanding when to move the mobile cattle bomas as this is dependent on the weather. For example, in dry periods the bomas can remain in situ for 14 days compared to 1-3 days in wet weather.
Market linkages – importance of building strong networks along the supply chain, ensuring products reach market and price volatility is managed.
Community engagement – importance of strong relationships with the community to engage in the initiative as well as general support for the approach.
Sustainable and integrated productive land management approach
Promoting sustainable livestock management to support livelihoods and conservation
Community conservation of bonobos and southern Basankusu forests through local development
Tilapia nilotica fish farming project
Production étang piscicole des tilapia de l'OP ACEWAMOTO
Sheep pilot project
Les moutons de l'OP ACHAEBO de Bokeka dans leur pâturage
Awareness activity
Sensibilisation communautaire des communautés de Mondjondjo I en présence de notre visiteur Japonais, le Dr SAKAMAKI
In order to enable community-based, participatory and inclusive conservation, local development is a very important and relevant component in the implementation of our actions.
That's why we decided to initiate an approach centered on local communities living near the biotopes we are promoting for the conservation of bonobos and their associated habitats. By responding favorably to community needs and feelings, and by supporting them in the rational, reasoned and sustainable management of their natural and acquired resources, we have achieved success rates of up to 85% for our solution.
The various micro-projects put in place (goat rearing, pig rearing and pilot fish farming; family vegetable gardens; micro-trades and others) have been replicated by the beneficiary associations and by 75% of the inhabitants throughout the project area, and have helped to increase the income of local communities, enabling them to meet their material, financial and food needs. So far, this has been an effective solution to the problem of preserving biodiversity in general, and bonobos and their habitats in particular.
Involving local communities in socio-economic surveys and environmental awareness campaigns,
Support for micro-projects implemented by local beneficiary communities,
The commitment of local communities to the sustainable replication of these micro-projects,
The involvement of local authorities in supporting GACEBB in its actions,
The dedicated and willing involvement of GACEBB's technical team (animators-accompanists).
Taking charge of projects implemented on the basis of the consents (CLIPs) of the local communities themselves,
Always be a structure that works in communion with local communities,
Not dictating to communities what values they should live by, but always listening to them and accompanying them,
Favoring an information and training approach to promote their socio-environmental awareness in favor of threatened species and their habitats, as well as in their own favor (eco-development).
Conservation through ecological monitoring of primates and other large fauna species
Ecological monitoring
Les 4 pisteurs de Bokeka (forêt Nkoso/Ikela) avec les animateurs de GACEBB
Bonobo Ecological Monitoring Activity (SEB)
Prise en image d'un nid de bonobo dans le bloc Soolo (Forêt Etate)
To achieve community-based, participatory conservation of bonobos and their associated habitat, we believe it is essential to monitor primates, i.e. bonobos and other species of small monkeys, as well as other species of large fauna. To this end, the NGO GACEBB is working with local communities to select Community Trackers (CTs) with proven expertise in the forest in question to carry out ecological monitoring of these species, and to record on a pre-established form whether the numbers of the flagship species (the bonobo) are increasing or decreasing, and also whether human pressures are decreasing or increasing, as well as ascertaining whether or not other species of large fauna are present.
The involvement of the local communities concerned, the commitment of the chosen Community Trackers, the commitment of the local authorities to support GACEBB in its actions, GACEBB's implicit response to the needs (felt to be priorities) of the local communities expressed during the socio-economic surveys and the dedicated commitment of the GACEBB team despite the meagre salary are just some of the factors influencing the success of our actions.
Let communities express their consent to any action,
Encourage the involvement of all social groups in your conservation actions,
Strive at all costs to remain a local structure, i.e. one that listens to local communities, responds to their expressed needs and applies transparency in project management,
Always be proactive in knowing how to support communities in the face of current challenges (disappearance of biodiversity, resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, etc.).
The project had a number of innovative elements. It brought together the elements of a smartphone (camera, gps, dropdown menu's) and designed a recreational site management system to utilise them - this is a world first.
It is an open system so additional devices can be added - people counters, flood monitors all via Internet of things (IOT)
- trusted local company to work on the project was essential
- worldwide approach to sourcing and ideas (IOT devices sourced from New Zealand)
- having a project manager of 13 years outdoor recreation expierence and an innovatie thinker to develop and drive the project
Partner implementing company
We worked previously with a company that didn't work out as they were only commited to the research phase rather than the project inisiative and management phase
Keep up to date
The area is changing quickly so it is important to keep watch for new developments and have a platform that can integrate them
Through this project I have brought together a number or local and national partners:
Organisation
Burren Geopark
Clare Local Development Company
Dept of Rural & Community Affairs
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Purpose
Each partner has either a local or national remit for an area in the project. By bringing them together we pool the resources and knowledge to deliver the system
Coordinging
The bringing together of all the bodies with each focusing on a specific area. As each partner joined they added an element to the system and then the other partners gained this feature.
These are public government funded bodies and the features they pay for are given provided to local comunities in a fremium model offering
Resources
Each organisation has resources and contacts that are utilised in the project.
The main lessons were:
- make sure you are meeting with a person who can make a decision
- show the benefits of the system
- show the advantages of the colaborative approach (tide rises all boats etc)
- give all partners credit as the program progresses
- analysis what a partner can give (they may be able to contribute time / work instead of financial)
