As a strategy of connection and contribution of the citizenship, because in the first edition (2013) We were able to finance all expenses, a conservation fund was generated from the collection of the cost of the registration of the event, the fund was delivered to the Promoter Group CPY and it was invested in conservation actions and sustainable use of the territory, with the fund was bought trap cameras for monitoring biodiversity.
This proposal was not sustainable for following editions, due to the considerable increase of the participation and the associated costs, currently we use the fee of the registrations to complete the event financing.
Have an emblematic conservation project in the region.
Having achieved the total financing of the initiative in its first year.
To have a permanent governance space (Cooperation System and CPY promoter group)
It is necessary to devote greater effort to the raising of economic resources to maintain the conservation fund.
To allocate the money raised in local projects, helps to strengthen the relationship between the promoter group and the community.
Having an external institution that helps finance 100% of the event, allows the creation of the conservation fund.
Capacity building to ensure the ecosystem approach
Reforestación para protección de fuentes de agua
Plan Trifinio @ Miguel Arévalo
Conservación de agua y suelos por medio de acequias de ladera
IUCN @ Paul Aragón
Bosque de aguacate
Plan Trifinio @ Miguel Arévalo
To improve local governance in the Sumpul River, it was crucial to mainstream the ecosystem approach into land management, and train accordingly water local governance structures, local authorities, and farmers. Together they implement EbA measures to face drought and variability such as: soil conservation practices, protected spring water and implemented agroforestry systems.
Capacity building was delivered to:
>100 farmers through a "learning by doing" approach to attain demonstrative results in the field. The EbA measures implemented focused on the ecosystem services of water and soil, on productive diversification and on mitigating the impacts of climate change and variability (winds and extreme rainfall) on crops and goods and improve water infiltration and availability in the area.
Water Committes on organizational and management skills as well as on integral water management, in order to influence their understanding of the importance of water ecosystem services.
Leader and farmer women were trained on communication skills.
Municipal officers were part of a regional climate change adaptation training and exchange of experience with other 30 local governements of Mesoamerica.
Synergies with existing projects and local organizations such as Plan Trifinio were crutial.
Exchanges of experience contribute to training processes and to motivate participants to take part in water governance, and recognize the learning value of actions that are carried out.
Ensuring the capacities of local organization is key to ensure the provision of water ecosystem services, and will always be a good investment.
Developing flexible governance frameworks for adaptation
Asamblea de la ADESCO Los Alvarados
Plan Trifinio @ Miguel Arévalo
Día de Campo: Aprendiendo sobre el beneficio de los bosques
Plan Trifinio @ Miguel Arévalo
Governance for adaptation requires flexible policy and legal frameworks. Therefore, the upper sub-basin’s governance platforms required management instruments that would enable those adaptation options and forms of governance that brought about the greatest socio-environmental benefits to be valued and institutionalized. The Internal Regulations of several ADESCO Water Committees and the sub-basin’s Binational Community Committee were drafted, with the latter also updating its Strategic Plan (five-year plan) and Annual Operating Plan.
The process took into account new dynamics and trends in the sub-basin, as well as the EbA approach. The formulation of municipal policies was also supported (Local Adaptation Plans for La Palma and San Ignacio, El Salvador). Given that adaptation to climate change is immersed in a series of uncertainties about future climate impacts and development trajectories, these frameworks and instruments must be constantly evolving, always taking into account lessons derived from field and governance experiences. In this way, adaptation to climate change can move forward under a flexible approach, and through iterative cycles, generate short-term strategies in view of long-term uncertainties.
The continuous presence and the rooting in the territory of Plan Trifinio is a powerful enabling factor that provides flexibility in decision making and also vertical scaling. This trinational entity works closely with communities and knows the territory well, yet also has political weight and leverage with authorities, as it is part of the Central American Integration System and is chaired by the Vice Presidents and Presidential Delegate of three countries (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras).
The Sumpul sub-basin has an Integral Management Plan, the implementation of which falls on all sub-basin stakeholders, and which could be revitalized based on the progress made with EbA and the strengthening of governance for adaptation. Flexible governance should contemplate the monitoring, evaluation and updating of this Integral Management Plan based on lessons of implementes projects.
The new management instruments prepared by the sub-basin’s governance platforms should in future be evaluated to determine how effective they were as adaptation responses. Any adjustments that result from this analysis will be a sign of flexible governance.
Multidimensional governance for adaptation of water resources
Miembros del Comité de Agua Los Alvarados
Plan Trifinio @ Miguel Arévalo
Miembros del Comité Comunitario Binacional de la Subcuenca del Río Sumpul
Plan Trifinio @ Miguel Arévalo
Estructura del Comité Comunitario Binacional de la Subcuenca del Río Sumpul
IUCN
Esquema de gobernanza en múltiples niveles
IUCN
Multilevel and multisectorial governance for adaptation implies working at multiple levels and with differente sectors. It requires creating connections for better articulation between territorial actors.
In the upper part of the Sumpul River sub-basin, this entailed working closely with grassroots (community-based) organizations to develop bottom up water resource management. This was done supporting the conformation of Water Committees linked with Community Development Associations (ADESCOs), the Municipalities and the Binational Community Committee.
The capacities of 4 Water Committees and their supply systems were strengthened and were thereafter formalized under municipal governance.
Moreover, and following the multilevel governance approach, the Binational Community Committe was strengthened throught restructuring advice, trainings, new management tools, and greater links with municipal governments. This Committee is now leading community water issues to prevent conflicts around water use.
Honduras legal framework (General Water Law) that defines different water basin governance structures; and in El Salvador the regulation of the ADESCO Water Committees, with a public health mandate.
The existence of the Binational Committee was key, since work did not start from scratch, but rather focused on their strengthening and restructuring, respectively.
The articulation of project and organization efforts across a territory is fundamental (e.g. between IUCN and Plan Trifinio)
The strengthening of existing local and community structures is vital, as these have the ability to sustain the progress and changes achieved in the territory, despite the alternation of local authorities.
The ADESCOs and the Binational Community Committee undertake important mediation tasks, since the management of water resources can generate conflicts due to the diversity of interests that converge on this issue.
The articulation of project efforts across a territory is fundamental (e.g. between the AVE and BRIDGE projects) to achieve greater impacts and efficiencies, through coordinated project agendas.
The BRIDGE project in the Goascorán River basin (El Salvador-Honduras) left the following lesson learnt that is also relevant in this case: "Water diplomacy does not necessarily follow a straight path. Effective strategies need to incorporate multiple dimensions and a phased approach, interconnecting existing and emerging structures in the basin."
Multidimensional governance for adaptation of water resources
Capacity building to ensure the ecosystem approach
Developing flexible governance frameworks for adaptation
The ecosystem approach into practice
Reforestation Day with local school kids / Reforestación involucrando a escolares
IUCN @ Paula Cruz
Reforestation Day with local school kids /Reforestación involucrando a escolares
IUCN @ Elías Cruz
Banner of the IV Binational Reforestation Journey / IV Jornada Binacional de Reforestación
IUCN @ Elías Cruz
Map of the Sixaola Binational River Basin / Mapa cuenca del Río Sixaola (Costa Rica-Panamá)
IUCN
Under an ecosystem approach, efforts seek to improve the livelihoods and resilience of ecosystems in order to reduce the vulnerability of local communities to the challenges of erratic rains, changing pf seasons, storms and consequent loss of crops. The EbA measures promoted are:
Restoration of riverbank forests to prevent river bank erosion during extreme storms and flash floods. This is promoted with annual Binational Reforestation Days and guided by a Restoration Opportunities study in river banks.
Agrodiversification was undertaken with local farmers to increase the number and varieties of crop species, fruit and wood trees in their plots, while combining with animals. This aim to improve the resilience of the system against erratic rainfall and changing seasonal patterns. The model is locally named as "integral farms".
Learning and exchange through a network of resilient farmers with knowledge on EbA.
Organization of agrobiodiversity fairs for the promotion and rescue of endemic seeds.
The model used a "learning by doing" approach and the adoption of iterative decisions that identify short-term strategies in light of long-term uncertainties. Learning and evaluation allows new information to be considered and inform policies at different levels.
Climate change and, in particular, changes in rainfall patterns, are factors that concern many basin stakeholders, which increases their willingness to prioritize actions that favour water and food security. As a result, many farmers agreed to incorporate sustainable agricultural practices in their farms, taking full ownership of them.
The integral farms model facilitates understanding of the value of ecosystem services and helps to substantiate governance with an ecosystem approach.
When promoting dialogues on EbA, traditional and indigenous knowledge and experiences concerning climate variability and natural resources must be taken into account. This not only favours coherency in the selection of EbA measures, but also allows elements to be captured that can inform the actions of agricultural extension agencies in the basin and enrich national and regional policies.
Indigenous knowledge is fundamental when it comes to knowing which seeds and crop varieties are best adapted to the socio-ecological context. Organization of agrobiodiversity fairs for the exchange and preservation of endemic species seeds intended to enhance the planting of native species. Some are more resilient against climate related stressors; a diverse farm enable and agro-ecosystems turns into protecting communities from negative impacts of climate change, providing food security.
The reforestation events proved to be highly valuable activities. This type of action leaves an indelible mark on children and youth, and motivates them to replicate the activity in the future.
Assembly Meeting Binational Commission / Asamblea de la Comisión Binacional de la Cuenca del Río Sixaola
IUCN @ Elías Cruz
Meeting with the Indigenous local assotiation, ADITICA / Reunión con ADITICA, una asociación indígena
IUCN @ Elías Cruz
The Binational Commission for the Sixaola River Basin (CBCRS) needed to diversify participation in the basin’s governance. Although it brought together actors from different sectors and levels of government (national and municipal), some actors were still missing (such as the Municipality of Bocas del Toro, Panama, which joined in 2016). The CBCRS management was not yet consolidated, because of its complex composition and that it had neither a binational territorial planning tool with which to articulate efforts on both sides of the border, nor its own budget. Through an extensive participatory process, the CBCRS drafted a Strategic Plan for Transboundary Territorial Development (2017-2021) and expanded its project portfolio. Encouraging participation in this process, and in bi-national activities, has created conditions for civil society and municipalities to take an active role in the implementation of the plan and adaptation actions. Providing a space particularly for women, youth and indigenous people, usually marginalized of decision making. CBCRS plan also urged greater equality in the access to and use of natural resources on which local communities depend, thus favouring those groups most vulnerable to climate change and creating a sense of ownership.
Communities are willing to participate in dialogue, learning, search for solutions and joint actions. Most stakeholders in the basin are concerned and affected by climate change excessive rainfall that causes flooding.
In order to achieve a broad participation, the integrating role of the CBCRS as a binational governance and dialogue platform, and of the (Talamanca-Caribe Biological COrridor Assotiation) ACBTC as a local development association, was indispensable.
In governance for adaptation, effective participation can enrich planning and decision-making processes, leading to results that are accepted by all parties involved
Coordination between projects, and initiatives such as the Central American Strategy for Rural Territorial Development (ECADERT) that provided funding for the first project awarded to the CBCRS, contribute to the up-scaling and sustainability of the actions.
Social participation and strengthening of organizational capacity, through the identification of spokespersons and leaders (amongst youth, women and men) is an important factor for the consolidation of these processes and, with it, governance structures.
Encouraging public participation increases dialogue and the assessment and incorporation of knowledge (technical and traditional), as well as the inclusion of lessons learned from each sector.
Future efforts should consider how to strengthen the incorporation of the agri-business sector (e.g. banana or cacao) into the governance for adaptation agenda.
Achieving multidimensional governance for adaptation
Encuentro de Gobiernos Locales frente al Cambio Climático
IUCN
Reunión con ADITICA, una asociación indígena
IUCN @ Elías Cruz
Membership of the Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin (CBCRS)
IUCN
Esquema de gobernanza en múltiples niveles
IUCN
The Binational Commission of the Sixaola River Basin (CBCRS) functioned as a multidimensional (multisectoral and multilevel) governance platform for the basin. The CBCRS brings together representatives from different levels of government and sectors (including indigenous peoples and the local private sector of both countries) but needed to attain more effective vertical and horizontal integration. The preparation of the Strategic Plan for Transboundary Territorial Development (2017-2021) had the effect of fostering inter-institutional and inter-sectoral coordination and cooperation, forging dialogues on national frameworks and local needs, and promoting EbA.
At the local level Eba measures such as agricultural diversification with integral farms and reforestation actions were implemented. The aim was beyond individual impacts, to scale up lessons to the basin scale, such as:
the CBCRS´s project portfolio
the coordination of binational activities, such as Agrobiodiversity Fairs.
the Biological Corridor Association of producers, which facilitated the exchange of experiences and peer-to-peer contacts (producers, municipalities)
The prior existence of the CBCRS (since 2009), covered under the Cooperation Agreement for Border Development between Costa Rica and Panama, was a key enabling factor, since the purpose of this binational structure (achieving greater transboundary coordination and leadership for good governance and the integral development of the basin) was fully consistent with the objective of improving adaptation capacities to climate change impacts in the basin.
Multidimensional governance is a central part of adaptive capacity. It is based on vertical integration of different stakeholders (local, subnational, national, regional), through the creation and/or strengthening of institutions where entities of multiple levels participate. It is combined with horizontal integration of sectoral authorities (public, private, civil society) in order to reduce isolated approaches in management and decision making, and allow mutual benefits and synergies between sectors and their adaptation needs to be identified.
In adaptation, inclusion of municipalities is vital, since they have a mandate in territorial management, but also responsibilities in the implementation of national adaptation policies and programs (e.g. NDCs, NAPs).
Peer exchanges (such as meetings between local governments) are an effective mean to awaken interest in the "natural solutions" offered by ecosystems.
The articulation of project efforts across a territory is fundamental (e.g. between AVE and BRIDGE in Sixaola) in order to achieve greater impact through a coordinated work agenda.
