Addressing Socio-Economic Needs Through Livelihood Alter-natives
Lead farmer, Owen Gomani in his banana orchard as part of livelihood boost
FAO
Potato in storage waiting for price hikes, The potato was grown at the rehabilitated Chiyata Irrigation to enable multiple cropping in a season
FAO
This building block aligns Farmer Field School (FFS) activities with the economic needs of local communities by introducing sustainable livelihood options. By teaching agroforestry, diversified crops and other commercial enterprises, FFS help farmers improve soil health, increase crop yields and find alternatives to unsustainable practices such as charcoal production. This approach provides economic incentives to adopt sustainable practices, demonstrating that FLR can improve both environmental and economic well-being.
Financial and logistical support from project partners enables the initial implementation of agroforestry and income-generating activities. Training on alternative livelihoods through FFS demonstrates the economic value of sustainable practices, making them more attractive to farmers.
Aligning FLR activities with local economic needs is essential for long-term success. When farmers see improved yields and increased incomes, they are more likely to adopt sustainable practices. Ensuring that restoration efforts contribute to immediate livelihood improvements motivates community members to actively participate in FLR.
Integrating Traditional Knowledge and Sustainable Practices
FFS combines traditional land management practices with sustainable FLR techniques, allowing communities to build on their existing knowledge. This integration respects cultural practices and promotes acceptance, facilitating the transition to sustainable land management. This step is also essential when communities make comparisons between what they are learning and their own knowledge/skills/practices.
A key component of FFS success is the integration of traditional knowledge, achieved through open dialogue with local elders and knowledge holders. Facilitators and project leaders are encouraged to understand and respect existing land use practices, which helps to integrate these practices with modern sustainable techniques. This culturally sensitive approach facilitates the acceptance of new methods, while increasing their effectiveness by building on familiar practices. Support from project partners ensures that traditional methods are respected and combined with ecological restoration techniques, increasing both community buy-in and practical relevance.
Combining traditional and modern practices makes FLR more relevant to local contexts. When restoration techniques resonate with familiar practices, communities are more likely to engage in and adopt FLR activities because these methods feel accessible and practical. When local knowledge forms the basis of the restoration approach, communities feel that they are partners rather than passive recipients of aid. This sense of ownership is essential for the long-term management of restored areas, as communities feel personally responsible for maintaining and protecting these landscapes. Traditional knowledge also often includes time-tested methods that are well suited to the local environment, such as specific planting cycles or water conservation practices adapted to seasonal weather patterns.
The NCW, in collaboration with local authorities, has implemented environmental regulations and established protected habitats to ensure the safety and sustainability of wildlife. These include a ban on hunting and the designation of protected zones. Measures have also been taken to prevent the collisions of birds with high-voltage power lines.
Invasive species management plan was prepared and implemented to deal with invasive birds as well as invasive plant species on the Island. Important invasive bird species on Farasan include Common myna Acridotheres tristis and House Crow Corvus splendens.Invasive plants found on Farasan Island include Mesquite Prosopis juliflora and Jerusalem thorn Parkinsonia aculeata. Mitigation efforts are planned to be scaled up after the evidence of initial success.
Preventing the destruction of coral formations, seagrass meadows, and mangroves, are measures to restore these natural habitats. Cleaning and restoring nesting sites for seabirds and turtles prevent population decline and restore coastal vegetation that prevents erosion. Habitat degradation resulting from coastal development activities is being effectively mitigated in the reserve through strategic measures aimed at controlling human impacts and enforcing regulations pertaining to fishing activities.
To restore the ecosystem's structure, function, and biodiversity, collaborative efforts with the Saudi Fisheries Authority and fishermen have facilitated conservation efforts.
A biannual systematic monitoring plan was implemented, with terrestrial animals surveyed twice a year to assess population trends and threats in the protected area. Additionally, intensive studies were conducted to evaluate the area's terrestrial biodiversity. These studies provided valuable insights into ecological balance, species richness, and overall ecosystem health, documenting one bat species, one reptile species, and 11 invertebrate species as first records for Saudi Arabia.
During 2023 and 2024, extensive surveys of the Red Sea habitats (coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangroves), coral reef fishes, and marine mammals were conducted including the Farasan Islands. These studies provided valuable insights into the ecological balance, diversity, species richness, and overall health of the coral reef and associated habitats. Previous nesting turtle monitoring studies have also provided valuable information on Farasan turtle populations.
