Setting up institutions for the coordination of implementation
Reunion of members of ANA in Caatinga
ANA
Responsible for the implementation of PNAPO are the Interministerial Chamber of Agroecology and Organic Production (CIAPO) and the National Commission of Agroecology and Organic Production (CNAPO):
The CIAPO is the government body composed of nine Ministries and six invited Independent State Agencies. It is coordinated by the Special Secretariat for Family Farming and Agrarian Development (SEAD), which also provides technical and administrative support. CIAPO’s attributions are: building up and executing the National Plan for Agroecology and Organic Production (PLANAPO), coordinating the Government Bodies and Entities committed to PNAPO’s implementation, promoting liaison among and with State, District and Municipal Bodies and reporting to the CNAPO on the monitoring of the PLANAPO.
The CNAPO, on the other hand, represents the government-civil society liaison. It is composed of fourteen representatives from the public administration and fourteen representatives from civil society organizations, each one with a designated alternate representative. It is coordinated by the Secretariat of Government of the Presidency of the Republic (Segov), through the National Office of Social Articulation (SNAS), which also provides technical and administrative support.
As PNAPO’s overall aim is to integrate and articulate policies, programmes and actions for the promotion of agroecological transition, it is a key success factor that it is governed by the Interministerial Chamber of Agroecology and Organic Production (CIAPO) and the National Commission of Agroecology and Organic Production (CNAPO). In the latter 50 per cent are civil society representatives.
Currently Brazil is facing a rather intricate political and economic situation. PNAPO’s second cycle, PLANAPO 2016-2019, is still ongoing, but due to political turmoil in the country and a severe economic crisis (2014-2016), it faces drastic budget cuts that hamper its implementation. Nonetheless, much was achieved and PNAPO’s bodies have continued working and secured some funding.
Besides the aforementioned problems, the current President Bolsonaro and his administration have been making controversial decisions regarding to the environment/food sector, and been approving several highly toxic pesticides. Decisions that are not in line with the goals of PNAPO.
Developing a pioneer framework policy on agroecology
Reunion of CNAPO
CNAPO
The National Policy for Agroecology and Organic Production (PNAPO) is a pioneer Brazilian national public policy on agroecology. It was enacted through a participatory process, in which civil society played a pivotal and leading role in pushing forward the agenda and in ensuring that some relevant demands were effectively included in the policy’s final text.
On 20th August 2012, the PNAPO was adopted by President Dilma Rousseff, by means of the Federal Decree No 7,794. It is relevant to point out that within the Technical Board for Organics (CT-ORG) there was in the early 2010s a proposal to create a national policy on organic agriculture. However, with the decision of the President to establish a policy on agroecology, both issues were incorporated into the same agenda.
During the enactment process of the policy, the most relevant spaces for dialogue between the Government and civil society were the five Regional Seminars (from February to April 2012) and the National Seminar (May 2012) entitled “For a National Policy on Agroecology and Organic Production” jointly organized by ANA and ABA with the support of the Ministry of the Environment (MMA).
As a result, civil society (farmers, civil society organizations, etc.) had become increasingly articulated over the years, thanks to the National Encounters and the Brazilian Congress of Agroecology, and finally, ANA formulated the document “Proposals of the National Articulation of Agroecology for the National Policy on Agroecology and Organic Production”.
In 2012, the National Council on Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA)* forwarded to the Presidency the Explanatory Memorandum No 005-2012, supporting the approval and effective implementation of PNAPO. Given all that, in May 2012, the meeting “Dialogues between Government and Civil Society” was held by the Federal Government to engage civil society in the draft of the latest version of PNAPO’s text. It is relevant to stress that not all the civil society priorities and demands were in fact incorporated into the definitive text of Decree No 7,794. Nonetheless, PNAPO still represented a milestone in Brazilian policies for rural development and an accomplishment of the Brazilian agroecological social movements. All in all, PNAPO has established at the national level a set of provisions and guidelines regarding the promotion of agroecology, outlining a legal and political pathway for the promotion of more sustainable, socially inclusive, environmentally friendly food production systems in the country.
* Sadly, the new Government abolished the CONSEA at the beginning of 2019
Developing a pioneer framework policy on agroecology
Setting up institutions for the coordination of implementation
Implementation of PNAPO
Potential as a Transferable Model
Commitment to explicit, attainable conservation objectives through long-term Conservation Agreements
Conservation Agreements (CAs) are binding grant contracts created and agreed upon by specific communities and the ECF. CAs set out clear, attainable and realistic conservation objectives and determine the scope of conservation measures to be implemented within communities that demonstrate the have the organization, motivation and commitment to follow 10-year habitat management plans. Conservation objectives are determined by the ECF and the local community using expert and local knowledge. Each agreement is tailored to the identified needs in the target community and the local landscape. These contracts bind communities to protect ecosystems but also assist traditional land users to use the land in a sustainable way.
The communities that sign Conservation Agreements have been selected to do so because they show initiative, community involvement and potential through the FPA process and establishment of a CBO. In order to ensure the sustainability of the projects, the compliance of Conservation Agreements is monitored. Each community must submit annual technical reports. In case they fail to perform the planned activities, the payments under the agreement may be suspended until they meet the requirements, or subsequently terminated if they don’t comply for more than a year.
Successful application of the FPA; communities practice using tools, models, financing
Development of a philosophy of support and education, not policing
Careful selection of communities which demonstrate the skills, organization and involvement to commence conservation measures
Providing training and education to make decisions and manage landscapes in cooperation with nature conservation ideals
Clearly defining activities being paid for creates a sense of purpose for CBOs
Assisting communities secure additional funding
Technical expertise is needed in very few cases for specific questions related to agreeing on habitat management plans.
The cost estimates were developed in cooperation with the local community representatives based on their knowledge of local markets. The final result is that a fair full cost reimbursement is set by the conservation agreements that allows the CBOs to implement the Conservation Agreements and secure their economic sustainability over the contracted period.
Annual community reports include: a comparison of targeted and actual values for the planned measures; developments in project time frames; general financial report; information on problems and identification of possible solutions.
Each year a sample of conservation agreements are selected for independent audit of performance by ECF or a third party. This is an opportunity to examine monitoring and reporting as a method to test performance of the conservation agreement process.
Examining connections between conservation objective and resilience/livelihoods of locals helps direct future projects.
Securing long term land-use rights for the community and conservation objectives
Clear land ownership and land tenure (the right to use land) are the basic preconditions for the implementation of any habitat management measure. Land-use rights of all beneficiaries needs to be clear and secure before project initiatives commence to avoids risk of undocumented dimensions in the planning and implementation of conservation measures. It also secures long-term interest of the land user to manage the land sustainably. The purpose of this measure is to clarify, legally regulate, obtain and hold land tenure rights needed for conservation actions and for sustainable livelihood. Land tenure rights encompasses land ownership, lease of land and/or other rights related to the use of land.
In Georgia, most land is state owned. But after the breakdown of the Soviet Union land tenure rights have not been properly documented or registered. Today, traditional land-use rights based on verbal agreements and traditions are translated into legally documented/registered leases by the CBOs representing their respective villages. Resolving uncertain land tenure is one of the major benefits the ECF is bringing to partner communities, providing them with a clear economic perspective for the future while preserving the existing community management of shared pastures and meadows.
Readiness of state property authorities to document and register the existing community land use rights
Completion of a land tenure study to understand the land tenure uncertainties and existing rights
Accurate mapping of entire conservation area and communication of these findings (maps, figures, reports) accessible to the community and authorities
Active involvement of local governments (municipality and department levels)
Voluntary involvement of local authorities, departments and administration
Proper compensation for land-use
Properly identify land-use rights and open issues including research, data collection and GIS analysis performed i) formally (municipal and regional data collection), and ii) informally (discussions with locals).
Consideration of information documentation and lack of documentation. Locals may use pasturelands/meadows in a traditional way, with little or no documentation of their user rights. In the frame of the project, the land-use needs to be considered in both formal/political contexts and informal/traditional contexts.
Communication between multiple land management bodies in Georgia (state, municipality, community, private) and land-use designations (forests, agricultural, protected areas, private land). Positive relationships and active communication with all stakeholders leads to healthy working relationships.
Consideration of national and regional politics integral to securing land-use rights.
Sufficient budgeting of costs required to obtain land-use rights.
Identify priority conservation areas using habitat suitability models for key animal species.
Selecting 3-4 native animal species that best represent the landscape helps to embody the specific ecosystems in need of protection/management. Identifying target species allows ECF to create an approach to wildlife conservation that is easy for locals to understand - linking a charismatic species directly to landscape management practices - and helps provide locals with a tangible connection between their day-to-day conservation efforts and long-term landscape impacts. For example, if native grassland ecosystems are healthy, the Caucasian red deer will return even if they were previously locally extinct. The presence of these key native animal species is later used as an indicator of biodiversity when Conservation Agreements are created.
Using a combination of remote sensing and field data, a study of the existing and potential habitats of key species is performed. Using Maximum Entropy Modeling (MAXENT) software, habitat suitability models for each key species is created, resulting in maps showing the suitability of the habitats for key species. This approach allows locals to make a clear connection between conservation objectives, measures to be implemented and the expected impacts and helps set priorities for further studies and monitor the species/habitats.
1. Access to current and accurate remote sensing landscape data – ESRI, USGA NOAA etc.
2. Trained and educated staff to use GIS and run modelling software
3. Combination of local and specialist data and knowledge on key species
4. Access to field data from NGOs who presently/previously worked in the region
Habitat suitability modelling offers a cost and time effective method to set geographic and thematic conservation priorities within a complex landscape.
Even with limited availability of field observation data, the results are useful in the initial stages of planning, although the limitations of the quality of the input data needs to be kept in mind.
Habitat suitability maps represent a good basis for discussion of conservation objectives, priorities and measures with various stakeholders, including the local population.
Local varieties or varieties grafted on local rootstocks
Crop Association
Integrated pest management (IPM)
Prunining and formation of fruit trees
Hilsa Conservation Foundation
The Hilsa Conservation Foundation would act as a conservation trust fund (CTF). The CTF would provide some financial stability to Bangladesh’s overall hilsa fishery management programme, the efficacy of which has been impacted by lack of resources. A successful CTF would provide a source of finance that remains stable and reliable even in times of national economic or political shock, for supporting both ecological and social activities related to hilsa fishery management, such as BBI and BBII respectively.
A multi-stakeholder workshop was held in 2015 for establishing the primary objectives of a hilsa CTF: these included sustainability of conservation schemes, wide coverage of fishers adversely impacted by hilsa fisheries management activities, equitable distribution of benefits from hilsa conservation, actions to promote restoration and conservation, and development of alternative livelihood activities for hilsa fishers. Participation from the outset is key to ensuring CTFs have context-specific, relevant and appropriate objectives.
To be successful, CTF’s must adhere to certain design criteria. This may include a detailed feasibility analysis, the establishment of a clear focus and conservation value, a participatory governance structure, and defined monitoring and evaluation standards
There are a range of financing options available for CTFs – this could include fish export tax revenue, beneficiary fees, drawing on existing climate funds, drawing on a deposit into a fund with fair dividend rate, etc. Which mechanism is appropriate is context-dependent
Think carefully about what kind of institutional mechanisms would ensure good governance in CTFs – e.g. a diverse board of governors (including high level government, NGO, fishing associations, the private sector) could help insulate a CTF from political agendas