National | PANORAMA

Collection of baseline wildlife health data

Conducting monitoring and surveillance in wildlife (both healthy populations and those showing signs of disease) and routine serological testing for exposure to pathogens frequently shared with livestock as well as more in depth diagnostics e.g. PCR/ NGS on sick/ dead animals support comprehensive understanding of the circulation of pathogens in these populations, geographic and temporal distributions and time-lines of exposure and non-exposure of different populations. Integration of this data with livestock surveillance data contributes to understanding of the epidemiology of diseases and the dynamics of disease outbreaks, including the potential source, to implement effective science-based control strategies.

Financial support for surveillance; human capacity for surveillance, and data management and analysis; access to sites to conduct surveillance; cold chain/ sample storage capacity; capacity for accurate field and/ or laboratory based diagnostics; good coordination between environment/ wildlife and livestock health sectors; openness for result sharing by host government

Coordination and support from the government is essential from the beginning to ensure support for surveillance, understanding of what is being implemented and the goals/ outcomes, good coordination between sectors, engagement to build local capacity and export samples for testing where necessary, host government willingness to be open about diagnostic findings and motivation to amend disease control strategies based on findings. Wildlife health is under-funded in all countries compared with livestock and human health sectors and external donor support is almost certainly required for success of such programs in LMICs and MICs. It takes considerable time and patience to develop truly functional, localized wildlife health surveillance networks, integrated with other national surveillance networks

Documentation and dissemination of results

1. Multi-sectoral coordination for monitoring diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface

Building partnerships across the emergency management, animal health and environment/ wildlife sectors is an important first step for planning and implementation of wildlife surveillance to ensure results are used to guide science-based policy and disease control mechanisms. Convening multi-sectoral meetings to open discourse and share information on the challenges and opportunities to monitoring and management of disease at the wildlife-livestock interface, and to develop smooth communications and trust between and across sectors as well as multi-sectoral surveillance and response networks is critical.

Financial support for coordination meetings; openness of host government to coordination between environment/ wildlife and livestock health sectors; time and patience

Documentation and dissemination of results

North and Central Asia

Integrated livestock and wildlife disease surveillance and response supports Saiga conservation and livelihoods in Mongolia

Lucy

Keatts

1. Multi-sectoral coordination for monitoring diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface

Collection of baseline wildlife health data

Local Capacity Building for Management of Disease at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface

Implementation of Effective Control Strategies for Disease Spillover From Livestock to Wildlife

North and Central Asia

Integrated livestock and wildlife disease surveillance and response supports Saiga conservation and livelihoods in Mongolia

Lucy

Keatts

1. Multi-sectoral coordination for monitoring diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface

Collection of baseline wildlife health data

Local Capacity Building for Management of Disease at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface

Implementation of Effective Control Strategies for Disease Spillover From Livestock to Wildlife

North and Central Asia

Integrated livestock and wildlife disease surveillance and response supports Saiga conservation and livelihoods in Mongolia

Lucy

Keatts

1. Multi-sectoral coordination for monitoring diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface

Collection of baseline wildlife health data

Local Capacity Building for Management of Disease at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface

Implementation of Effective Control Strategies for Disease Spillover From Livestock to Wildlife

Ensuring social inclusion and involvement of indigenous women and youth

Throughout the project, consultations and participatory approaches and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) were applied. In particular, local community associations were created and strengthened in close coordination with formal organisational structures (community councils for development). New employment opportunities were generated, especially for Q'eqchi' Maya youth and women, covering the value chain of production. An Institutional Technical Team was established at national level, which was responsible for coordinating and promoting actions in accordance with the National Strategy for the Cocoa Value Chain. The technical team involved the government of Guatemala, local NGOs and actors involved in the cocoa value chain. A total of 898 producers and technicians developed technical skills for sustainable agricultural and manufacturing practices (20 per cent women).

As part of the intervention, producer associations for the collection, processing and transport of cocoa as well as the marketing and technical assistance services for producers were promoted. The established plantation management system and strengthened organisational and administrative capacities of associations and producers contributed to the success of the project.

The inclusion of traditional knowledge and involvement of Indigenous communities, and especially women and youth, increased equity and contributed to the success of the NbS intervention in terms of improved livelihoods and poverty reduction. Particularly young women and men profited and became recognised leaders, as they got involved in technical, managerial and administrative activities. In 2018, the initiative won the IUCN-Impact Award in the category of Social Inclusion, celebrating the engagement strategy of women and youth.

A robust business model considering the entire cocoa value chain

While the Nature-based Solution intervention focussed on changing land-uses towards good agricultural and manufacturing practices for cocoa agroforestry systems in the Lachuá Ecoregion, the project placed emphasis on developing strategies that cover the full cocoa value chain. This included production, processing, marketing, organisational capacities of local farmers and associations, support and involvement of technical assistance and services from key organisations as well as increased access to public and private funding mechanisms and investments. A financial and economic analysis was carried out as part of the project to develop a comprehensive business model for cocoa cultivation by community associations and Fundalachuá. The innovative business model relied on the creation of capacities and human capital for good agricultural and manufacturing practices, without large capital investments, infrastructure, equipment or supplies. Good governance and access to financing was ensured through producer associations, including first level organisations for storage and transport of products and second level organisations for marketing and technical assistance services to producers, including supporting the negotiation with international markets interested in high quality product.

Besides the agricultural sector, tourism and private sectors were involved throughout the project to facilitate the mainstreaming of good practices into business models. Actions at local level ensured tailored approaches to local circumstances, while actions at national level contributed to the mainstreaming of organisational and technical capacities across the region. Further, the National Strategy for the Cocoa Agro-chain positioned the cocoa produced in the international market value chain.

The development of a robust and agreed business model in partnership with relevant actors, not only secured the sustainability of the intervention, but also created new opportunities to enter national and international markets. It promoted traditional productive activity in the region through a paradigm shift in the way crops are managed (pruning, fertilisation, shade, etc.) and in how added value is created (grain fermentation and quality management). Due to the improved quality of the cocoa, it was possible to increase the price from USD 2.28 to USD 4.50 per kg. The business model created at least 315 permanent jobs (an increase by 289 percent in comparison to the baseline) and increased the average daily income per capita by 342 percent. It served as a source of guidance on what, how and when to produce, how to sell the product and how to finance activities. Besides business plans for increasing market access for cocoa products, the project also supported the identification of other sources of income, including through tourism.

Enhancing collaboration between various projects to increase impact at scale

The design of the intervention recognised the challenges across the Mekong Delta, which were also captured in the 2013 Mekong Delta Plan. The Nature-based Solution intervention strategically addressed knowledge gaps, capacity needs of farmers and regional planning challenges, working collaboratively with other similar initiatives. The intervention responded to interactions between the environment and society in terms of improving livelihoods through flood-based agriculture. While initial IUCN pilot interventions remained limited and small-scale, collaboration across similar projects and recent policy developments currently support the development of a large-scale intervention across the 1.4 million ha of the Upper Mekong Delta floodplain.

Lessons learned from the IUCN pilots and experiences from other similar initiatives are shared regularly at the Mekong Delta Development Partners Working Group and Annual Mekong Delta Forums. Further, the emerging interest from academia in flood-based agriculture is already producing relevant data and information and enhancing collaboration and partnerships.

A hybrid system of flood-based agriculture with some flooding control system of low dykes could help manage risks of early/heavy floods and droughts. The highest potential lies in the closed flood zones with high dykes through the opening of sluices during seasonal floods to restore the flood retention area. However, existing projects have not yet addressed this potential. This demonstrates that for Nature-based Solution interventions to achieve positive impacts at scale, small-scale (often focussed on pilots), project-based and time-bound interventions are not sufficient to address complex societal challenges. Nevertheless, partnerships between related interventions in the region contributed to institutional and policy development as well as supported greater cross-sectoral coordination. In addition, an IUCN-led Green Climate Fund proposal is under preparation to increase uptake, ensure continuity of efforts and to address transboundary challenges.

Building the intervention around supportive legal and policy frameworks

The Nature-based Solution intervention built on the 2013 Mekong Delta Plan, which recommended high-value double rice cropping in combination with seasonal flood-based agriculture/aquaculture to manage flood risks. This influenced the promulgation of National Resolution 120, entitled “For a sustainable and climate resilient Mekong Delta”. The resolution was adopted in November 2017 and stipulates that nature-based adaptation models should be selected that are environmentally sound and achieve sustainable development based on ‘actively living with the floods’. In addition, the annual Mekong Delta Forums bring together governments and development partners. They provide a space for knowledge exchange on lessons learned and endorsement of a common vision for the Upper Mekong Delta, including a move to more natural land and water uses.

The 2013 Mekong Delta Plan captures the range of societal challenges and benefits and supported the implementation of flood-based agriculture systems. The societal challenges include loss of the Mekong Delta floodplain and thus flood absorption capacity due to intensive rice growing by poldering, reduction of land fertility and aquifer recharge area, decline of aquatic habitats and biodiversity as well as growing socio-economic inequality due to greater input costs to compensate for increased pest risk, lost fisheries, sediment and soil fertility.

Supportive legal and policy frameworks opened up opportunities for a change in land use and facilitated partnerships across related initiatives for the adoption of flood-based agriculture in open flood and flood control zones.

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