Mangrove conservation, climate change and food security
Full Solution
Mangroves at Rio Cacheu
Pierre Campredon
Sea level rise makes it necessary to raise the dikes of rice fields. However, indigenous people of Guinea-Bissau lack employment, and tend to leave the rice fields. The initiative focuses on helping to restore rice fields and mangroves that were once abandoned. A set of alternative activities (fishing, tourism) and conservation measures complement this shared governance model.
Last update: 30 Sep 2020
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Context
Challenges addressed
Mangrove degradation due to rice cultivation, human/wildlife conflict, loss of knowledge
Location
Guinea Bissau
West and Central Africa
Process
Building Blocks
Shared governance process
With the transformation of traditional management systems as well as stakeholders intervention scales, new rules are being defined in relation to the access and use of natural resources. All stakeholders are involved in a shared governance process. The iterative process was implemented successively at the village level, then at all stakeholder level, at every stage: information, consultation, negotiation, implementation. The whole process took place over a period of four years, but experience shows that facilitation is still needed in the long term. IUCN played a facilitator role in the process, and tried to stay neutral while providing technical and methodological guidance.
Enabling factors
A good knowledge of shared governance techniques; An understanding of the socio-economic, cultural and environmental contexts, and the potential sources of conflict; Flexibility and time to reconcile the views and interests of the various stakeholders; Tangible support actions to the stakeholders that meet their real, practical needs; Communication and education actions; Training.
Lesson learned
As a starting point, it is crucial to consider the tangible and immediate concerns of the relevant population groups. Only afterward that can they gradually be engaged in dialogue, consultation and negotiation. It is necessary to have accurate and updated information on the situation of the environment, resources and socio-economic aspects of the relevant stakeholders. A recognized and objective coordination structure is necessary for a balanced consultation of stakeholders. Take the time necessary to reconcile the views of the various stakeholders. Do not rush the process in order to be able to meet the commitments made to the donors.
Technical capacity building
Each stakeholder of the Cacheu Park had its abilities strengthened. The Oceanographic Research Centre for the Study of Resources received additional trainings and tools to carry out the evaluation of fish resources and propose management rules. The IBAP staff was trained on aerial imagery and shared governance mechanisms. Training and resources (surveillance boats) were devoted to the implementation of maritime surveillance and biodiversity monitoring. Formal and informal education and communication institutions received capacity building, and educational tools were provided to them.
Enabling factors
Systematically build local capacities in view of gradual empowerment of stakeholders, keeping in mind that projects and funding are temporary.
Lesson learned
Empowerment of stakeholders can make the process consistent with the stakeholders’ cultural realities. The process should gradually become as endogenous as possible, hence the need for local capacity building. A considerable amount of learning can and should be based on local knowledge. Fishermen and farmers have a considerable body of knowledge, directly adapted to their land and country. By relying on their knowledge, we improve their general adherence, the consistency of interventions and sustainability of the process.
Stakeholder coordination structure
A supervisory structure was established to facilitate the coordination between the stakeholders and the overall coherence of the process. Its members work in cooperation and join forces, and each one brings its own specialization. An international organization (in this case, IUCN) supported this initiative by preparing project documents, seeking donor funding and providing technical and administrative support. With the presence of government and non-government members side by side, it is possible to influence mangrove and small-scale fisheries conservation policies.
Enabling factors
A coordination and dialogue structure allows the creation of a coherent coalition around a common program. This coalition defines intervention priorities and common goals. As they collaborate, their work goes in the same direction and enhances the influence of their actions and advocacy.
Lesson learned
When working towards common goals, it is necessary to allow great flexibility to the partners’ intervention methods so that they can express their own vision. The quality of the participation and program adherence of the stakeholders depend largely on the quality and quantity of resources provided by the coordinating agency. International conservation organizations should not seek to own projects but rather develop them for the benefit of national agencies.
Education and communication
Resources, tools and specific training were provided to formal and informal education and communication structures. A local radio was created to support and feed the information and consultation dynamics, and extensive use of all possible media was made, particularly through support to several other community radios and TV channels, and the broadcasting of documentation. A film was made with a local team about the process. This provided the opportunity to offer training on film shooting and editing. The film was broadcast repeatedly on national television and is used as a facilitation tool in the villages. Environmental education work was carried out with all schools through teacher training, creation of educational materials, youth camps, small projects to be implemented in schools (plantations, gardens, weather monitoring). The Park now serves as a training ground for the national teaching teams in the field of climate change.
Enabling factors
Existence of community radios; Technical training to familiarize the participants with climate change issues; Educational tools adapted to the context.
Lesson learned
The information and education modules must be adapted to the cultural and environmental context of the relevant targets. People have a good knowledge of their environment and biodiversity but are unaware of the potential impacts of climate change. Environmental education should therefore focus on these global issues rather than on knowledge of the environment.
Participatory land planning
To identify the intervention priority areas for the recovery of rice fields and mangrove restoration, it was necessary to rely on the populations’ intimate knowledge of their environment and the history of its evolution in relation to climate change. The main working tool was kite-photographing, which provided an overview of the land components, as the basis for defining land development priorities. It is a cost-effective technique which can be easily implemented locally, allowing a high level of stakeholder participation.
Enabling factors
An easy-to-implement and cost-effective technology; Printed and enlarged photos, to facilitate the dialogue; Raise awareness about the impacts of climate change.
Lesson learned
The persons handling the tool must be accompanied by facilitators who have a good knowledge of facilitation techniques and the issues related to land management options. Most of the time, the inhabitants themselves contribute the elements of landscape interpretation and its evolution, but they are often aware of the upcoming changes.
Impacts
A participatory spatial planning approach involving the local population has helped to identify the rice field areas to maintain, as well as the formerly cultivated areas that are now dedicated to the restoration of mangroves. Some rice growing areas threatened by sea level rise were recovered through the raising of the dikes.
In return, part of the mangrove was recovered with the help of the population, which had impacts on fisheries resources and biodiversity.
The shared governance approach was extended to other aspects of the protected area management and community development (fisheries, tourism, conservation, education, monitoring). This pioneer approach has been replicated in other protected areas of the country.
Beneficiaries
Local communities, Fisheries Ministry, Ministry of Education, tourism operators, national NGOs.
