|
Welcome to the third edition of Landcare International e-news—news from Landcare International(LI).
We want to keep you updated about Landcare developments around the world, through short articles, events, new book releases and other information.
We’d love to hear from you with feedback and ideas on how we can improve Landcare International e-news and make it more useful for you. We also welcome contributions; please send them to Mieke Bourne.
Thank you,
Mieke Bourne (for LI Communications Sub-Committee).
A message from the Landcare International Chair
By Dennis Garrity
Landcare is now advancing vigorously in countries in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa and Asia. This is due to the generous spirit and efforts of so many supporters and practitioners in the countries, and across countries. But, in addition, and this is deeply gratifying, we find that Landcare is now entering the arena of the international organizations and conventions. It is increasingly being connected and mainstreamed within their missions and work programmes.
This international mainstreaming has been a long-awaited development. And it is one that has huge implications for the future of Landcare.
The Landcare International Steering Committee has been discussing these developments, and assessing the new opportunities and commitments that they carry with them. Thus, at its last teleconference on the 6th of September, it launched a review and refreshment of its strategy, in order to be better prepared to support the expansion of Landcare during the coming years. This strategic review will be conducted over the next six months. We will be sharing the key issues of the review with you in the next issue. We want you to engage with us in this project. We need the benefit of your ideas on just how Landcare should position itself globally, as well as in and across the nations. Stay tuned, and let us know your views and suggestions.
To get a glimpse of how Landcare is grasping every opportunity to reach new heights of recognition, to our sheer amazement, proceed to the next article. Well done, David Lowe!
Back to top
President Obama accepts Landcare books
David Lowe, a Landcare International steering committee member, recently had a chance encounter with the President of the United States at dinner while vacationing at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
After shaking hands with President Obama, David held up two Landcare books, one of which was his copy of Landcare: Local action – global progress (PDF 2MB) and said, “I’d like you to be aware of something.”
President Obama at the restaurant
The President read the title emphatically:“Landcare”, and picked up the books. "I don't want to take your books away from you", he stated as he replaced the books on David’s table. "Send them to me," he started to say. "I want you to have them," David managed to utter. "It would be an honor." And President Obama took them!
Back to top
Landcare side event at upcoming 10th UNCCD COP (Korea, October)
LI is proud to announce that it will co-sponsor a Landcare side event at the upcoming United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of Parties 10 (COP 10). The COP is in the Republic of Korea in October this year.
The event will introduce and describe the Landcare approach to people attending the COP10, through examples of its use and success in developing and developed countries, particularly in the drylands. Attendees will discuss the broad adoption of Landcare to assist in capacity-building and grassroots institutional strengthening to successfully implement the Convention.
A number of countries with strong Landcare programs have been asked to co-sponsor the event and provide speakers; these include Australia, Germany, Iceland and South Africa. Dr Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the CCD, has encouraged us to create this event to expose the UNCCD community to Landcare, and is expected to give the opening remarks.
LI is committed to progress the declaration of an International Year of Landcare (IYLC)—this side event is another step in that direction. After the feasibility study (PDF 404KB) completed by Emily Mutota in 2008, LI and its members have been seeking support from Governments and International Organisations. This upcoming side event will build on previous Landcare events at international conferences. Each event brings greater awareness to Landcare and the role it can play in implementing the international conventions, as well as bring about change at the grassroots level.
If you would like to help or have suggestions on how we can progress towards the IYLC, please email Mieke Bourne.
Back to top
German Landcare contributes to European Union’s new common agricultural policy
By Bernd Blümlein
The German Association for Landcare (DVL) is currently engaging in European Union discussions leading up to a reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) for 2014–2021. DVL advocates the continuation of CAP to address environmental challenges at a European level and believes that future funding should be directed towards preserving public goods.
DVL strongly believe they can influence the CAP to support interests of Landcare through well-organised communication with the European Union.
The DVL is calling for concrete targets to establish a binding framework the CAP’s refocusing. More specifically, they propose:
- Orienting direct payments made to farmers to what they are actually doing in terms of preserving public goods
- Increasing the attractiveness of agri-environmental programs through increased regionalisation, more flexible contractual terms and conditions and re-introducing incentive components
- Offering obligatory land management programs to preserving natural heritage
- Systematically expanding nature conservation advisory services provided on a farm-by-farm basis as an important factor for the success of the agri-environmental programs and combining them with other agricultural-policy funding measures
- Extending support programs for regional initiatives
- Optimising the compensatory allowance for disadvantaged regions and increasing premiums, in particular for farmers who continue to farm on marginal land
- Increasingly orienting the promotion of investments to rural development targets, preserving cultural landscapes and the new challenges posed by climate change and environmental protection
- Cutting the red tape involved in the programs through more flat-rate systems, raising the deminimis threshold and limiting the risk of sanctions]
- For more information on this and other DVL activities, please email Bernd Blümlein.
Back to top
Monitoring and evaluation of Landcare, South Africa
By Theo Nabben
The Crawford Fund recently supported a highly successful course in participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for Landcare and other related programs. Participants attended from the National and Limpopo (provincial) Departments of Agriculture in South Africa.
The course was run by Theo Nabben—a consultant from Western Australia and steering committee member of Landcare International. Theo has considerable experience in participatory evaluation and Landcare in South Africa. Several years ago, Theo worked as the National LandCare Facilitator in South Africa under AusAID’s Institutional Strengthening Departments of Agriculture project.
The course was run over 4 days and focused on the Most Significant Change (MSC) technique for M&E, including practical, field-based exercises in the technique. MSC is a story-based approach to collecting data on project impact. It highlights the participant’s (beneficiary) or partner’s ‘voice’.
The MSC technique is ideally suited to providing qualitative information and focuses both staff and stakeholders on impact, rather than counting numbers or reporting on outputs/inputs. The technique also supports data capture of unexpected outcomes and is an excellent tool for fostering organisational learning and program improvement. It is well-suited to capture impact in complex social change situations and works well with the African oral tradition and Landcare’s participatory ethos.
Community Landcare member interviewing a cattle farmer
Although most participants were from either provincial or national departments of Agriculture, some community Landcare leaders and a researcher from an Australian-supported research project (Developing profitable beef business systems for previously disadvantaged farmers in South Africa) also attended.
The Limpopo Landcare program will pilot the technique in the Waterberg District before expanding it. The Provincial M&E officer plans to include MSC in the Department’s M&E framework. The National M&E Director of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signaled great interest in the technique as well. Participants found benefit in receiving training based on outcome M&E, which has been a challenging issue for most government departments over the past few years.
An additional (unanticipated) outcome of the project was to improve collaboration between the beef research project and Limpopo Department of Agriculture—the beef project used the social infrastructure of Landcare groups to help with their extension. Baldwin Nengovhela (from the beef project) is interested in talking more with senior Landcare people and discussed the possibility of the ACIAR project backstopping Landcare projects in Limpopo.
This closer collaboration offers a win–win situation for both organisations and emerging farmers. The benefit for the ACIAR project is that local Landcare committee structures and, to some degree, community empowerment and appropriate grazing infrastructure is already established. The benefit for Landcare project participants is increased income from improved animal husbandry and marketing.
People interested in investigating training opportunities in M&E can email Theo Nabben.
Back to top
Landcare in Machakos district, KenyaBy Mieke Bourne and DrJoseph Mutu
Landcare in Kenya started in 2005 with the formation of the Kenyan Landcare Network (KLN), after various training and capacity building activities with key individuals. An AusAID grant to KLN through a local NGO (KENDAT) in 2008 supported the formation of the first groups in the country within the Machakos District.
Landscape and landuse in Mt. Merbabu slope areas
Landcare facilitators visited 2 of the Landcare groups in the Kalama division of Machakos in early August 2011. This area is very dry and has experienced drought for the past 2 years. Its rocky, hilly and steep slopes make terrace farming a necessity. The groups consisted of about 25 women each.
When the Landcare project came to the area, tree planting was chosen as a starting point for the Landcare activities. The groups bought and planted seedlings in the local area. This one-off, start-up capital allowed one of the groups to buy a milking goat for each of its members. The other group used the funds for agroforestry, dairy goats, local chicken production and to buy 3 water tanks.
The groups were trained in Landcare principles and nursery activities. The groups have mostly focused their activities on growing seedlings for sale and planting. Unfortunately in the past 2 years, the demand for tree seedlings has drastically decreased because of the drought. Even so, the groups continue to water the seedlings in preparation for the next rain season when they hope to start selling again and using the funds for community projects.
 
The two Landcare groups of the Machakos District
The main tree species the groups grow include fruit trees such as mango and avocado, timber species such as Grevillia robusta, and local acacia species for soil nitrogen fixation and fodder.
There are a number of challenges for the groups; challenges of getting resources, creating partnerships and using information/technology. They will be addressed when more funding is found. Other conservation agriculture and agroforestry projects will work with these groups by providing extra nursery training and distributing acacia trees and fruit trees.
Kyavyalu group nursery, Machakos district
For more information on Landcare in Kenya and East Africa please email Mieke Bourne.
Back to top
African Landcare participants trained in sustainable agriculture and community-based NRM
By Dr Julian Prior
Over 40 participants from 7 African countries recently trained in Australia in the Landcare approach to community-based natural resource management (NRM) and sustainable agriculture.
In a project sponsored by AusAID, the Australian Government’s overseas aid program, the University of New England provided technical training to government extension and research staff who are involved in post-harvest storage and processing (4 weeks of training), and small-scale irrigation water harvesting (6 weeks of training). Participants were from Burundi, Ghana, Tunisia, Djibouti, Rwanda, Burkina Faso and Egypt. As part of this training, project co-leader and senior lecturer, Dr Julian Prior, provided training in agricultural and NRM extension, and the Landcare approach.
Training included discussions about Landcare capacity-building strategies, and how to construct a policy and institutional framework that fosters Landcare partnerships between government, non-government agencies, civil society, the business sector and farmer groups.
“Many of these countries are already adopting a ‘farmer-first’ approach, and thus are familiar with one of the core concepts incorporated within community-Landcare,” said Dr Prior.
“So while our training provided key technical information, the strong focus was also on equipping participants with the tools they need to be effective at driving change in their home countries, and the Landcare approach is one of these tools.“
Women’s participation has always been critical to the success of Landcare programs, and Dr Prior said they recognised this as a component of the training.
“We emphasised the central role of women in many agricultural systems, and the particular value—in terms of improved health, education and livelihoods—of targeting interventions to women and supporting the role of women,” Dr Prior said. “Gender analysis and gender mainstreaming strategies and techniques were embedded in the training.”
Rugged up against brisk Australian winter weather, Jean Pierre Twagirayezu (Burundi) and Emmanuel Ndayambaje (Rwanda) conduct an exercise in designing water harvesting structures as part of their AusAID-sponsored training at UNE.
As part of the follow-up to the training, Dr Prior will be visiting Burundi, Ghana, Tunisia, Djibouti, and Rwanda in November to support participants in the implementation of their action plans and to discuss Landcare.
“Participants from several of these countries have expressed a strong interest in adopting a Landcare approach as part of their agricultural and natural resource development programs. During these visits, I hope to meet with key decision-makers to discuss with them how they might commence developing a Landcare program that is relevant to their local contexts,” says Dr Prior.
African Participants pose with their training certificates at the completion of the Small Scale Irrigation and Water Harvesting training.
For more information please email Dr Julian Prior.
Back to top
SILC news: Introduction to Landcare In Pakistan
By Dr Zahoor Aslam
Pakistan has a large variety of landscapes, many of which are subject to land degradation. Common forms of land degradation include soil erosion, soil salinisation/sodication, waterlogging, soil structure and fertility depletion, surface sedimentation and permanent soil loss. Landcare programs are urgently needed in all parts of the country for combating different types of land degradation and increased desertification.
The salinity problem
The Indus Basin is the most important agricultural area and includes much of the prime agricultural land in the country. The soils are alluvial deposits and have high potential fertility. Combined with the local climate, the area is excellent for growing a variety of crops all year round. However, the salinity problem is restricting agricultural development in the Indus Basin. Overall, about 6 million hectares of land in Pakistan are affected by moderate to severe salinity problems.
Salt affected land in Pakistan.
Saline Agriculture Farmer Participatory Development Project in Pakistan (SAFPDP)
Research and development work conducted over the last three decades has led to “Saline Agriculture” technology, which is a set of methods for economically using salt-affected soils and brackish ground water.
Scientists concerned with addressing the issues of reduced farm incomes and sustainability of agriculture in saline environments have always worked closely with individual farmers. Formal Saline Agriculture development work in Pakistan began in 2002 with the start of the Saline Agriculture Farmer Participatory Development Project (SAFPDP). SAFPDP ran for 6 years as a large community outreach program. The project was implemented in 5 different areas of 4 provinces of Pakistan, representing almost all parts of the Indus Basin.
The mandate of SAFPDP was to help identify salinity-associated problems on private farms and to start participatory development processes. This would lead to rehabilitation of farming communities. By farmers solving their problems on their own, this would improve their understanding of the need for land care and increase their skills, capabilities and capacities.
Analysis of the starting conditions
Initial surveys indicated that the salt-affected areas had very low crop production and many socio-economic problems. Most of the people did not have access to education, basic health facilities, clean drinking water and other basic amenities. Soil salinity had also badly affected infrastructure—buildings and roads crumble prematurely.
Training programs and focus
SAFPDP arranged training programs on Saline Agriculture and relevant technologies for field officers and farmers. The project also concentrated on creating groups (‘Saline Agriculture Farmer Associations’ or SAFAs), using adult learning and participation. SAFAs were given several skill development training courses.
SAFPDP promoted a shift from a production model to the broader recognition of the value of land care, by empowering SAFAs to have a positive role in salinity and other land care issues. The focus of SAFAs was to give practical care to the land and to economically use saline soil and brackish groundwater.
Results
Cropping systems on saline marginal land were improved by using salt-tolerant crop varieties, judicious use of soil and water amendments, and improved agronomic/irrigation practices. As a result, yields of field crops rose sharply. Forage production systems were diversified and yields increased for all forage crops. Chemical properties of soils improved with Saline Agriculture interventions.
Acacia ampliceps for grazing on saline wasteland.
SAFPDP also acted as a conduit for relevant departments to introduce biogas technology and improve water channels and streets/roads in the project areas. With Saline Agriculture interventions, plant production and therefore farmer income increased substantially. This helps to alleviate poverty and increase food security at the project sites.
A recent monitoring and evaluation visit confirmed that SAFPDP had revolutionized the agricultural production and prosperity of resident communities. Landcare programs in Pakistan work best by actively involving farmers and making sure the programs provide economic and environmental benefits.
For more information on this project please email Dr Zahoor Aslam.
Back to top
SILC news: Landcare biogas project to save the forests of Mt. Merapi and Mt. Merbabu National Parks, Central Java
By INFRONT (Institute for Forest and Environment)
The buffer villages situated between Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu National Park represent one of the most severe land degradation areas on Java Island.
Baseline surveys conducted by INFRONT (2006) revealed that the area has lost over 90% of its primary vegetation cover because of agricultural conversion and firewood clearing, which supplies over 80% of the energy needs of inhabitants. Firewood demand has depleted local supply and people must now buy it from the market—which is costly—or for the majority, trekking 6–8 hours into the mountains, which encroaches on the forests’ reserve areas.
The combined impacts of encroachment for firewood and fodder along with farmland expansion present considerable threats to these two protected areas of national significance for their remaining biodiversity. The areas include habitats of endemic and rare flora and fauna such as saninten (Castanopsis argantea), orchid (Vanda tricolor), Javan hawk eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi) and Javan leopard (Panthera pardus).
Daily activities of people around Mt. Merapi and Mt. Merbabu: firewood and fodder collection
More fundamentally, they are vital water sources for Central Java and 27 rivers which provide water for irrigation, industrial and domestic use to millions of people in the region.
Lack of vegetation on steep slopes has accelerated the risk of erosion and increased the incidence of landslides in the uplands. It also contributes to seasonal flooding downstream.
Landscape and land use in Mt. Merbabu slope areas
Furthermore, increased run-off has reduced groundwater infiltration, which affects water quality and quantity. The two mountain ranges of Merapi and Merbabu have a critical national and global role as carbon sinks, and current rates of landscape/ecosystem degradation significantly increase carbon dioxide emissions. Deforestation releases thousands of gigatonnes of carbon stored in mountain vegetation and soil to the atmosphere.
Livestock manure management and climate change
Most people who live in the Mt. Merapi and Mt. Merbabu buffer zone are farmers. Almost 60% have livestock (cattle), with about 2 cows per household. Cow dung produces methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide gas (CO2)—both are significant greenhouse gases.
Biogas is a solution
Biogas is a renewable fuel comprised of mostly methane and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of hydrogen sulphide, water and siloxanes. The gases methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be combusted or oxidized with oxygen. This energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel.
Biogas brings many benefits: saving fossil fuels, saving time collecting firewood, protecting forests, using crop residues for animal fodder instead of fuel, saving money, saving cooking time, improving hygienic conditions, producing high-quality fertilizer, enabling local equipment and electricity production, improving the rural standard of living, and reducing air and water pollution.
The Government of Boyolali district trialed a biogas program 10 years ago. However, biogas installation was slow because of its expense (IDR15–20 million or USD1759–2345) per unit. Also, farmers needed at least 3–5 cows to run the units, but most farmers have only 2.
INFRONT has developed and adapted simple biogas technology. Since January 2011, 18 biogas plants have been constructed in the two villages in the Selo sub-district.
Many farmers were interested in constructing a biogas unit because of its low cost and simplicity. INFRONT plans to develop more biogas units in the buffer villages of Mt. Merapi and Mt. Merbabu.
The differences between INFRONT’s biogas technology and the previous technology include: one-fifth to one-sixth of the cost, it can be run with only 1 cow instead of 3–5 cows, and it can be fully operational after 1 week (or one-eighth of the time of a regular system). The units are targeted at low-income farmers, using a revolving credit scheme. The plastic units have a shorter operational life of 5–8 years, compared to the 30 years or more of a concrete construction.
The project goal is to develop simple and low-cost biogas installations to replace firewood as the main energy source, to save the forest of Mt. Merapi and Mt. Merbabu National Parks.
In Boyolali district there are 4 sub-districts with the potential to adopt biogas. In each sub-district at least 10 villages were identified as dairy cattle centres. Biogas installation will be developed by a pioneer group. The fund to build biogas installation will be managed using revolving credit mechanisms through regular social gatherings/Arisan. Through a revolving credit approach, all members get a turn to build a biogas installation.
INFRONT's biogas installation model
The credit mechanism will eventually encourage self-sufficiency, increase a sense of belonging and also responsibility of the beneficiaries to the success of the program.
After the project is begun, the biogas development will be continuously sustained. The revolving credit scheme ensures that the fund will be given to all members over time. Therefore, all members of the groups will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the biogas development currently and after the project ends.
The Secretariat for International Landcare has been delighted to provide some assistance to the Landcare project in Central Java.
For more information on this project email Sue Marriott or Victoria Mack or visit the SILC website.
Back to top
Scholarships in Landcare training available for African participants through AusAID
By Theo Nabben
The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is funding various projects to support study tours, training and scholarship opportunities for Africans under the Australia Awards for Africa Program (AAAP). This follows another AusAID scholarship program, which was used very successfully in the past by South Africans to undertake tertiary studies in Landcare in Australia.
The Australia Awards initiative was announced in 2009. It increases the benefit of the Australian Government’s scholarship programs, and supports enduring ties between Australia and its neighbours.
The Australia Awards program in Africa will provide both short- and long-term Australian Development Scholarships to nationals from 25 countries across Africa. The scholarships will help them to learn relevant skills and qualifications to facilitate capacity-building in development areas consistent with the AAAP strategy.
The goal is to help with reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development by contributing to people’s skills. The 2012 intake for the Australia Awards for Africa is now closed but the selection for the Masters level scholarships will open in October 2011.
More information is available via email or the website.
Back to top
New Zealand Landcare conference update
By James Barnett
Open your diaries and block out 29 February to 1 March 2012. These are the dates for Landcare in Action: National Landcare and Catchment Management Conference in Hamilton, New Zealand. The event may be 6 months away but a successful conference requires plenty of advanced planning and NZ Landcare Trust staff are busy doing just that.
Celebrating the work of Landcare Groups and rural communities are at the core of the event and sessions will give everyone an opportunity to hear directly from representatives about their work. The conference will also examine sustainability in a broader commercial context, investigating how sustainable land management can make good business sense, both to farmers and the wider business community. Up-to-date informationand an outline of the conference are now available.
To help keep registration fees low, the Trust is seeking additional sponsorship—the Sponsorship Pack provides guidance on the options available. Final costs are being determined, and a range of options will be available (including early bird registration discounts and subsidised rates for Landcare Group representatives).
If you are interested in attending the conference you will need to use the online registration service, available from the conference webpage.
Back to top
Drivers of practice change in land management in Australian agriculture
By Brett de Hayr (Australian National Landcare Facilitator)
Early findings from a national survey into the drivers of practice change in land management in Australian agriculture are available.
The national survey of farm managers in 2010–11 wascarried out for the Australian Government as part of its review of current environment and sustainable agriculture programs.
Some of the key findings were:
1) Both financial and environmental benefits are important to motivate land management practice change decisions.
2) Farmers said Landcare or farmer production groups were their most preferred source of advice/information for management practice change.
3) The term ‘National Landcare Program’ was recognised by 90% of farmers (out of all current and previous Government NRM programs).
4) Farmers said Landcare and farmer industry organisations provided the most farmer involvement.
5) Farmers said that money was the largest limiting factor to changing their natural resource management practices.
This information may not look new to those close to this area. However, it is timely given the review of current Australian government programs in this area. The recognisability of ‘Landcare’ is especially important, given the National Landcare Program has not existed for some time and the current Caring for Our Country Program was only recognised by 29% of farmers.
All these factors illustrate strong ongoing support for Landcare from Australian farmers, and the importance of delivering outcomes that are good for both the environment and the farm business.
This project is administered by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), and was developed specifically to inform management of the Sustainable Practices component of the Caring for our Country initiative. The survey results can be found at the ABARES website.
Back to top
5th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture (Brisbane, September)
The 5th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture (WCCA) will be held in Brisbane, Australia 26-29 September 2011.
A number of Landcare International members will be attending, including the LI chair, Dr Dennis Garrity, who will be a key speaker at the congress. The African Landcare Network has invited2 important guests from the government in Rwanda and Tanzania to attend the congress to learn more about conservation agriculture and to interact with Landcare in Australia.
Landcare activities at the congress include a workshop run by Australian Landcare International, a small gathering of Landcare International members and partners, and a post-conference field tour.
Landcare International members, along with Landcare Queensland, are organizing a small tour of local Landcare sites to provide a practical and visual demonstration of the effectiveness of Landcare in Australia.
Because of limited funding, tour participants have to pay to attend. Any person with an interest in Landcare is very welcome to attend the tour. For more information and to express your interest please email Mieke Bourne.
Back to top
Landcare International website updated
The Landcare International website has been updated. If you have any suggestions, story ideas, new links or publications that can be put up on the site then please email Mieke Bourne .
Landcare International is administered by a virtual Landcare International Facilitation Unit, hosted by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi, Kenya. All activities are through voluntary contributions from its members.
Back to top
Events
Landcare in Action: National Landcare & Catchment Management Conference 2012
NZ Landcare Trust will host a 2-day conferencestarting 29 February 2012 at the University of Waikato Campus, Hamilton, New Zealand. The event celebrates the work of numerous Landcare Groups from all around New Zealand and provides an opportunity to explore the role that communities play in sustainable land and water management. More information and an outline of the conference are available on the website.
Back to top
Acknowledgement
Special thanks to Jenni Metcalfe and her team at Econnect Communicationfor editing and distributing Landcare e-news free of charge.
Contact us
If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please let Mieke Bourne or Delia Catacutan know.
Back to top
|
