"Something that the NGOs do"? Notes on participation and governance in the environment and development policy field.

submittedVersio

Livelihoods and Land Uses in Environmental Policy Approaches: The Case of PES and REDD+ in the Lam Dong Province of Vietnam

This paper explores assumptions about the drivers of forest cover change in a Payments for Environmental Services (PES) and Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) context in the Lam Dong Province in Vietnam. In policy discourses, deforestation is often linked to ‘poor’ and ‘ethnic minority’ households and their unsustainable practices such as the expansion of coffee production (and other agricultural activities) into forest areas. This paper applies a livelihood framework to discuss the links between livelihoods and land use amongst small-scale farmers in two communities. The findings of the livelihood survey demonstrate no clear linkages between poverty levels and unsustainable practices. In fact, the poorest segments were found to deforest the least. The ways in which current PES and REDD+ approaches are designed, do not provide appropriate solutions to address the underlying dimensions of issues at stake. The paper criticizes one-dimensional perspectives of the drivers behind deforestation and forest degradation often found in public policies and discourses. We suggest more comprehensive analyses of underlying factors encompassing the entire coffee production and land use system in this region. Addressing issues of land tenure and the scarcity of productive lands, and generating viable off-farm income alternatives seem to be crucial. Sustainable approaches for reducing deforestation and degradation could be possible through engaging with multiple stakeholders, including the business-oriented households in control of the coffee trade and of land transactionspublishedVersio

"Coaching – poaching?" : Governance, Local People and Wildlife around Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda

This paper explores traditional hunting practices and institutions in the Mt. Elgon area of Uganda, local people's attitudes toward wildlife and their perceptions of conservation and co-operation with park staff. It also assesses the costs for local people of living with wildlife. Data were collected through 100 household interviews and group discussions with hunters and elders from two ethnic groups, the Seabee and the Bagisu. Results show that hunting is commonplace even if it is illegal. Local people hunt for food, for use of wildlife in circumcision ceremonies and to acquire cash income. They employ traditional hunting techniques such as snares, traps, spears, arrows and dogs. Bagisu hunters enjoy direct benefits from hunting inside the Park, while the Sabei hunt outside the Park. Both ethnic groups reflect strong utilitarian attitudes towards wildlife, followed by dominionistic and aesthetic attitudes. The attitudes are not found to vary by ethnic group nor are they dependent on gender. Perceptions of wildlife conservation and co-operation with the park staff are found to depend on three socio-economic factors: ethnic group, household size and village. The hunting is organized in social groups, with each their own particular values and norms for behaviour. The paper shows that wildlife hunting can be understood as a social institution with its distinct social values, norms and rules for behaviour. The people of Mt. Elgon incur substantial costs by living with wildlife, through agricultural loss, predation on livestock and threats to human life. Such costs, although subject to substantial uncertainty, account for around 20% of the average gross household income. Improvements in the institutional arrangements and a real co-operation between the park staff and the local people are fundamental if wildlife is to be managed successfully in the future. Wildlife authorities should accept hunting as an important social institution and to develop good models for co-operation, rather than the present futile banning approaches. An important suggestion is to treat wildlife similar to other forest resources, allowing communities to harvest goods and to exercise legal management rights, involving also controlled hunting of non-threatened species. This secures poor people direct access to important protein and cash generating resources It could, at the same time, drastically improve the battered relationship between government bodies and local people, thus serving as an example of improved governance as local people meet wildlife authorities in a context of positive or constructive every day “state making”

All that glitters is not gold; Power and participation in processes and structures of implementing REDD+ in Kondoa, Tanzania

Proponents argue that REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) has the capacity to empower and benefit the poor through increased participation in community-based conservation. REDD+ is however, initiated from outside these communities and often enters a landscape characterized by power asymmetries. This paper documents a case-study from Kondoa, Tanzania and finds that even when local people seem to be generally in control of decision making, one may seriously question if there is true empowerment and real citizen control. The paper explores local participation in the various stages of establishing REDD+; i.e., deciding whether to participate, demarcating land and formalizing ownership, deciding on land use plans/by-laws and on the benefit sharing mechanisms. Results reveal that participation may not lead to empowerment and genuine control if the structures and processes of participation reinforce the underlying power differentials among the actors. The study further shows how the broader governance structure spanning from the international to the local level influences REDD+ processes at the local level, and recommends that global and national policy should account for the various forms of power of the actors operating at different levels.All that glitters is not gold; Power and participation in processes and structures of implementing REDD+ in Kondoa, TanzaniaacceptedVersio

Agricultural Sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Climate Change — Challenges and Opportunities

Half of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BH) population lives in rural areas. Agricultural production is a backbone of the rural economy and generates significant economic value for the country. BH is highly vulnerable to climate change, which poses a significant development challenge given the climate-sensitivity of the agricultural sector, the share of agriculture in the total economy, the number of people employed in the sector, and the closely related socio-economic issues of food security. BH has experienced serious incidences of extreme weather events over the past two decades, causing severe economic losses. Based on available data and currently available climate projections, exposure to threats from climate change will continue to increase. The review paper presents the current state of the BH agricultural sector and the impact of potential climate change on agricultural systems. It proposes policy options to optimize opportunities and mitigate consequences of possible climate change in the agricultural sector. Development of policy and research capacity should include harmonisation and centralisation of domestic agricultural policies, carrying out a vulnerability assessment and strengthening the public and private extension systems. Further technological development should include improvements in weather and climate information systems, crop development, irrigation and water management

Privatisation and liberalisation in the agricultural sector : an examination of processes and outcomes in three African cases

This Noragric Report was commissioned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) to Noragri