LAKE MALAWI /NIASSA/NYASA ECOREGION

Transcription

1 WWF Ecoregion Conservation Programme LAKE MALAWI /NIASSA/NYASA ECOREGION Report on the Donors and Partners Meeting Compiled and Edited by Alaphia Wright Facilitator & Jonas Chafota WWF-SARPO Club Makokola May, 2003

2 Annex E COMMUNITY BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CBNRM) Mr John Balarin DANIDA Private Bag 396 Lilongwe Malawi Tel: Fax: DESPS@malawi.net LESSONS LEARNT FROM DANIDA S ENVIRONMENT SUPPORT PROGRAM (DESP) IN MALAWI 1. Background to DESPs In 1995, Danida resumed technical cooperation with Malawi. Environment Support Program was initiated in 1999, and a program document produced. CBNRM Component in 11 lakeshore districts of lakes Malawi, Malombe and Chilwa. Urban Environmental Management Component in 4 rural towns. Renewable Energy Component in solar, HEP, poto-voltanic in 4 centres. Natural Resources College capacity developed as a semi-autonomous ENRM training centre. Natural Resources College capacity developed as a semi-autonomous ENRM training centre. Environment community micro-project fund established in DDF and MEET. The program was implemented through 10 projects and linked to UNDP and USAID.

3 2. Poverty Reduction and the Environment Poverty is a nexus of social systems, literacy level and natural resource base. Development of social systems allows access right to natural resources. Development of literacy systems empowers people to better understand their rights. Literacy imparts knowledge, empowers communities to better manage natural resources. Access to the above systems requires resources, money, human capital, technology, etc. Development partnerships can provide these resources to improve knowledge and social systems so that the poor may better husband their natural resources. 3. NRM Husbandry Systems Give the poor fish, tomorrow there is still poverty. Teach the poor to fish, tomorrow there is over-fishing and poverty. Teach the poor to farm fish, tomorrow others will copy the example. Due to poverty, 90% of rural communities subsist off natural resources as hunter/gathers. Alternative livelihood strategies reduce poverty and remove dependence on natural resources. CBNRM to restore MSY of natural resources will not sustain population growth. Needed is to convert hunter/gather cultures to evolve farming or husbandry systems Ranching relies on human intervention to enhance production Pasture is where human intervention boost primary production and raises productivity. Feedlot is top-end of scale where mankind controls all environment elements and balanced feeds. Each system requires an increasing degree of advancement in rights, social system

4 and knowledge. The SE state of a community determines the next progressive step in their development. 4. Co-Management through CBNRM CBNRM projects strive to move 100% state management to 100% community management. In reality, 100% CBNRM is not possible but most ENRM systems can be comanaged. Degree of state and community involvement may vary according to policies and NR system type. 5. CBNRM and Decentralization CBNRM and decentralized environmental management (DEM) are synonymous DEM is integrated into the district development planning process. Communities undertake situation analysis, prepare State of the Environment Report (SOERs). The SOER allows communities to prioritize and prepare Environmental Action Plans (EAPs) EAPs are consolidated into DEAPs and integrated into the DDP Plans. EAPs are implemented through Community Micro-Projects. Participatory M&E allows physical and financial progress and impact assessment. 6. DEM and National Planning Processes Village SOERs are compiled into ADC SOERs, compiled into DSOERs, consolidated in NOERs.

5 VEAPs are compiled into ADC EAPS, compiled into DEAPs and consolidated into DEAPs. NEAP is the basis for Environment Support Program (ESP) and Sector Investment Plans (SIPS) The ESP and SIPs influence the PRSP and policy. SOERs are M&E tools of EAPs. The Minister MoNREA presents the NSOER to Parliament. DEM provides communities with tools to access national planning, policy and budget processes. 7. DEM and Multi-sectoral Institutions Under decentralization there are several political committees at assembly level. Each political committee has a technical committee Environment has been placed in the District Planning Committee as a crosscutting look as plans. District Environment Sub-Committees have been formed as multi-sectoral planning institutions. Traditionally, planning was by sector, each producing their own community structure. Under DEM, CBNRM committees are mainstreamed into the decentralization institutions. 8. DEM Local and Central Institutional Linkages DEM is multi-layered: cabinet, ministry, departmental, inter-district, district, ADC, VDC to CBO. There is a Cabinet Committee on Natural Resources and Environment. A Parliamentary Committee on Environment provides a political watchdog. The MoNREA coordinates donor programs and is advised by an NCE and TCE.

6 The Environment affairs Department provides a cross-sectoral coordination. Inter-district committees manage natural resources (e.g. Lake Chilwa Management Committee). District Assemblies managed district resources. ADC and VDC represent traditional leaders of ENRM. CBNRM Committees manage specific resources within the realm of the decentralized structure. 9. NGO DEM Strategy Civil society in 2002, defined a DEM Strategy for NGOs. ENRM NGOs at central level are represented by CURE to lobby for community interests. CURE receives its mandate from regular Environment Co-ordination Meetings for NGOs. CURE also provides capacity building for NGOs twinning with NRC and TSP. NGOs at district level should have a NGO representative on the Assembly. District NGO Representative call regular NGO consultative forums for participatory planning. NGOs build capacity of CBNRM groups and assist them to secure community microprojects 10. Tax Based Economy and ENRM The environment must be treated as economic goods. In a tax based economy, taxes pay for research and extension to service the tax payer. The more the tax the better the service. The better the service the more the tax. The process causes a growth in the tax economy and the surplus tax can be used for social services.

7 CBNRM Groups contribute a shareholder to buy a license/agreements and invest in developing NR. Commercial operators can buy licenses from CBNRM or from Assemblies and pay tax centrally. From tax and donor support, government and assemblies and service communities. To protect communities, they form CBNRM committee with rules and regulations. CBNRM Committees form associations, under the ADC/VDC, protected by their constitutions. The ADC/VDC report to the Assembly where the legal framework is determined by local by laws. District by laws are embedded in the Acts policies, standards, etc. Inter-district structures may be needed to protect rights to a shared resource. National and international for a may be needed for larger shared resource like Lake Malawi. CBNRM rights if infringed and cannot be dealt with locally, can be taken to the ADC, if not resolved, can be taken to the Assembly, if not resolved, can be taken to the central judiciary. 11. DESP CBNRM Component a. Institutional Framework for CBNRM Donor/Government Work Group assisted 27 (12 Danida & 15 UNDP) District environment Offices established 29 (14 Danida & 15 UNDP) DESCs established. 29 District, NGOs and government trained in DEM. Manuals in: DEM Manual, Micro-projects Guidelines, CBNRM Training Guide, Policy Resource books, Religious Books, EIA Manual, EIA Checklist, Financial Manuals, etc.

8 DEM Course initiated at NRC, EIA course in Chancellor College Scholarship program Chancellor College and Mzuzu University Inter-district Committee established for Lake Chilwa. Awareness through WESM Clubs, Action Magazines, Videos. Institution for National Strategy on Sustainable Development established b. State of Environment Reports 100 ADC SOERs produced. 29 DSOERs produced 1 NSOER and 4 Parliamentary SOERs prepared 10 years of newspaper reviews. 10 year National Review submitted to WSSD. c. Environmental Action Plans Produced 100 ADC EAPs produced 29 DEAPs produced 1 NEAP prepared. DEM Strategy implemented year National Strategy for MoNREA prepared. year Devolution Plan for ENRM prepared. NGO DEM strategy prepared. CURE Strategy prepared. WESM Environmental Education Strategy prepared. ENRM included in PRSP National Report to WSSD prepared. National Strategy on Sustainable Development under preparation. Environment Fund under consideration.

9 d. Environmental Action Plans Implemented 54 Urban Micro-projects implemented. 200 Community micro-projects implemented at district level through projects or DDF 20 micro-projects implemented through MEET. Gel Fuel program initiated. e. M & E System in Place MoNREA ENRM MIS system prepared Micro-project M & E system established f. WESM/WWF Partnership Established 3 WESM capacity strengthened CBNRM developed in hotspots. Community training manual in DEM developed Alternative livelihoods tool box developed for CBNRM 12. Danish Hunters Association/NGO Consortium Establish DHA/NGO office in CBNRM Develop CBNRM Manuals and training courses. Twin with Danish Wildlife Management School Implement projects in community reserves in Tanzania and Malawi. Implement public-private sector community alliances around protected areas. Work with traditional Bird Hunter Associations. Develop Community Crocodile Ranch Provide services to NGO network.