Establishing participatory processes in ecosystem-based agricultural management strategies

Convener: Stina Nyström, Water Unit, WWF Sweden and Steve W. Lyon, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University

Contact: steve.lyon@natgeo.su.se

Around the world, pristine ecosystems such as natural wetlands and old-growth forests are increasingly being targeted as agricultural development ‘hotspots’. Anthropogenic encroachment on such ecosystems can have direct consequences locally through loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. There can also be indirect impacts regionally, for example flood/drought amplification, leading to increased risks under growing concerns of climate variability. To mitigate these negative consequences, it is central to create sound and efficient ecosystem-based management strategies that can be accepted and implemented by all relevant stakeholders.

In this session, we invite contributions from studies addressing inclusive, multi-stakeholder initiatives for developing agricultural potential, while at the same time preserving biodiversity and vital ecosystem services. Further, our goal is to explore efforts considering socio-economic constraints and opportunities along different development and climatic trajectories, for example related to food security and community well-being. Emphasis will be on evaluating stakeholder acceptance capacity and/or establishment of truly participatory processes for development of ecosystem-based agricultural management strategies. This is crucial since without acceptance, there is likely limited success with regards to implementation of management recommendations.

23 Aug., 11:00–12:30, Seminar Room U26

• Enabling participatory environmental management strategies with monitoring and assessment. Kevin Bishop, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).
• A participatory modelling approach to support integrated river basin management. Orn-uma Polpanich, Uppsala University and Steve W. Lyon, Uppsala University / Stockholm University.
• Forest to the People: Does Co-management ensure improved forest health in Bangladesh forest ecosystems? Mohammad Belal Uddin, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.
• Community-based vulnerability assessment and measures to deal with the changing quaculture ecosystem in the Philippines: a case of Magallanes, Sorsogon. Rocelyn C. De Vera, University of the Philippines.
• Consequences and challenges of tourism and seaweed farming: a narrative on a coastal community in Zanzibar. Eva Tobisson, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden.

Abstracts

Enabling participatory environmental management strategies with monitoring and assessment. Kevin Bishop, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

The concern for sustainability is spreading across the world, and the new sustainable development goals will be a catalyst for that development. In Sweden, and many other wealthy countries, environmental monitoring and assessment is seen as a foundation upon which to build sustainable societies. This includes support for participatory processes in environmental management. An excellent example of this is the European Union’s Water Framework Directive that places a premium on both citizen participation in management efforts, as well as systems for monitoring and assessment that will provide a basis for that management. But in low income situations, similar systems to establish a knowledge basis for alerting social institutions to both dangers and opportunities are not common, and seldom a priority. Is this sensible that society’s in a dynamic state of development and transition should not have the kind systematic systems for environmental knowledge that wealthier soiceity’s have deemed essential for sustainable development. The talk will use examples for urban and rural Ethiopia to illustrate the potential for monitoring and assessment as a basis for enabling participatory environmental management to further food and water security in a rapidly developing society.

A participatory modelling approach to support integrated river basin management. Orn-uma Polpanich, Uppsala University and Steve W. Lyon, Uppsala University / Stockholm University.

Participatory processes that integrate casuality and feedbacks are a growing need in environmental decision-making and integrated river basin management. This study developed a decision supporting system (DSS) interfacing biophysical water systems and socioeconomic development at various scales. It aimed at providing an operational framework to outline choices (and consequences) for river managers, stakeholders and policy makers while maintaining equal water access. The Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) participatory modelling framework was chosen to develop a spatiotemporal database for the Huay Sai Bat (HSB) river basin located in the northeastern Thailand. WEAP also simulated alternative sets of assumptions for water development and management causing impact on agricultural water use in the HSB. These assumptions included land use/land cover change, climate shifts, and planned water development projects. The study also conducted 4 participatory scenario building workshops, 400 semi-structured interviews, 2 group discussions with key informants and a series of group interactions with local partners. The key results were that (1) the DSS was iteratively validated by stakeholders with respect to identified water problems; (2) decision-making processes identifying desirable water futures were elucidated through facilitated dialogues with stakeholders; (3) stakeholders’ voices were incorporated into ongoing development planning; and (4) reflective capacity building and practical solutions for water problems could be explored by stakeholders who have depth knowledge in their local basin. The study indicates that a participatory modelling is a promising way of incorporating problem-relevant knowledge and values of stakeholders to influence decisions as well as strengthen civic capacity.

Forest to the People: Does Co-management ensure improved forest health in Bangladesh forest ecosystems? Mohammad Belal Uddin, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.

Countless studies and numerous conceptual models have been developed on the landscape patterns of diversity in tropics. However, in recent years, widespread loss of old growth tropical forests has been identified by the ecologists and conservationists. This issue necessitates the assessment of ecological effectiveness of different management institutions in tropical forests. Therefore, recently, ecological researches focusing increasingly on the consequences of management regimes on forest health quality of ecosystems. Bangladesh, like other developing countries, burdened with huge population, is consistently changing the management institutions/regimes to conserve its last remaining natural forest ecosystems. Forest ecosystems in this human dominated landscape become unsustainable due to overexploitation and resource depletion. Decentralized forest management (e.g. co-management) has been launched subsequently to achieve sustainable development and conservation related goals. However, ecological analyses of these management regimes are rare in Bangladesh. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the forest health quality under different management institutions. Digital elevation models, satellite images, systematic sampling, and circular plots were used to design potential sampling sites across different management regimes to answer this issue. Ground level ecological measures of forest health quality (i.e. species richness, abundance, basal area, canopy cover, regeneration, disturbances e.g. stump removal, lopping) across different management regimes were collected. Finally, all data were analyzed using R-statistical program to assess the effectiveness of different management institutions with respect to the recorded measures. The result supported the proposition that management regimes affect ecological traits of forest health in the ecosystems. Most of the measures of forest health quality were found significantly satisfactory in co-managed (participatory) areas of forests. Moreover, co-managed areas attributed with lower number of anthropogenic disturbances than those with traditional management.  This assessed relationship in Bangladesh forest landscape will help forest managers and policy makers to design a proper conservation and management plan.

Community-based vulnerability assessment and measures to deal with the changing quaculture ecosystem in the Philippines: a case of Magallanes, Sorsogon. Rocelyn C. De Vera, University of the Philippines.

Aquaculture is seen as the future of fish production in Magallanes, Sorsogon. The municipality, although rich in natural resources, still has high poverty incidence, especially among farmers. In addition, the marine fishing grounds that surround the town are reported to be biologically overfished resulting to a decline in marine fish production. On the other hand, there has been a steady increase in the volume of harvests and income from fishpond production. Aquaculture, however, is threatened by changing climate such as increase in temperature and precipitation. Flooding, for example, causes fishpond damages and crop mortality. To effectively cope with and adapt to the detrimental effects of climate change and other changes in the aquaculture ecosystem, this research developed and conducted a farmer-level social vulnerability assessment, as well as focus group discussions, field observation, mapping, and interviews with multiple stakeholders. This study is aimed at highlighting the perception and experiences of aquaculture farmers and at identifying the factors that influence their social vulnerability. Local government can make use of the social vulnerability assessment, especially which socio-economic aspects of the aquaculture farmers should be prioritized and targeted for intervention in reducing their impact to climate change and increasing their resilience. The researcher enumerated the following adaptive measures and planning strategies for the consideration of the local government: providing alternative sources of income among aquaculture farmers; establishing community-based fisherfolk associations; making available locally generated weather data; promotion of climate-resilient aquaculture crops; and educating fishpond farmers on climate change and its impacts on aquaculture.

Consequences and challenges of tourism and seaweed farming: a narrative on a coastal community in Zanzibar. Eva Tobisson, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden.

Although international influences have affected Zanzibar for centuries, some rural areas have remained largely unaffected by globalization until a few decades ago when Zanzibar emerged as a tourist destination and commercial seaweed farming was introduced. This research focuses on local responses to these two external drivers of change, from the perspectives of women and men on the south-eastern coast of Unguja Island where they strive to improve their livelihoods. Longitudinal social anthropological surveys using interactive methods were used to reveal the perspectives and coping strategies of individuals under multidimensional poverty. The study thus focused on micro-level diversity and diversification in the modes of livelihood over time and within broader national and global frameworks. The tourist boom in the 1990s was followed by fluctuations and a decline in backpackers who had until then benefited the local economy. Seaweed production, undertaken almost exclusively by women, has steadily increased since the late 1980s. Although it entails hard work for limited returns, seaweed has become highly significant in boosting women’s empowerment and securing their livelihood; economic diversification is central to the livelihoods of poor women. The research is based on long-term research affiliation to the Institute of Marine Sciences in Zanzibar, resulting also in multidisciplinary publications involving natural as well as social scientists and focusing on e.g. indigenous knowledge of and experience-based practice in the use and management of coastal and marine resources.