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Daily Web Coverage
IISD Reporting Services (IISD RS) is providing daily web coverage from this meeting. |
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Seventh Rio Conventions Pavilion (RCP)
“Shaping Our Future: Rio+20 Outcome Follow-Up and Moving Towards the Post-2015 Development Agenda”
17-26 September 2013 | Windhoek, Namibia
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Daily web coverage (click on the following links to see our daily web pages)
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Highlights for Tuesday, 17 September 2013
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The Rio Conventions Pavilion convened for Indigenous and Local Community Sustainable Land Managers Day, hosted by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Equator Initiative, on Tuesday, 17 September. The Rio Conventions Pavilion is meeting in conjunction with the Eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), taking place from 16-27 September 2013, in Windhoek, Namibia. Indigenous and Local Community Sustainable Land Managers Day included sessions on: reviving drylands - sustainable use of water in Sub-Saharan Africa; beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - combating desertification, climate change and biodiversity loss post-2015; engaging with extractive industries - can it work; overcoming the challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought - best practices for sustainable land management (SLM) and the strengthening of alternative livelihoods; and knowledge exchange for capacity building - networks and learning platforms. In the evening a reception was hosted by the World Indigenous Network (WIN), during which the Equator Initiative launched a book titled “Community-Based Sustainable Land Management: Best Practices in Drylands from the Equator Initiative.”
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Reviving Drylands: Sustainable Use of Water in Sub-Saharan Africa
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On Tuesday morning, the panel discussed community-based water and land management, examining case studies on sanitation in Namibia, water and soil conservation in Ethiopia, and water hygiene and access in Kenya.
Speakers from Namibia discussed lessons learned from community-based sanitation projects and national-level water management. They stressed the importance of training communities in the use and maintenance of technologies, noting the important role of community involvement in Namibia’s water management policy.
Speakers from Ethiopia, described how the community of Abrha Weatsbha has achieved water and food security using simple water and land conservation measures and systematic community-wide mobilization. They highlighted that water is key to ensuring food security noting that hundreds of hand-dug wells and over 50 micro dams form the core of the community’s food production systems.
Another speaker presented a Kenyan community initiative providing examples of low-cost water access and hygiene improvement measures combined with training and community-led management. The speakers concluded that community engagement, learning from others, and demand side management are amongst the key factors for working water management. |
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L-R: Panel Moderator Suhel Al-Janabi, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); Bokayo Sora, Pastoral Integrated Support Group, Kenya; Viviane Kinyaga, Desert Research Foundation Namibia (DRFN); Bernadette Shalumbu, DRFN, Namibia; Gebremikael Gedy Berhe, Abrha Weatsbha Natural Resource Management Initiative, Ethiopia; and Tsegab Meles, Abrha Weatsbha Natural Resource Management Initiative, Ethiopia
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Beyond the MDGs: Combating Desertification, Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss Post-2015
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On Tuesday morning this panel discussed means of integrating combating land degradation into the post-2015 development agenda process. Participants discussed the strategic objectives of the UNCCD, the CBD and its Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization in the context of the post-2015 development agenda process. Other panelists described the post-2015 development agenda process and engagement of civil society in the development of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
One participant noted that during UNCCD COP 11 the Conference of the Whole (COW) is expected to consider targets, which could facilitate achieving those objectives. Another participant discussed the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets of the CBD, and aspects of the CBD’s work relating to indigenous and local communities (ILCs).
A film titled “Plants, People and Profit” was presented on access and benefit-sharing (ABS) case studies. In conclusion, one participant welcomed the increased opportunity for civil society engagement in the post-2015 development agenda process, as compared to the process formulating the MDGs, while lamenting that the MDGs remain unfinished business. |
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Engaging With Extractive Industries: Can It Work?
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On Tuesday afternoon this panel discussed strategies for effective management of extractive industries in dryland regions. All panelists agreed on the importance of capacity-building and bottom-up approaches for ensuring the participation and rights of local communities.
A speaker discussed the challenges posed by the mining industry to local communities in Ghana, including: loss of access to land; displacement of local farmers; forest degradation; pollution; and decreased agricultural productivity.
One panelist presented the experience of an Australian indigenous community corporation in building sustainable communities by establishing education programmes and creating local employment through business-type activities.
The third speaker discussed the importance of promoting community engagement in Southern Africa through: training; information; and assessment of needs and expectations. He stressed the importance of sustainable communities for the sustainability of companies, saying that in order “for mining to prosper, the communities must prosper.”
The final speaker presented experiences in securing community-based land rights in Tanzania by using existing legislation and capacity building. He said that legal security is crucial to the survival of the communities. |
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Overcoming the Challenges of Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought: Best Practices for SLM and the Strengthening of Alternative Livelihoods
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On Tuesday afternoon, a workshop convened to engage participants on means of addressing challenges posed by desertification, land degradation and drought. Participants broke into three working groups, focusing on: deforestation and land degradation; food security and health; and education and awareness.
The group on deforestation and land degradation discussed best practices, highlighting issues around legislation to prevent land degradation and deforestation, noting lack of enforcement and calling for local community engagement and bottom-up approaches. They emphasized alternative energy sources, capacity building, community forest management, cost-sharing, and introduction of SLM practices for agriculture.
The group on education and awareness raising noted the need to reach out to remote communities, such as through incorporating green education into education systems. They called for embedding sustainable development in school curricula at all levels, using popular media to raise awareness, and ensuring use of positive messages.
The group on food security and health stressed that environmental conservation cannot be discussed without options for livelihoods. During discussions participants raised the issue of integrating gender into projects. |
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Knowledge Exchange for Capacity Building: Networks and Learning Platforms
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On Tuesday afternoon this interactive event heard the presentations of six peer-to-peer networks working on SLM and included a networking session that provided an opportunity to connect with these networks.
The Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA) builds capacity and promotes the development and culture of the San people in countries of the region, including through national San councils. The Global Environment Facility (GEF)/UNDP Small Grants Programme (SGP) provides small-scale grants for local communities in over 100 countries, focusing particularly on projects supporting poverty reduction and the MDGs. The Adaptation Network builds anticipatory capacity for adaptation in Southern Africa, offering services ranging from information and knowledge to community-based trainings.
The Civil Society Network for Sub-Saharan Africa/ENDA builds capacity for SLM by empowering local civil society organizations (CSOs) to interact at different levels of decision-making. The Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCA Consortium) acts globally to promote the concept by identifying suitable areas and promoting supportive legislation. Drynet, based in 15 countries globally, works to empowering CSO networks to participate in decision-making affecting dryland development on various levels. |
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WIN Reception
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| The day concluded with a reception celebrating the launch of the book “Community-Based Sustainable Land Management: Best Practices in Drylands from the Equator Initiative” that combines 20 case studies demonstrating success in SLM in ILCs in Africa. The event also marked the start of the Equator Initiative’s leadership over the World Indigenous Network (WIN). The event included remarks by Germany and Norway, key supporters of the initiative. |
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