Number of questions: [13]
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:19:26 |
Dear Mr. Bouhari
My closing concern is on local community participation in combating desertification. How are they integrated in the work of the UNCCD? The forthcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s on the 21st Sep to 2nd October 2009. Here at the Rand Institute, we believe that participatory approach from the key stakeholders is vital not only to the objectives of the UNCCD but also alleviating poverty. I wish you a successful World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought and as we say at the Rand Institute, ‘Together We Will Succeed’.
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson,
You are absolutly right. Local communities participation in a key element of suscesseful implementation of the Convention and the newly 10-years Strategy. Local community participation in the UNCCD implementation has been ensured right from the Convention Article 5 d). This participation has been recently reiterated and reinforced in Decisions 1, 3 and 13 COP.8.
I wish you all the best in your struggle to contribute in environment protection and the better livelihoods for local communities. I hope you will continue as Civil Society to support the International community in achievement of international environmental agenda. Thanks again for your active participation in this forum.
Best regards,
Adamou Bouhari
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:17:42 |
Mr. Bouhari,
As we prepare for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Chane Conference in Copenhagen towards the end of the year, how can we make sure that desertification is not left out of the agenda? Being a researcher, I’m convinced that desertification, destruction of wetlands and dumping of hazardous wastes are of equally concern and of immense threat to Africa’ concern as well as derailing the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson,
On June 2009, the UNCCD Secretariat organized a one day event called “Land Day”. Building on the linkages between climate change and desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), the “Land Day” is proposed by the UNCCD secretariat and its partners as a parallel event in the margin of Climate Change Talks, with the aim of fostering interactions with the Climate Change negotiators on the imperative necessity to bridge and seal the gaps in land-based mitigation and adaptation measures. Eminent personalities, among which, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of Earth Institute at Columbia University and Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-Moon, have been invited as guest speakers. Important communications have been presented on how Desertification can be addressed in the coming negotiations on climate change.
Please visit the UNCCD website (http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/landday) to access the various important communications at this event.
Best regards,
Adamou Bouhari
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:15:01 |
Mr. Bouhari,
The Rand Institute believes that Innovation, Culture and Ecology are the Surest Path to Achieving the MDG’s. The people who live in deserts have traditional knowledge that can be exploited for economic development especially at this time of economic recession. As we celebrate today’s Word Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, how can we enhance the transfusion of this extremely important technology?
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson,
As indicated in the document title “Promotion of traditional knowledge: a compilation of UNCCD documents and Reports from 1997 to 2003” in all dryland regions of the world are found local communities who have long histories of interaction with the natural environment. Associated with many of these communities is a cumulative body of knowledge, know-how, practices and symbolic representations. These sophisticated sets of understandings, interpretations and meanings are part of a cultural complex that encompasses language, naming and classification systems, resource use practices, ritual, spirituality and worldview. This local and indigenous knowledge is a key resource for empowering communities
to combat desertification. In view of desertification and land degradation processes, traditional knowledge comprises a wide range of accumulated experience to manage natural resources in farming, grazing, landscape restoration, and other relevant sectors, institutional and organizational arrangements, as well as beliefs and values. Many scientists, community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations working with farmers and herdsmen have compiled a large body of traditional knowledge and local technologies associated with different production systems and agrarian typologies.
The quality and quantity of traditional knowledge varies among community members, depending on gender, age, social status, intellectual capability and occupation. Language, religion, biophysical imperatives, and socio-cultural aspects, and environmental traits, are important driving forces in shaping these practices. Traditional knowledge is often alternated with different names, such as indigenous knowledge, local technology, and native know-how and farmers’ practices. Traditional knowledge and local technology are part of social complex systems and represent far more than a simple list of technical solutions. Traditional knowledge can be an elaborate and often a multipurpose system that is part of an integral approach between society, culture and economy. It is grounded on the idea of theworld based on the careful management of local resources Based on the work of two Ad hoc panels on traditional knowledge to combat desertification, this compilation of COP documents and experts’ papers discusses the benefits in the application of traditional knowledge in different regions affected by desertification and land degradation. Traditional knowledge, technology, know-how and practices have been analyzed and examined from the viewpoints of adaptation, transfer and extension. The transfer of traditional knowledge needs to be flexible and responsive to the diversity of cultures and countries in order to allow profitable benefits from the global sharing of traditional knowledge from the dryland areas
Traditional knowledge is often the subject of ‘scientific study’, but does not usually constitute an input into the scientific process, or into decision-making based upon scientific information. Under a technologically driven, fast-changing environment traditional knowledge may not always catch the attention of decision-makers yet it continues to receive attention, in part because of discussions in such fora as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UNCCD. Different knowledge systems have been linked to emerging legal and market interests in developing cross-cutting activities on traditional knowledge. This includes identifying customary rules and processes that govern knowledge access and control, in order to develop appropriate normative instruments for protecting traditional knowledge. From local and environmental points of view, traditional knowledge and its technology plays a primary role in poverty alleviation. Traditional knowledge is not proposed because it is less expensive technology compared to the ‘top-down’ modern ones, but because it has better results, technologically speaking, when placed within its environmental and social context. Sometimes, it has the most refined technologies, other times; it is very simple but still more appropriate, ecologically compatible and locally manageable. Revitalization of traditional knowledge should not be considered as strictly implementing more and more sets of simple techniques but should be viewed as an integrative means to be evaluated in the framework of environmental, productive and cultural conditions of societies. Local people are the custodians of traditional systems. These people are well informed about their own situations, their resources, what works and what does not work. They are also aware of the possible impact of a change in one factor on the other parts of the production system.
You can access to the full report using the link:
http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/publications/docs/traditional_knowledge.pdf
Regards,
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:13:16 |
Mr. Bouhari,
As people are dying of hunger and food prices sky rocket, agricultural lands are being lost due to soil erosion, water erosion and the destruction of ecosystem in the Arid and Semi Arid Lands especially here in Kenya. How can this land be reclaimed and turned to valuable land with agricultural harvests?
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson,
Once again mant thanks for your questions.
The UN General Secretary in his address on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought stated that “This year’s observance of the day highlights the growing threat to national and regional stability posed by desertification. Nearly one-third of the world’s cropland has become unproductive and been abandoned in the past 40 years. Almost three-quarters of rangelands show various symptoms of desertification. Climate change is a contributing factor, but not the only one. In particular, we must reconsider our agricultural practices and how we manage our water resources. Agriculture and the raising of livestock account for 70 per cent of freshwater use and as much as 80 per cent of deforestation. Growing demand for crops for animal feed and biofuels will put further pressure on these scarce resources if not managed sustainably.
Current global consumption and production patterns are unsustainable. The consequences will include further global food crises, such as we saw in 2008, and continued desertification, land degradation and periods of drought. As usual, the poor will be the first victims and the last to recover”.
As you can see, Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought (DLDD) are a serious treats to land productivity and ecosystems services. Over the years, various interventions and research activities have enable stakeholders to develop strategies and technologies which can be packed in what is called Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices. Depending on the ecological zones and the land tenure system prevailing in a given environment, proven technologies and practices have been identified and can be useful in ensuring SLM and boost food production in rural areas. As it is indicated in UNEP press release on the occasion of this Desertification Day, improved varieties of the tropical, and nutritious 'Sahel Apple' tree allied to the setting up of market gardens and community nature reserves are helping to turn the tide of land-degradation and desertification in some African countries. In other countries on the Continent, communities are testing the re-introduction of extinct grass species, the deployment of rainwater harvesting, rotational grazing and the simple anti-erosion techniques as anti-desertification strategies. The promising techniques have emerged from the US$10 million Desert Margins Programme (DMP) led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in partnership with the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
In Kenya, as you have mentioned, the country's rangelands are characterized by low and erratic rainfall, prolonged dry periods and frequent droughts. Indeed the problem of desertification and land degradation is serious as over 80% of the country's total land area is categorized as arid and semi-arid. The DMP project introduced new technologies into the area for improving soil moisture, bush management and constructing terraces which are now contributing to a successful revegetation of denuded ranges and thus restore them to boost agricultural productivity.
Best regards,
Adamou
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:11:35 |
Mr. Bouhari,
It is no coincidence that countries affected by desertification and drought will be the first to make food appeals to the international community and in some cases the same is not honored due to completing demands. Why is it that many government officials who are key to the implementation of strategies to combat desertification still regard deserts as waste lands without giving a thought to the importance such regions in their national economy. Indeed, the first goal of the MDG is eradicating extreme poverty and hunger yet we are still faced with hunger.
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson;
As i have mentionned in my response to one of the previous questions; in Africa, 65% of the active population are affected, 2/3 of the productive land in Sub-sahara Africa may loose their productivity in 2025, 3% of Agricultural GDP is lost each year, the net annual income lost in Africa is estimated to US $9 billions, the Rehabilitation cost is estimated at 1.9 billions/year. If the actual practices of land management have to continue, 25 countries will run short of water in 2025 (TerrAfrica, Regional Sustainable Land Management, 2007). As you can see there is a direct link with productivity/food security and sustainable land management
Regards
Adamou Bouhari
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:10:15 |
Mr. Bouhari,
Let me take you a few years back, in the year 2006, we celebrated the International Year of Deserts where the Rand Institute actively took part. In your own recollection, what were the important lessons learn and how can they be deployed so that the International Year of Forestry in 2011 can enjoy the same success?
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson
Two majors lessons
1 An extraordinary international community mobilwation which makes the year a big success.
2 Though the year was a success; yet the Convention implementation continues to face various difficulties therefore there is a need to assess what does not work to use this success as a new opportunity to boost the Convention implementqtion
Best regards,
Adamou Bouhari
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:07:15 |
Mr. Bouhari,
In this quest for renewable energy, solar energy has been highlighted to be one of the best alternatives. Indeed, Kenya’s budget has included 500 million Kenya shillings for renewable energy. From your own assessment, is if feasible for solar energy to be our main source of power? How many years will it take and is it economically viable in the long run?
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson
Though your questions seem to be somehow far from our today subject of discussion, in short I can say that, as an arid and semi arid country with considerable annual solar radiation, solar energy can be an alternative energy source of the country. This alternative renewable source of energy will not only allow Kenya to save its valuable natural resources which is actually supporting the national economy, but also will place the country in a situation on independency in terms of energy need which is an element of national sovereignty. View in these angles, the economic viability of such initiative is more than evident.
Best regards,
Adamou Bouhari
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Posted on 17/06/2009 18:05:45 |
Dear Mr. Bouhari,
Kindly receive our greetings from the Rand Institute here in Nairobi, Kenya. Desertification and land degradation is big threat to the African continent especially sub Saharan Africa. What do you propose to be done by Research Oriented and Independent Non Governmental Organizations (RINGO) if we are to be successful in tackling the problem?
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Wilson Rading Outa (from Kenya)
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Dear Wilson,
Many thanks for your question.
The interventions of research oriented NGO should go in line with the provisions de sections H and J of Decision 3/COP8 related to the adoption of new 10-years (2008 – 2018) Strategy. Considering the fact that weak scientific basis and insufficient advocacy and awareness have been recognized as factors that militate against satisfactory implementation of the Convention, specialized NGO’s like yours can play an important role in operationalizing the sections J (indicators based monitoring) and H (advocacy and awareness). RINGO can for example support parties in the base line assessment in relation with the indicators which will be adopted by the future COP 9 in September 2009.
Hope this is satisfactory
Best regards,
Adamou Bouhari
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Posted on 17/06/2009 14:41:08 |
Dear Mr. Adamou,
How global warming has affected the process of desertification and drought. Can you quantify it?
Regards
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mahendra pandey (from India)
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Dear Pandey;
Global warming is expected to increase the variability of weather conditions and extreme events. Many dryland areas face increasingly low and erratic rainfalls, coupled with soil erosion by wind and the drying up of water resources through increased regional temperatures.
The link between climate change and desertification is of major significance. According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, dryland soils contain over a quarter of all of the organic carbon stores in the world as well as nearly all inorganic carbon. Due to the increased emissions and reduced carbon sink caused by desertification and related loss of vegetation, it is estimated that about four per cent of total global emissions are generated in drylands. Therefore, restoration and improvement of dryland conditions could have a major impact on global climate change patterns.
Climate change in turn also affects desertification, although the exact links are not sufficiently understood and may vary significantly from one region to another. Due to the increase of energy in the atmosphere, however, it is expected that the number of extreme events such as droughts and heavy rains will increase slightly, potentially having a dramatic impact on already weakened soils. Freshwater availability may also be reduced, due to phenomena such as increased solubility and salt-water intrusions induced by the rise in sea levels.
Deforestation can also reduce rainfall in certain areas, increasing the threat of desertification. It is not yet possible, using computer models, to identify with an acceptable degree of reliability those parts of the Earth where desertification will occur. Existing drylands, which cover over 40% of the total land area of the world, most significantly in Africa and Asia, will probably be most at risk to climate change. These areas already experience low rainfall, and any that falls is usually in the form of short, erratic, high-intensity storms. In addition such areas also suffer from land degradation due to over-cultivation, overgrazing, deforestation and poor irrigation practices which increase the difficulty of quantifying the actual effects of global warming on desertification.
Best regards;
Adamou
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Posted on 17/06/2009 12:12:02 |
Dear Mr Adamou Bouhari
Today is the Deserification day. Could you please tell us the various efforts carried out on underway to combat desertification especially in the desert margin countries? what synergies exist between UNCCD and the other conventions in terms of fight against desertification?
thank you
Larwanou
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Mahamane Larwanou (from Kenya)
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Dear Larwanou
Many thanks for your questions.
After 15 years of Implementation; you will agree with me that it will be difficult to make an exhaustive status of the efforts done so far. However the efforts can be summarized as follow:
- Most affected countries Parties have elaborated and adopted their National Action Programmes to combat desertification through their respective governments
- More funds allocated to instruct and coordinate the implementation of NAP
- Awareness raising and training on UNCCD/ NAP
- Empowerment of people and institutions (e.g. strengthening of the UNCCD focal point or coordinating agency; better definition and recognition of different actors’ roles and responsibilities)
- Improved coordination and cooperation between different actors including North-South and South-South partnerships and effective and transparent collaboration between civil society and governmental institutions in particular
- Increased means for CSO participation and increased responsibilities for CSOs (avoid the top-down design of projects)
- Political recognition and support of NAP, both national and international
- Better monitoring and evaluation through the creation of indicators to measure civil society’s participation or the NAP implementation progress
At the sub-regional level, Sub-Regional Action Programmes (SRAP) have been finalized, coordinated by intergovernmental organizations which are the focal points or centre de liaison for sub regional activities. Since, focus has since shifted to the implementation process
International cooperation through various Agencies has contributed in the implementation of the convention. In 2003 alone; WFP spend 310 millions US dollars to increase the productivity of poor farmer by raising their production; diversifying their livelihoods while helping them to manage the natural resources bases particularly in the desert margin countries. In 2005; World Bank invest about 900 millions USD among which more than 300 millions in Africa to support integrated resources rehabilitation and management ; institutional and community participation strengthening and capacity building. FAO and UNEP have taken a lead in harmonisation of land cover classification terms and their definitions and embarked on establishment of a Global Land Cover Network cooperative programme (GLCN) with an objective to provide direction, focus and guidance for harmonization of land cover mapping and monitoring at national, regional and global levels. UNEP, as the GEF implementing agency, launched the development of a Land Degradation Assessment for Drylands (LADA) together with FAO (the executing agency), which is envisaged to provide a policy tool for the implementation of National Action Programmes (NAPs), and Sub-Regional Action Programmes (SRAPs) of UNCCD; UNDP contributed in the strengthen the close partnership and Support to affected countries for the implementation of the CCD and Sustainable Land Management Between 1999 and 2005 IFAD invests USD 131.49 million on projects principally related to the UNCCD
With regard to new perspectives, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention adopted at its 8th Session a 10-year (2008–2018) strategic plan and framework to enhance the implementation of the Convention. This strategic plan provides a unique opportunity to address some of the Convention's key challenges, to capitalize on its strengths, to seize opportunities provided by the new policy and financing environment, and to create a new, revitalized common ground for all UNCCD stakeholders. The Strategy has four objectives which include (i) to improve the living conditions of affected populations; )ii) to improve the condition of affected ecosystems; (iii) to generate global benefits through effective implementation of the UNCCD and (iv) to mobilize resources to support implementation of the Convention through building effective partnerships between national and international actors.
The 10-year strategic plan and framework to enhance the implementation of the Convention (the Strategy) has paved the way for the evolution of a new monitoring and assessment process within the UNCCD. The review and monitoring system will be based primarily on the derivation of performance indicators to measure progress against the operational objectives (OO) of the Strategy, and impact indicators to measure progress against the strategic objectives (SO) contained in national, sub regional and regional profiles. Special attention will be placed on measuring investment flows for UNCCD implementation and on the establishment of a knowledge management system, including the dissemination of good practices emanating from the reports that will complement and reinforce the review process undertaken by the Committee for the Review of Implementation of the Convention (CRIC).
With regard to the synergy between convention, the conferences of the parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as the other biodiversity-related conventions (including in particular the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of the World Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the World Heritage Convention (WHC)) have called for closer collaboration and increased synergy amongst these agreements
Besides being an advantage, interlinkages between the RIO conventions can also create conflicts of interest among stakeholders if not well planned and coordinated. Synergy will not only rationalize the use of financial resources available, but it will also minimize duplication and allow taking advantage of the interlinkages and complementarities that the two conventions offer. Synergy in the current context includes subjects of common interest and overlapping issues between the UNCCD, CBD and UNFCCC at global, regional, national and local level and the cooperation between different stakeholders involved in the implementation of the conventions
The UNCCD Secretariat has been involved in the search for and development of synergy
with the other conventions, through the development of inter alia;joint programmes of work, holding of joint workshops and consultative forums, facilitating country level synergy workshops involving the environmental conventions at the local level, at the request of Parties to the convention, Memoranda of Understanding have been signed with these conventions and the relevant UN and other organizations, Outlining/identifying areas of possible collaboration.
Moreover, the three Rio Convention Secretariats have established a Joint Liaison Group to
assist in fostering closer collaboration among them. The UNCCD secretariat launched a national synergy workshop programme in order to stimulate the discussion of modalities of collaboration by various stakeholders in the implementation of the three conventions. A number of options for development of synergies among conventions at local were proposed at these meetings, including options for the forestry sector
Regards
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