Bye Laws as a Means of Scaling Up Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Options in the Eastern Africa Highlands (original) (raw)
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Widespread adoption of sustainable land management (SLM) innovations by land users is considered key in addressing the rampant land degradation in the high rainfall and densely populated highlands of eastern and southern Africa. However, absence of enabling policy environments hamperes massive adoption of SLM innovations among rural communities. This paper presents the process and outcomes of a participatory approach for formulating and implementing SLM byelaws in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The participatory approach utilised three complementary tools, namely, stakeholder analysis, community needs assessment and policy dialogues. The stakeholder analysis revealed that several government institutions, non-government organisations(NOGs) and community groups promote SLM practices. Poor coordination among actors, top-down approach in planning and implementation, and limited capacity of communities hamperes SLM scaling up efforts. Stakeholder engagements culminates in establishin...
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Scaling Sustainable Land management Innovations: The African Highland Initiative Devolution Model
Benefits accruing from using sustainable land management (SLM) innovations including technologies, approaches and methods specifically in eastern Africa highlands do not match the scale of their adoption among rural poor communities inhabiting critical ecosystems of global importance. The African Highlands Initiative (AHI), an ecological programme building on more than a decade legacy as an innovator towards development of innovative methods and approaches, unveils an AHI devolution model anchored in policy reforms involving transfer of functions to more localised institutions that empowers stakeholders towards scaling SLM innovations. This paper presents the model whose focus is on multi-stakeholder engagements embedded in a structured process comprising of drivers, facilitators, devolution governance, outcomes and feedback systems. The model capitalises on Innovation Platforms (IPs) to access a large consortium of actors, each playing important roles at multiscales, and further take advantage of the benefits of decentralisations to leverage support and buy-in necessary for operationalising an effective scaling strategy. Towards operationalising the model, SLM scaling strategy developed and rolled out in Ethiopia and Uganda is described, unpacking its five components: (i) understanding local contexts; (ii) facilitating learning alliances; (iii) monitoring performance; (iv) implementing tangible action including creating enabling environment; and (v) continuous capacity building. Achievements attributed to the model specific to Ethiopia and Uganda include; a systematic strategy for 10 devolution structures (IPs) at multiscales mainstreamed under decentralised local government authorities; enabling policy environment beyond capacity building; institutional strengthening and human resource development and increased allocation of resources to SLM by local government. Tangible results in Ethiopia include: 1.24 ha fenced for regeneration, seed bulking on 8 community nurseries; distribution of 62, 463 seedlings; 234 km of soil conservation structures; 2 bylaws with 608 households benefiting from Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) technologies. In Uganda results include distribution of 71,903 tree seedlings, nurturing 219 seedlings in 6 community nurseries, building capacity of 153 IP members in seed collection, two bylaws and ordinance; as well as 8,435 ha regenerated. Policy recommendations in support of the AHI devolution model include investment in creating enabling environment, including incentive packages; mainstreaming IPs in local government structures, ; and knowledge management; capacity building; advocacy and awareness building and a political will.
Adoption intensity of soil and water conservation technologies: a case of South Western Uganda
Environment, Development and Sustainability, 2014
Important signs of agricultural land quality deterioration are apparent in many countries, including declining yields and a switch to crops that demand fewer nutrients. This is despite efforts to curb land degradation rates through the years, including the attempt to promote use of soil and water conservation (SWC) technologies. This study was done in Kabale district in the South Western highlands of Uganda. Data analysis was done using cross-sectional data from 338 households. A Tobit model was used to identify the factors that influence intensity of adoption of different SWC technologies at parcel level. Results indicate that higher proportions of individual parcels having SWC technologies are associated with availability of labor, education level, and age of the household head, access to SWC related training, more tropical livestock units, neighboring parcels having SWC technologies on them, high fertility levels, location of the parcel, and expected access to parcels in a given period of time. Large size of operated land and long distances from parcels to the homesteads are associated with lower adoption intensity. The importance of each of these aspects varies depending on technologies of focus. Measures to improve the quality of training and extension services have been recommended. In addition, improvement of physical infrastructure such as roads and institutional infrastructure such as tenure security enhancement has been recommended.
Scaling Sustainable Land Managment Innovations: The African Highland Initiative Devolution Model
Benefits accruing from using sustainable land management (SLM) innovations including technologies, approaches and methods specifically in eastern Africa highlands do not match the scale of their adoption among rural poor communities inhabiting critical ecosystems of global importance. The African Highlands Initiative (AHI), an ecological programme building on more than a decade legacy as an innovator towards development of innovative methods and approaches, unveils an AHI devolution model anchored in policy reforms involving transfer of functions to more localised institutions that empowers stakeholders towards scaling SLM innovations. This paper presents the model whose focus is on multi-stakeholder engagements embedded in a structured process comprising of drivers, facilitators, devolution governance, outcomes and feedback systems. The model capitalises on Innovation Platforms (IPs) to access a large consortium of actors, each playing important roles at multiscales, and further take advantage of the benefits of decentralisations to leverage support and buy-in necessary for operationalising an effective scaling strategy. Towards operationalising the model, SLM scaling strategy developed and rolled out in Ethiopia and Uganda is described, unpacking its five components: (i) understanding local contexts; (ii) facilitating learning alliances; (iii) monitoring performance; (iv) implementing tangible action including creating enabling environment; and (v) continuous capacity building. Achievements attributed to the model specific to Ethiopia and Uganda include; a systematic strategy for 10 devolution structures (IPs) at multiscales mainstreamed under decentralised local government authorities; enabling policy environment beyond capacity building; institutional strengthening and human resource development and increased allocation of resources to SLM by local government. Tangible results in Ethiopia include: 1.24 ha fenced for regeneration, seed bulking on 8 community nurseries; distribution of 62, 463 seedlings; 234 km of soil conservation structures; 2 bylaws with 608 households benefiting from Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) technologies. In Uganda results include distribution of 71,903 tree seedlings, nurturing 219 seedlings in 6 community nurseries, building capacity of 153 IP members in seed collection, two bylaws and ordinance; as well as 8,435 ha regenerated. Policy recommendations in support of the AHI devolution model include investment in creating enabling environment, including incentive packages; mainstreaming IPs in local government structures, ; and knowledge management; capacity building; advocacy and awareness building and a political will.
Adoption of soil conservation through collective actions in southwestern Uganda
African Crop Science Journal
In developing countries, access to and use of renewable natural resources are essential for rural livelihoods to thrive. Hence, cooperation in the management of natural resources is increasingly an important strategy that can enhance long-term socio-ecological resilience. In most cases, collective actions have widely been recognised as an alternative institutional arrangement to centralised governance for the management of natural resources, but their success largely depends on factors that are specific to localities where they are implemented. In this study, factors that influence adoption and extent of adoption of natural resource conservation activities were identified using two case studies: Bubaare and Bufundi Innovation Platforms in Uganda. The drivers of adoption of community natural resource management strategies are analysed using an Ordered Logit Model while extent of adoption is analysed using a truncated regression model. The education level of a household head, membership in collective action group, and perception of plot slope and relevance of bye-laws were factors associated with likelihood of adoption. Value of livestock, membership in collective action group, access to credit and off-farm income were found to positively influence the level of investment. Thus, collective action increases opportunities for adoption; hence farmers should be supported to work collectively.
Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology
As an outcome of agricultural activities, land degradation causes detrimental impacts on the environment and soil. It requires sustainable measures to combat the problem that is becoming critical worldwide. Despite many technological improvement programmes in agriculture, especially on land conservation, adoption has remained low in many developing countries. This situation triggered a further investigation into potential factors influencing sustainable land management practices (SLMPs) adoption in Mbulu district, a semiarid area in northern Tanzania so as to determine and suggest appropriate measures that can promote greater adoption. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and data from 120 farmers was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The adoption index was computed and determined the level of SLMPs adoption to be low. Probit regression analysis examined the factors influencing the adoption of SLMPs. Results show that gender, marital status, education, land size, and...
Journal of Resources Development and Management, 2017
Uganda faces severe environmental problems such as soil erosion, yet adoption of technologies that can sustainably reduce or stop soil erosion remains low. This is partly due to lack of locally enacted landcare bylaws and limited involvement of local communities in bylaws formulation. Using a case study of Kween district we assessed the effect of landcare bylaws and local community involvement in bylaws formulation on adoption of soil erosion control technologies. The study used primary data collected from a survey of 120 randomly selected farmers and secondary information synthesized from Kapchorwa District Landcare Chapter reports, consultative workshops attendance lists, lists of members on the Bylaw Implementation Committee, and the printed poster of the ‘‘Benet landcare bylaws”. The data was analysed through generation of descriptive statistics. Findings indicate that there was minimal involvement of local communities in bylaws formulation. Although penalties for breaking the e...