Desire for Greener Land

Analysis of SLM approaches
Introduction
According to WOCAT, a SLM approach constitutes ‘the ways
and means of support that help introduce, implement, adapt
and apply SLM technologies on the ground’. An overall concept
that best describes the two basic ways in which adoption
can spread, namely through promotion (incentives) and
spontaneously, is an ‘enabling environment’ within which
conservation thrives 15 . Compared to the 30 technologies,
analysed above, only 8 corresponding approaches were
documented to illustrate how these technologies were
implemented in the field.
The approaches documented in this book range from
examples of testing and disseminating new technologies to
training and awareness raising campaigns, rural development
programmes and government programmes in forest
regulations.
Approach type and focus
WOCAT differentiates between three types of approaches;
(i) traditional / indigenous; (ii) recent local initiative / innovative
and (iii) project / programme based. Six out of the eight
approaches are project or programme based and only the
Tunisian case is based on a recent innovation. The Mexican
approach is a combination of all three types.
The focus of the approach is not always on SLM, but can also
be on other activities. Having said this, half of the DESIRE
approaches do indeed focus on the conservation aspect;
two include other aspects and another two focus mainly
on other activities, such as registered alcohol production in
Type of approach
1
Figure 32: Type of approaches.
1
6
recent local initiative / innovative
project / programme based
traditional and innovative and
poject based
DESIRE - WOCAT 2012
Mexico and forest activities’ productivity and profitability.
Often, SLM is just one element of a wider rural development
programme.
Objectives
It was often the case that the authors of the approaches
paid more attention to environmental impacts than to institutional
strengthening or training. As a result, most case
studies primarily mention the control of degradation and
desertification as the first objective. A second objective is
the enhancement of productivity and the intensification of
production. Another important objective mentioned by the
majority of authors is the improvement of farmers’ livelihoods,
primarily through more income. More specific objectives
include the implementation of national and regional
forest management policy at the local level in Portugal and
removing marginality and socio-economic opening up the
region in Morocco.
Payment for labour
Support for labour
Labour provided by land users is only fully paid in two of the
documented approaches. All others rely, at least partially, on
voluntary contribution by land users; three of the cases rely
fully on these voluntary contributions. In Cape Verde, labour
is fully paid because of widespread poverty.
Funding sources
Roughly one third of funding comes from international
sources, such as international institutions (e.g. FAO) or
research programmes (e.g. EU). This varies from 0% in two
cases to 100% in one case (Russia). The national government
is the most important donor, supplying over 50% of
58 DESIRE – WOCAT Desire for Greener Land
1
3
1
2
1
paid in cash
voluntary / paid in cash
voluntary
voluntary / paid in cash /
rewarded with material support
voluntary / rewarded with
material support
DESIRE - WOCAT 2012
Figure 33: Rewarding labour under the reported approaches.
Turkey, Sanem Açıkalın Greece, Hanspeter Liniger