Fragile Lands of Latin America Strategies for ... - PART - USAID

Development of Fragile Lands 33
Indirect Interventions
The first approach recommended is technology, and approaches to
technology generation for fragile lands. These approaches focus on four
closely related, but different technological issues:
What is the state of the resource base and our knowledge of it?
Do technologies exist for controlling erosion and productivity loss
that are profitable under prevailing economic conditions?
Do technologies exist to raise the sustainable productivity and net
income that can be achieved from the land resource base?
Do research systems exist that can continue to develop the nec-
essary information and technologies in ways that ensure their
relevance to fragile lands users?
The last question may be the most important. Without a recognition
of why research has failed to address fragile lands needs and what the
special requirements of this research are, it is not possible to establish
operational priorities for action. Strengthening or redirecting the re-
search establishment itself may be a priority.
The second approach emphasizes the measurement and monitoring
of natural resources. The need to improve information on changes in
the resource base, particularly in critical areas such as important
watersheds, creates numerous openings for government or donor-sup-
ported programs, including strengthening of organizations charged with
natural resource monitoring and introduction of cost-saving monitoring
techniques.
The third element discusses the role of planning and policy reform-
particularly land-use planning, land development policies, regional plan-
ning, agricultural sector policies, and macroeconomic policies. Emphasis
is often placed on strengthening a government's capacity for policy
analysis and formulation to permit full consideration of the economic
and environmental implications of proposed policies. Since the insti-
tutional responsibilities for fragile lands programs are typically spread
across numerous agencies, this makes it unlikely that hnds allocated
to fragile lands will be applied in an effective manner. Concentration
of efforts in high-priority areas will require coordination among national
agencies and donors.
Finally, the specific ways in which land is owned and used can have
a significant impact on land use, including investment behavior and
land management in general. One approach to encouraging desired
management behavior is to improve the tenure situation of fragile lands