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rural population effects, and the ratios between traditional and
non-traditional crops. Conversely, EXITOS may actually reduce land
conversion rates over what they would otherwise be by promoting agricultural
intensification (vs. extensification), with the consequent effect of
stabilizing formerly shifting cultivation systems on already cleared lands.
Third, in many cases NTA cropping is associated with improvements in land
management practices over those of traditional agricultural systems. The
project proposes to study these phenomena.
Alternative I (EXITOS). EXITOS will not directly affect the rate or extent of
land conversion to KTA crop production. Indirectly the Project could
contribute to such conversion. This would not necessarily represent an
increase in conversion over the No Action scenario. The target operations
mostly exist, and the Project may indirectly reduce the need to convert
additional lands through provision of Technical Assistance which improves crop
yields per unit area.
Alternative 3 (No Action). Under the No Action Alternative, those natural
resource use conflicts which exist would continue. A.I.D. would not,
moreover, be able to either better understand the nature of--nor positively
influence resolution of--conflicts with the financial resources currently
approved for EXITOS.
Mitiatign. EXITOS will indirectly reduce land use conversion by improving
those NTA crop management practices that contribute to agricultural
intensification and thereby reduce the need for such conversion. It will also
fund a study to help objectively evaluate the nature of NT export trends on
land use, and in the event that significant conflicts occur as a result of
Project activities EXITOS will help mitigate those conflicts as appropriate
through provision of short-term TA and/or training.
3.2.3 Light Industrial Pollution
The Issue. Section 5.1.3 reviews light industrial pollution
and waste disposal problems that may result from promotion of NTI exports.
Most light industrial activities themselves do not contribute significantly to
regional pollution problems. The aggregate effects of these activities,
however, place clear stresses on some ecosystems including human environments
because of the volume of the load and the limited assimilative capacities of
recipient systems.
Alternative 1 (EXITOS). EXITOS will not directly cause or exacerbate
industrial pollution/waste disposal problems. The nature of any problems
which may be encountered during implementation will be highly case-specific,
and depend on the type, size, location and nature of the industrial
operation. The types of Technical Assistance to be funded by EXITOS will
concentrate on improving the quality of the export product and on ways of
increasing the profitability of the export operation. While EXITOS is not
designed to provide pollution-specific TA, it was observed during numerous
field trips to light industrial candidates, that pollution/waste disposal