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Poster prepared By Beth Cullen, Alemayehu Belay, Katherine Snyder, Kebebe Ergano and Alan Duncan for the International Forum on Water and Food, South Africa, 14-17 November 2011.
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Looking at land and water management issues through a livelihoods lens?Impact of land and water management interventions has been low in the Blue Nile basin, partly due to low levels of adoption. Historically approaches to RWM have been technology‐oriented and top‐down in approach with little regard for the needs, aspirations, constraints and livelihood realities of farming communities. A people centered approach is required which takes into account local livelihood strategies, cultural, social and institutional dynamics as well as power relations and gender.
Livelihoods are complex: thorough assessment and stakeholder engagement is required to gain an adequate understanding. Illustrated below are examples of livelihood issues and the implications for RWM in Jeldu, one of the NBDC sites.
Livelihood issues Implications for RWM Farmer perspectives
MIGRATION
Significant levels of seasonal migration, mainly by young people, to Addis Ababa,
Why should I invest in laborious and time consuming RWM when my son can bring quick cash from Addis? Adamaor Arsi?
Being landless, why would I expend labor on RWM when
I can work in off‐farm activities.
Adama, Arsi and other towns for at least 3 months a year.
• Seasonal migration patterns potentially affect RWM targeting
• Labor fluctuations have implications for RWM planning and implementation
• Can lead to conflicting interests‐migration may seem more beneficial
COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS
Livestock, land and labor sharing are prominent social institutions within communities
• Community‐based institutions build up relationships, cooperation, and social networks which often go beyond political boundaries used by RWM planning
Debo work groups are preferable to campaign‐led activities because we can
make our own arrangements
• Resource sharing has implications for RWM strategies requiring collective action: there is existing potential that could be utilized
• Livestock intensification and destocking for NRM may impact on social capital, networks and coping strategies
• Strong cultural values around livestock: significance for marriage, social status/wealth &
Is increased productivity really the answer to
everything?
Why should I reduce my livestock numbers? The more I have the more
networks I can establish
Land rental Livestock donation
g g , /emotional wellbeing so people may be resistant to changes
LANDLESSNESS
Significant levels of landlessness among the youth caused by population pressure and land fragmentation leading to a variety of livelihood strategies e.g. land renting, migration daily labor
• Lack of access to, and ownership of, productive resources may lead to lack of incentives for adopting RWM, particularly on rented land
Debo work groupOxen sharingMy animals are like my
children, I know them all by name. It is difficult to get rid of
them
migration, daily labor. rented land
• Landlessness among the young can lead to them seeking land in other areas, for example clearing uncultivated land which can lead to further resource degradation Why would I put long term
investment into rented land when my focus is just on this
year’s production
Ways forward
For RWM strategies to be successful, project planning and design need to consider the context in which people access natural resources, what shapes or constrains their access, what factors influence adoption or lack of adoption of RWM strategies and technologies, whose livelihoods will be improved and who might lose out.
Beth Cullen, Alemayehu Belay, Katherine Snyder, Kebebe Ergano, Alan Duncan
(Photos: Beth Cullen)Prepared for the International Forum on Water and Food, South Africa, 14‐17 November 2011