1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Book project: where the land is greener - Case Studies and Analysis of Soil and Water Conservation Initiatives Worldwide (where the land is greener)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling out Sustainable Land Management (GEF-FAO / DS-SLM)

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

16/01/2009

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Associations that help diffuse, at low cost, soil and water conservation technologies among upland farmers to generate income while conserving natural resources.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

In parts of the Philippines, farmers who are interested in learning and sharing knowledge about sustainable land management and new SWC measures organise themselves into the so-called 'Landcare' associations. These self-help groups are a vehicle for knowledge exchange, training and dissemination of SWC technologies. A main objective is the empowerment of farmers' groups in their efforts to improve their livelihoods as well as the environment. Landcare has three components and aims at strengthening collaboration between those: (1) grassroot farmers' organisations (Landcare organisations); (2) technical facilitators, for example the World Agroforestry Centre (formerly the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry: ICRAF) and government and academic agencies and (3) Local Government Units (LGUs). The Landcare associations are structured as municipal groups, village groups (barangay level or affiliate peoples' organisations), and village sub-groups (sitio or purok level). This ensures effective dissemination of technologies from the municipal level down to the smallest village. To give the associations a legal status, they are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Landcare associations conduct regular monthly meetings to promote exchange of information, ideas, and experience, thus promoting spread of SWC technologies. Extension service is carried out through the Local Government Units, which allocate 20% of their development funds for Landcare related activities such as meetings, training and visits, and nursery establishment. Farmers organised in Landcare groups have better access to technical and financial support for SWC activities from LGUs and other technical facilitators.

LGUs also enact local laws to encourage adoption of SWC technologies, such as giving tax incentives, and Landcare members are given priority access to programmes and financial assistance. Landcare acts as a guarantor against loans. The facilitating agencies provide technical assistance, and also help create an environment of dynamism among Landcare groups. A link is created between Landcare associations and these service providers. Landcare enhances sharing of labour, builds camaraderie, and encourages group decisions on matters relating to SWC. The approach is spreading rapidly: from the original one association with 25 members in 1996, this increased to 45 groups with over 4,000 members by 1999.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• traditional/ indigenous

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

- organise farmers with common concerns, problems, needs and aspirations into self help groups.
- establish farmers' groups as conduits for financial and other support for SWC technologies.
- empower farmers' groups in their efforts to improve their livelihoods as well as the environment.
- strengthen working linkages between farmers and the LGU, NGOs and technical facilitators.
- promote sharing of new technologies, information, ideas and experiences about sustainable agriculture and natural resources management among Landcare groups and members.
- facilitate collective efforts in activities - which cannot be carried out at household level (eg communal nurseries).
- assist in the marketing of agroforestry-derived products of the members, and to develop links to studies on agroforestry based farming

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	interactive	public meetings, rapid/participatory rural appraisal, workshops/ seminars
planning	interactive	public meetings, rapid/participatory rural appraisal, workshops/ seminars
implementation	self-mobilization	organisation of major and minor activities: coordination of casual labour
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	measurements/observations, public meetings, interviews/ questionnaires
research	interactive	on-farm research supported by LGU, academics, ICRAF

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists

Explain:

land user driven (bottom-up). Spontaneous adoption with technical assistance from donors

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Ja

Specify who was trained:

• land users

If relevant, specify gender, age, status, ethnicity, etc.

Training (by LGU, ICRAF, academics) in tree nursery establishment and seeding, soil sampling and soil fertility assessment, layout of contours for natural vegetative strips, and pest and disease control in the farm

Form of training:

• on-the-job
• farmer-to-farmer
• demonstration areas

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Ja

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, greatly

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Ja

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

Nee

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Ja

Specify topics:

• sociology
• technology

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

Nee

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• agricultural

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Nee

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

Landcare has become an integral part of civil organisation. Landcare is a triangulation of grassroot organizations (farmers), local government units (LGU's), and technical failitators. The financial resource required for this approach are imbedded in the regular budget of municipal or barangay. The LGU's (politicians consider Landcare groups as political machinery and voting blocks. If they

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Makes farm workers easier
Promotes social integration and addresses other social issues which are beyond individual household capacity to solve (burials, weddings, etc)

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Promotes rapid adoption of SWC technologies. Provides easy and fast access/implementation of SWC technologies
Encourages farmers to gain access to services and financial support from LGU, technical facilitators and service providers
Provides a vehicle for participatory research and technical interventions and ensures that newly-developed technologies are appropriate
Makes extension activities cost effective
Ensures sustainability of actions

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Individual problems not easily addressed, as few members are frank and open	Encourare everybody to share their problems and concerns
Participation entails time to be away from farm work	Meetings and discussions should be scheduled during evenings or holidays.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Over reliance on ICRAF on technical innovation	Encourage farmers to conduct farmer level experimentation.
Lack of leadership and organisation skills of some Landcare leaders, who are unable to guide groups into cohesive, dynamic organisation. It takes time to get consensus and to make them work together	Landcare group leaders need to be better trained in leadership skills group facilitation and participation
Some farmers join Landcare expecting handouts or grants	Project objectives and strategies should be explicitly explained to farmers
Over-emphasis of political patronage by some LGUs alienates people of different orientation/background	Encourage a more transparent government at LGU particularly at barangay level

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Campbell, Andrew. 1994. Landcare: Communities shaping the land and the future. Allen and Unvin, St. Leonard, New South Wales, Australia

Available from where? Costs?

ICRAF-Philippines. College of Forestry, UPLB, College, Laguna, Philippines

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Garrity, Dennis and Agustin Mercado, Jr. The Landcare Approach: a Two-Based Method to Rapidly Disseminate Agroforesttry Practices in Upland Watersheds

Available from where? Costs?

ICRAF-Philippines. College of Forestry, UPLB, College, Laguna, Philippines

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Mercado Jr A, Patindol M and Garrity DP (2001) The Landcare experience in the Philippines: technical and institutional innovations for conservation farming. Development in Practice, Vol. 11, No. 4