All participant - Law enforcement
(South Africa)
Description
Ordering a land user through the act to implement the SWC.
Aims / objectives: The overall purpose of this approach was (and still is) to make the land user aware of SWC, as it was obvious that he does not intend to solve the problem of soil erosion by himself. The objective was to convince the land user to implement the technology (water run-off control planning) by building the necessary soil conservation works (via watercourses and contours and explaining in detail to him what this technology comprises:
Stages of implementation: first to make the necessary surveys from which the watercourses could be designed, then to construct the watercourse. Thirdly the watercourses must be established with a perennial grass and lastly the land user must see to it that the necessary contours are surveyed and constructed and maintained. It was also explained to the land user (farmer) that the Provincial Department of Agriculture Technical division could provide him with services regarding the planning surveying and design of the soil conservation works. The major objective was to convince the farmer that if he did not comply with the directive, legal steps could be taken against him. Fortunately, he was convinced and put in an application for a water run-off control plan after he harvested his crop in 1992. Due to a shortage in personnel, surveying only started in November 1993.
Location
Location: North West Province, South Africa
Geo-reference of selected sites
Initiation date: 1991
Year of termination: 1995
Type of Approach
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traditional/ indigenous
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recent local initiative/ innovative
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project/ programme based
Map
Map
Approach aims and enabling environment
Main aims / objectives of the approach
The Approach focused on SLM only
1.) Construction of watercourses 2.) Establish grass in the watercourses 3.) Construction of contours
The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: The attitude of the farmer and to prevent conflict. To convince the farmer to give his co-operation without treading him with legal steps.
Conditions enabling the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
-
Legal framework (land tenure, land and water use rights): The existing land ownership, land use rights / water rights greatly helped the approach implementation: The importance of the owners responsibility to contribute towards sustainability for the benefit of descendants.
Conditions hindering the implementation of the Technology/ ies applied under the Approach
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Social/ cultural/ religious norms and values: Poor conservation ethic, resistance to change
Treatment through the SLM Approach: Discussions
-
Availability/ access to financial resources and services: This technology can be expensive although being subsides by government
Treatment through the SLM Approach: Subsidies
-
Knowledge about SLM, access to technical support: Lack of technical knowledge on how to solve the problem
Treatment through the SLM Approach:
Participation and roles of stakeholders involved
Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles
| What stakeholders / implementing bodies were involved in the Approach? |
Specify stakeholders |
Describe roles of stakeholders |
| local land users/ local communities |
Only one farmer |
|
| local government |
Provincial Government to deliver services and administrate the scheme |
|
| national government (planners, decision-makers) |
|
Responsible for law enforcement |
Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach
none
passive
external support
interactive
self-mobilization
Flow chart
Law enforcement Water run-off control plan on
Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology
Decisions were taken by
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land users alone (self-initiative)
-
mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists
-
all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach
-
mainly SLM specialists, following consultation with land users
-
SLM specialists alone
-
politicians/ leaders
Decisions were made based on
-
evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
-
research findings
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personal experience and opinions (undocumented)
Technical support, capacity building, and knowledge management
The following activities or services have been part of the approach
-
Capacity building/ training
-
Advisory service
-
Institution strengthening (organizational development)
-
Monitoring and evaluation
-
Research
Capacity building/ training
Training was provided to the following stakeholders
-
land users
-
field staff/ advisers
Form of training
-
on-the-job
-
farmer-to-farmer
-
demonstration areas
-
public meetings
-
courses
Subjects covered
Informal regarding how to maintain the soil conservation works and how to cultivate the lands with contours.
Advisory service
Advisory service was provided
-
on land users' fields
-
at permanent centres
Convincing and persuasion; Key elements: Understanding of how the technology function, Important aspects of maintenance, Technical support free of charge; 1) Advisory service was carried out through: government's existing extension system 2) Advisory service was carried out through: government's existing extension system; Extension staff: mainly government employees 3) Target groups for extension: land users (one); Activities: Explaining how the technology function.
Advisory service is totally inadequate to ensure the continuation of land conservation activities; A huge amount of cultivated land needs protection through this technology. The government cannot offer enough personnel to deliver the service.
Monitoring and evaluation
technical aspects were ad hoc monitored through observations
area treated aspects were ad hoc monitored through observations
There were several changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: The farmer is well informed how the technology function as well as how to maintain it.
Financing and external material support
Annual budget in USD for the SLM component
-
< 2,000
-
2,000-10,000
-
10,000-100,000
-
100,000-1,000,000
-
> 1,000,000
Precise annual budget: n.a.
Approach costs were met by the following donors: government (national - Subsidy scheme): 70.0%; other (land owner (farmer)): 30.0%
The following services or incentives have been provided to land users
-
Financial/ material support provided to land users
-
Subsidies for specific inputs
-
Credit
-
Other incentives or instruments
Impact analysis and concluding statements
Impacts of the Approach
No
Yes, little
Yes, moderately
Yes, greatly
Did the Approach help land users to implement and maintain SLM Technologies?
The farmer experienced that normal rainfall is evenly spreaded. In cases of heavy rain storms the soil is effectively protected against erosion.
Did other land users / projects adopt the Approach?
This approach is also applied on overgrazing deduced weeds and other problems regarding resource conservation.
Main motivation of land users to implement SLM
Sustainability of Approach activities
Can the land users sustain what hat been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?
Conclusions and lessons learnt
Strengths: land user's view
-
Trigger what he already planned to do and implement the technology (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Sound maintenance)
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
-
Supported by legislation (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Sound persuasion skills)
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
-
Dislike of law enforcement
Sound persuasion skills from inspector
-
Resistance to cooperate
Sound persuasion skills from inspector
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
-
Great possibility for confrontation
Sound persuasion skills
References
Date of documentation: Jan. 15, 2009
Last update: June 13, 2017
Resource persons
-
Pieter J. Theron (potch@nda.agric.za) - SLM specialist
Full description in the WOCAT database
Documentation was faciliated by
