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 people and their land are safer - A Compendium of Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (where people and their land are safer)

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

Swiss Red Cross (Swiss Red Cross) - Switzerland

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

22/11/2016

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

Yes

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

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Honduran Forest Legislation establishes the strict protection of microbasins from human exploitation. However, in practice, there is an accelerated rate of microbasin degradation brought on by land use changes that turn forest lands into crop lands. Through sensitization, raising awareness, and training aimed at the general population and Water Management Boards, Local Emergency Committees (in Spanish, Comités de Emergencia Local, CODEL) and Health Committees in particular, a negotiation process involving land users is promoted to protect microbasins that provide water by issuing a decree.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

One of the main obstacles faced by communities in the Department of Olancho, Honduras, is access to water systems providing water in the required quantities and quality. In recent years, inadequate use of these microbasins has increased erosion in these regions. Changes in land use resulting in transforming forest lands into lands for agricultural and livestock production affect the cycle for recharging water. Furthermore, the pollution caused by agrochemicals and waste water derived from coffee processing reduces water quality and damages the health of the area's population

Honduran forest legislation establishes strict protections for microbasins exploited for human consumption. However, enforcing these laws frequently causes conflicts. The “Resiliencia” project headed by the Honduran / Swiss Red Cross, together with competent authorities, supports issuing decrees in order to protect microbasins; this is based on sensitization, raising awareness and providing training to the general population, specifically at the Water Management Boards, Local Emergency Committees (CODEL) and Health Committees. Local structures led by Water Management Boards are the main actors in this process and participate in community assemblies, surveys, delimitation of microbasins, collection of documents and negotiation with users, etc.

During the negotiation process, many Water Management Boards have carried out diverse fund-raising activities to compensate those users who give up the land plots they use in the microbasin. The Forest Conservation Institute (in Spanish, Instituto de Conservación Forestal, ICF) and the Environmental Municipal Unit (In Spanish, Unidad Municipal Ambiental, UMA) as well as the Red Cross, help to collect data, to define the area that will come under protection, to draft theme maps, to consolidate information required for clearance by the National Agrarian Institute (in Spanish, Nacional Agrario, INA). This also facilitates negotiations and agreements with people exploiting the aforementioned areas. The process required to issue a decree increases the community's sense of property, as well as ensures protection and conservation of microbasins and comprehensive water management systems. The nucleus of the approach involves strengthening Water Management Boards to help them manage their own water system through training in environmental issues, management and fee estimation, as well as providing them with tools to improve their water provision system. Thus, Water Management Boards become key players in protecting microbasins.

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

• recent local initiative/ innovative

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

Strengthen community capacities, specifically Water Management Boards leading the process, to ensure decrees are issued and strict protection measures are decreed in favor of microbasins to allow recharging underground water and ensure water quality and quantity.

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
planning	interactive
implementation	interactive
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive

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

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• evaluation of well-documented SLM knowledge (evidence-based decision-making)
• research findings
• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

• Water Management Boards

Form of training:

• courses

Form of training:

• asambleas comunitarias

Subjects covered:

Comprehensive Water System Management: Management, fee estimation, risk management, reforestation, water cycle, water treatment, drafting of action plans, developing requests for microprojects

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

• Water Management Board headquarters

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

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

Water Management Boards are responsible for managing the water system. It is composed of members of the community.

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training
• equipment

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Monitoring and assessment are part of the project cycle of Honduran/ Swiss Red Cross. Water Management Boards monitor water systems and reforested land plots, while the general population self-assesses resilience to disaster and health hazards.

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

No

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Specify topics:

• sociology
• economics / marketing
• ecology

Give further details and indicate who did the research:

Biophysical studies of the microbasin and socioeconomic studies of the microbasin performed by CRH, ICF, UMA, with participation from local institutions.

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

Indicate the annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach in US$:

18000.00

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 10,000-100,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

Swiss Red Cross

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

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

Yes

If yes, specify type(s) of support, conditions, and provider(s):

Communities received material and tools to perform maintenance activities on the water system.

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• none

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

No

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)?

• uncertain

If no or uncertain, specify and comment:

Community structures have considerably increased their capacity to sustain and replicate the implementation of the approach. Two challenges threatening the sustainability of the approach are political instability and changes in government institutions and entities. These can bring the process to a standstill.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Issuing the decree is a specific action that can provide the community with the required support to deal with intruders and implement microbasin protection measures.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The approach raised awareness among the population and provided training to the Water Management Boards to allow them considering and managing the water system based on a comprehensive approach.

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

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Sometimes it is not possible to reach an agreement and, thus, the community can forcefully evict land users who settled in the microbasin's territory. This can lead to open conflicts that, in a context as delicate as Honduras, can become violent.	Forced eviction must be the final resource. Close monitoring of this situation is required and dialogues must be established between the people affected and the community.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Respuestas locales y desafíos globales: Reducción de riesgos desde la comunidad. Sistematización de los proyectos desarrollados del 2005 al 2014 en seis municipios de los departamentos de Olancho, Valle y Choluteca, Honduras. Cruz Roja Suiza, 2016

Available from where? Costs?

info@redcross.ch (gratis)

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Guía metodológica #7: Protección de microcuencas. Cruz Roja Suiza (a publicarse)