1.2 Coordonnées des personnes-ressources et des institutions impliquées dans l'évaluation et la documentation de l'Approche

Nom du projet qui a facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de l'Approche (si pertinent)

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

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de l'Approche (si pertinent)

Asociación para la Diversificación y el Desarrollo Agricultural Comunal (ADDAC) - Nicaragua

1.3 Conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées

Le compilateur et la(les) personne(s) ressource(s) acceptent les conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées:

Oui

1.4 Références au(x) questionnaire(s) sur les Technologies de GDT

2.1 Courte description de l'Approche

An integrated programme-based approach promoting participatory testing and extension of various SWC technologies, as well as providing institutional support.

2.2 Description détaillée de l'Approche

Description détaillée de l'Approche:

Aims / objectives: The Association for Agricultural Community Development and Diversification (ADDAC) is a non-profit NGO, founded in 1989, whose mission is to improve the living standard of poor rural families engaged in small/medium scale farming in marginal areas to the north of Nicaragua. The main purpose of ADDAC's approach is to develop and strengthen local capacity to analyse problems and find solutions for rural sustainable development. There are five main components: (1) food security and productive development, including technological improvement and diversification within traditional crop cultivation, and extension of alternative agricultural land use practices; (2) support to farmers??? organisations; (3) promotion of gender equality; (4) identification of alternatives in marketing; and (5) provision of an alternative credit system for farming. These fields of activities are based on the principles of organic agriculture and a powerful training process - using the methodology of 'popular education', which involves participatory training and extension activities.

Methods: ADDAC initiates its work in communities through PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) - evaluating problems and potential solutions. These serve as a base for the formulation of project proposals which are then submitted to interested financing organisations. Further steps include participatory planning, and later, evaluation, in collaboration with the land users. For execution of activities ADDAC contracts an interdisciplinary crew of specialists, which stays in the area. Twice a year a participatory reunion is organised to evaluate, and accordingly improve, the activities. Key to the approach is the formation of a grassroots organisation in each community to guarantee local management, build up alternative enterprises and promote community development. These organisations consist of representatives of local support groups, and farmers with a leading role in SWC application and extension. The organisations have various functions during the lifetime of a project: they are the counterparts of the extensionists for project execution, and later they ensure sustainability of activities. Farmers' associations are formed to improve storage and marketing of crops. Networks of local promoters exchange experience between communities and consolidate extension of alternative technologies. Demonstration farms serve as a tool for technology extension, innovation and validation.

2.5 Pays/ région/ lieux où l'Approche a été appliquée

2.6 Dates de début et de fin de l'Approche

2.7 Type d'Approche

• fondé sur un projet/ programme

2.8 Principaux objectifs de l'Approche

Support the economical sustainability and food security of land users in the project area through increased production, diversification, soil conservation and environmental protection. - develop feasible production models, aimed at self-sufficiency and the integration of land users into an alternative internal and external market; build up alternative forms of marketing and credit systems. - community development and capacity building: build-up local farmers' organisation

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: Lack of organisation and skills to analyse and overcome underlying problems of: - poverty; lack of financial resources for investments (eg in SWC). - insufficient food/poor nutrition. - soil degradation/indiscriminate burning of vegetation. - lack of appropriate technologies. - lack of access to public services and markets

2.9 Conditions favorisant ou entravant la mise en œuvre de la(des) Technologie(s) appliquée(s) sous l'Approche

3.1 Parties prenantes impliquées dans l'Approche et rôles

3.2 Participation des exploitants locaux des terres/ communautés locales aux différentes phases de l'Approche

	Participation des exploitants locaux des terres/ communautés locales	Spécifiez qui était impliqué et décrivez les activités
initiation/ motivation	interactive	rapid/participatory rural appraisal; participatory planning in public meetings
planification	interactive	public meetings, workshops/seminars; assemblies for municipal planning (elaboration of community action plan)
mise en œuvre	interactive	responsibility for major steps; execution of the action plans where each community decides
suivi/ évaluation	interactive	Mainly: public meetings; partly: workshop/seminars, measurements/observations; a specialist is in charge of the continuation of activities and of the planning process with each community; annual assembly of delegates representing all communities assisted by ADDAC
Research	interactive	on-farm; on-farm experimentation with interested land users: assessment of different technologies (variety tests, evaluation of ecological effects, etc)

3.4 Prises de décision pour la sélection de la Technologie/ des Technologies

Indiquez qui a décidé de la sélection de la Technologie/ des Technologies à mettre en œuvre:

• principalement les exploitants des terres soutenus par des spécialistes de la GDT

Expliquez:

Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by mainly by land users supported by SLM specialists

4.1 Renforcement des capacités/ formation

Une formation a-t-elle été dispensée aux exploitants des terres/ autres parties prenantes?

Oui

Formats de la formation:

• entre agriculteurs (d'exploitants à exploitants)
• zones de démonstration
• réunions publiques

Thèmes abordés:

The form of training promoted by ADDAC is called 'popular education'. It is a continuous and participatory process of mutual learning between farmers and technicians, based on a course of 'action - reassessment - action', with the aim of re-establishing indigenous knowledge, improving local self-esteem and the ability to analyse innovations, and, in the long term, to build up the capacity withi

4.2 Service de conseils

Les exploitants des terres ont-ils accès à un service de conseils?

Oui

Spécifiez si le service de conseils est fourni:

• dans les champs des exploitants?

Décrivez/ commentez:

Key elements: demonstration areas, technical assistance through farm visits, farmer-to-farmer extension, local promoters organised into 'Local Support Groups', associated network.

4.3 Renforcement des institutions (développement organisationnel)

Des institutions ont elles été mises en place ou renforcées par le biais de l'Approche?

• oui, un peu

Spécifiez à quel(s) niveau(x), ces institutions ont été renforcées ou mises en place:

• local

• building up groups (see Annexe 3)

4.4 Suivi et évaluation

Le suivi et l'évaluation font ils partie de l'Approche? :

Oui

Commentaires:

Socio-cultural aspects were ad hoc monitored by 0 through observations; indicators: land users needs
Economic / production aspects were ad hoc monitored by 0 through observations; indicators: nutritional security, cost-benefit-ratio, deversification, organic products, certified production, production for markets
No. of land users involved aspects were regular monitored by 0 through measurements; indicators: strategic plan, progress of project
Management of Approach aspects were regular monitored by None through measurements; indicators: None
Training aspects were regular monitored by None through observations; indicators: land users trained as local promoters
There were several changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: at the beginning the approach consisted only of two components: training and research. Then it was broadened to involve extension of SWC technologies and promotion of crop diversification. Later the credit programme and the organisational component became part of the approach. The approach activities are supposed to be a continuously expanded based on the needs of the land users.

4.5 Recherche

La recherche a-t-elle fait partie intégrante de l’Approche?

Oui

Spécifiez les thèmes:

• technologie

Donnez plus de détails et indiquez qui a mené ces recherches:

Research is carried out on demonstration farms through local promoters. Topics include on-farm testing of technologies, and adaptive trials with maize and pea varieties.

5.1 Budget annuel de la composante GDT de l'Approche

Commentez (par ex. principales sources de financement/ principaux bailleurs de fonds):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: international non-government (-): 90.0%; national non-government (-): 10.0%

5.2 Soutiens financiers/ matériels fournis aux exploitants des terres

Les exploitants des terres ont-ils reçu un soutien financier/ matériel pour la mise en œuvre de la Technologie/ des Technologies?

Non

5.3 Subventions pour des intrants spécifiques (incluant la main d'œuvre)

• équipement

• intrants agricoles

• infrastructures

Si la main d'œuvre fournie par les exploitants des terres était un intrant substantiel, elle était:

• volontaire

Commentaires:

land users works on their own farms at their own cost.

5.4 Crédits

Des crédits ont-ils été alloués à travers l'Approche pour les activités de GDT?

Oui

Spécifiez les conditions (taux d'intérêts, remboursements, etc.):

Interest rate charged: 1.5%; repayment conditions: Credit was provided through the programme of alternative financing by ADDAC. The 1.5% interest rate (lower than the market rate) is accessible to individuals and organised groups..

Interest was lower than market rate.

6.1 Impacts de l'Approche

6.3 Durabilité des activités de l'Approche

Les exploitants des terres peuvent-ils poursuivre ce qui a été mis en œuvre par le biais de l'Approche (sans soutien extérieur)?

• oui

6.4 Points forts/ avantages de l'Approche

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé
Growing active integration of women (25% more contribution to farm income and >25% more participation in decision making in comparison with non-participants) (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Keep the gender programme as a component of the approach.)
Farmers' organisations: build up capacity for autonomous management of alternative development activities (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Integrate more farmers in the baseline organisations.)
Efficient extension method: 86% of involved land users apply more than 3 different SWC technologies promoted by the approach which contributes to sustainable development of the region (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Maintain and extend present farmer-to-farmer extension system: continue training of local promoters, network of promoters, local support group.)
Evaluation of land users' needs and involvement of new approach components according to their needs; continuous mutual learning process between land users and between land users and extensionists/specialists (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continue the present 6-monthly evaluation procedures; implement a system of information, communication, evaluation and monitoring to analyse the impact of the approach activities.)
Increasing self-esteem of the people.

6.5 Faiblesses/ inconvénients de l'Approche et moyens de les surmonter

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
Process takes long and requires high inputs of human resources and materials	In an integrated approach with strong participation of land users this problem is unavoidable; formulation of good project proposals help in finding donors to finance long-term programmes.

7.1 Méthodes/ sources d'information

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Rolando Bunch (1990) Dos Mazorcas de Ma??z Anon (1990) El peque?? agricultor en Honduras ADDAC (2002) Plan