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)

Strengthening national-level institutional and professional capacities of country Parties towards enhanced UNCCD monitoring and reporting – GEF 7 EA Umbrella II (GEF 7 UNCCD Enabling Activities_Umbrella II)

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

Quand les données ont-elles été compilées (sur le terrain)?

13/07/2023

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

Oui

2.1 Courte description de l'Approche

The public-private-community partnerships (PPCP) approach is a synergistically operational model that is used to achieve sustainable development in which the three parties jointly develop a business unit/service of mutual benefit and provide maximum benefit to the wider community. This approach is designed to enable economically disabled households and community organizations to generate long-term benefits through sustainable agriculture - in this case hazelnut production.

2.2 Description détaillée de l'Approche

Description détaillée de l'Approche:

The Mountain Hazelnut Venture (MHV) is a social enterprise established as a Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) between the people and the Royal Government of Bhutan and a private company. The PPCP approach involves private entity funding of a project, and it has become common countrywide, The MHV has enabled a large-scale Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project. The MHV provides hazelnut trees, agricultural inputs, and technical assistance to smallholder farmers. At harvest, the company purchases hazelnuts from partner growers, which are then processed for international export. The primary objective of this approach is to foster collaboration between the private company and the community to generate long-term income and revitalize vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. Hazelnut orchards stabilize mountain slopes, reduce soil erosion, improve water retention, and help adapt to, and mitigate, climate change by improving ground cover, retaining soil moisture and sequestering carbon.
The private company looks for interested farmers who are then registered. The company propagates good quality hazelnut seedlings and distributes them. This is followed up by constant monitoring by technical staff until fruits are harvested and processed. The implementation stage includes planning, providing them with necessary agricultural inputs, and technical support through extension and monitoring. Once the fruits are harvested, payment is made to the farmers. Implementation involves the MHV engaging with community members alongside agricultural extension agents to present and convince them about the benefits of the project. Additionally, the MHV provides training, workshops, and ongoing support. They finance the project while also taking on the role of monitoring and evaluating its outcomes.
There are three key stakeholders involved in this approach. They are the community members (landowners), the Royal Government of Bhutan, and the Mountain Hazelnut company. It is reported that there are more than 8,000 smallholder land users registered with MHV from 19 of 20 districts in Bhutan. The roles of the land users are to grow hazelnuts through nurturing the seedlings, harvesting the nuts, and selling them to the Hazelnut company as per the mutual agreement. Land users are provided free seedlings, consistent technical and field support, and the guaranteed buyback of nuts by the company. They also received training and assistance. The second key stakeholder is the Royal Government, who provides clearance and facilitates the establishment of business in line with the national Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy. In the field, agriculture extension agents represent the government by facilitating communication between the hazelnut company and the communities. Lastly, the MHV as a private company is committed to fostering the development of entrepreneurs in the agribusiness sector across Bhutan.
The advantages of the approach to the land users are the financial, technical and material support provided by the private company. The land users can also develop their skills and knowledge through training on hazelnut cultivation and good agricultural practices (GAP). Hazelnut is a new crop in the locality.
Finally, the company is committed to generating income and improving the livelihood of rural communities in Bhutan. However, despite the noble objectives, the company has failed to realize its intended target, and this is an increasing cause of concern. Furthermore, there are complaints that the harvests have been poor – or even zero in some cases. It is clear that there had been inadequate investigation into the viability of hazelnuts in Bhutan. While failing on the economic front so far, from the land degradation neutrality (LDN) point of view, the hazelnut plantations have improved ground cover immensely thereby generating environmental benefits through stabilization of vulnerable agricultural land, reduction in land degradation and carbon sequestration.

2.3 Photos de l'approche

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

The primary objective of this approach is to persuade the community to embrace the Mountain Hazelnut Venture and foster collaboration between the private company and the community to advance the project, generate long-term income, revitalise vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture, stabilising mountain slopes, reducing erosion, improving water retention, and mitigating climate change by improving soil fertility and carbon sequestration.

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	The land users were sensitized on the Mountain Hazelnut Venture, in particular the long term benefits of improving income and livelihoods. Mutual agreements were signed between the company and the land users.
planification	passive	The private company (MHV) decide on the timeline of the project and how to implement it. However, the community members and the extension agents are informed about the plan.
mise en œuvre	auto-mobilisation	For the implementation, land users were equipped with all the skills and materials required for the projects success. They plant and cultivate the hazelnut in their fields on their own, with some assistance from the company's field coordinator.
suivi/ évaluation	interactive	Officials from the company (MHV) visits the land users field together with the land users, where the hazelnuts were cultivated and checks the progress of the project.

3.3 Diagramme/ organigramme (si disponible)

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

Les décisions concernant la sélection de la(des) Technologie(s) ont elles été prises:

• Private sector (MHV)

Expliquez:

The decision to implement the project in Domlung was done by the private company (MHV) based on their findings and agreement by the community.

Spécifiez sur quelle base ont été prises les décisions:

• l'évaluation de connaissances bien documentées en matière de GDT (prises de décision fondées sur des preuves tangibles)?

4.1 Renforcement des capacités/ formation

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

Oui

Spécifiez qui a été formé:

• exploitants des terres

Formats de la formation:

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

Thèmes abordés:

The subjects covered included the cultivation of hazelnuts, good agricultural practices, proper land and agronomic management of hazelnuts, grafting, weed control, and sustainable land management.

Commentaires:

The capacity building was financed by the private company and was supervised by the agricultural extension agent.

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?

• Private company

Décrivez/ commentez:

Advisory services were provided by the field coordinator and other officials from the private company (MHV).

4.3 Renforcement des institutions (développement organisationnel)

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

• non

4.4 Suivi et évaluation

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

Oui

Commentaires:

In accordance with the land users of Domlung, officials from the private company visits the village sporadically to check the progress of the project.

Si oui, ce document est-il destiné à être utilisé pour le suivi et l'évaluation?

Non

4.5 Recherche

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

Non

5.1 Budget annuel de la composante GDT de l'Approche

Indiquez le budget annuel de la composante GDT de l'Approche en $ US:

30000000,00

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

Mountain Hazelnut Venture (The annual budget is the total investment of the company for the entire project)

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?

Oui

Si oui, spécifiez le(s) type(s) de soutien, les conditions et les fournisseurs:

The financial support was received in the form of planting materials and other materials such as fencing.

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

• équipement

• intrants agricoles

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

• récompensée avec un autre soutien matériel

5.4 Crédits

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

Non

5.5 Autres incitations ou instruments

D'autres incitations ou instruments ont-ils été utilisés pour promouvoir la mise en œuvre des Technologies de GDT?

Non

6.1 Impacts de l'Approche

6.2 Principale motivation des exploitants des terres pour mettre en œuvre la GDT

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)?

• non

Si non ou incertain, spécifiez et commentez:

The land users who agreed to grow hazelnuts were the ones who were economically disabled. They could have sustained what was implemented through the approach if everything had gone as planned. However, there has been almost zero production of the hazelnuts from almost all hazelnut growing areas which has seriously affected the income. It has been almost 12 years since the first implementation of the project. Land users mentioned that they are now looking for other alternatives so that they can uproot hazelnuts and replace them with some other productive crop.

6.4 Points forts/ avantages de l'Approche

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
Support from the company: Easy for the land users to implement the project due to material and technical supports from the approach. Land users received inputs like hazelnut seedlings at the beginning, which was for free. They also received support for growing the seedlings, Taking care of the seedlings, etc.,
Assured market: Land users also mentioned that the main motivation to get involved in such an approach was the market and the possibility of generating income. The company was willing to buy whatever quantity of hazelnuts they could produce from their land.
Capacity development: In addition to the support (agricultural inputs), the land users also received various training through which they were exposed to other technologies which some of them were totally unaware. They could enhance their skills and knowledge on hazelnut production like orchard cultivation, hazelnut value-chain, including processing and the provision of goods and services.

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé
Opportunities to economically disabled land users: One of the primary objectives of Mountain Hazelnut Venture is to enable smallholder farming households to generate long-term income, revitalize vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. Through this approach many youths were given employment as a worker in the project sites.
Focus on sustainable land management: The approach made land uesres to grow hazelnuts sapling in their marginal or unproductive land. When hazelnuts is fully grown, hazelnut plantations stabilize mountain slopes, reduce soil erosion, improve water retention, and mitigate climate change by improving soil fertility and carbon sequestration. In brief, hazelnut plantation as a SLM intervention, contributes to the realization of the land degradation neutrality (LDN) target and adapt to and mitigate climate change.

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

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue de l’exploitant des terres	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
No transparency of the information: Land users shared that they were lured by some officals saying the approach to be very profitable. They didn't explained them very well on positive and negative long term impact of the project. They didnt know about the plant (hazelnuts), Its problem in fruiting, etc.,	This type of project is maily implemented for the welfare of the community. It should never be implemented for sole benefit of the company.

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
No proper planning and research: The main reason why this hazelnut planations failed in many places in Bhutan could be due to lack of proper planning and research. Given the wide range of elevation and climatic conditions in Bhutan, more adaptability or suitability trials at different elevations could have been conducted.	Suitability trials of different varieties of hazelnuts could have been done so that the best performing varieties and management practices could have been promoted to the land users on large scale.
No risk management: It appears like the MHV initiated its business with full confidnce that the project will do well in Bhutan and as such no risk management plans were in place. For instance, land users sacrificed most of their land with the hope of generating good income, but this didn't happen in reality. Many land users were left devasted and hopeless without any compensation from the company.	Any project should account the risk and accordingly provision risk management plan in the proposal and agreement. Such provisions should also be made transparent to all the parties so that it becomes very clear about the compensation should the project fail.

7.1 Méthodes/ sources d'information

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Asian Development Bank. (n.d.). Public-Private Partnership Handbook. ADB.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional-document/31484/public-private-partnership.pdf

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Perez, M. C. (2015). Public-Private-Community-Partnerships for Renewable Energy Cooperatives. Wegeningen UR.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

https://edepot.wur.nl/337095

7.3 Liens vers les informations pertinentes disponibles en ligne

Titre/ description:

Mountain Hazelnut Venture

URL:

https://www.mountainhazelnuts.com/

Titre/ description:

Public–Private–Community Partnership

URL:

https://penabulufoundation.org/en/public-private-community-partnership/