Breve descrição da melhor prática

The best practice was the ecological restoration of natural habitats from rainfed croplands in the protected area of the mud volcanos of Macalube d'Aragona (Sicily).  The practice consisted of the plantation of authoctonous plant species that are very relevant for local biodiversity such as Lygeum spartum and the protection of the primary grassland consortia (Bromo-Oryzopsion miliaceae, Moricandio-Lygeion sparti, Frankenion pulverulentae, ecc.). Wheat monocropping was threatening the natural habitats surrounding the volcanos, through wetlands drainage and soil manipulation. The institution of the Protected Area generated new conflicts between farmers, environmentalists and the regional government, which envisaged the opportunities to develop the tourist attraction potential .
The case study is particularly relevant in relation to the social learning process that transformed a conflict of interests into a concerted action.
Farmers were involved by environmentalists in a learning process that led to the conversion of wheat monocropping into diversified cropping systems based on legumes and cereals outside the protected area.  
The process was triggered by the Macalife project (www.macalife.it), that opened new opportunities to create a learning platform in which scientific and local knowledge were integrated. Mud volcanos played the role of "mediating object" around which environmentalists were able to deconstruct and rebuild a new deal with farmers, that shift from intensive farming to environmental restoration. A new cooperative enterprise was created, which is responsible of the maintenance of the habitats while generating income from the thousands of visitors of the site, thus contributing to the rural development of the whole area.|

Localização

Sicily

Se o local tiver limites bem definidos, especifique sua extensão em hectares:

256.0

Estimativa da população que vive no local:

1000.0

Breve descrição do ambiente natural dentro do local especificado.

The climate of southern Sicily is semi-arid and dry sub-humid (WMO-UNEP Aridity Index). IN the nearest weather station (Agrigento, 313 msl) annual maximum temperatures range between 14 and 30°C, minimum temperatures 7.7 and 21.4 °C. Average annual rainfall is 497 mm. At regional level, in the period 1921-2002  temperature increased by 1.5 °C and average annual rainfall declined by 158 mm.
Hilly with slopes ranging from 5% to 40%. Arable land includes steep slope and soil erosion by water is frequent in the area.
Soil of cropped areas are eutric fluviosols developed on clay hills.
In the protected area of Macalube soils are heavy clay generated by sedimentary volcanism

Condições socioeconômicas prevalecentes das pessoas que vivem no local e/ou nas proximidades

According to the National Institute of Statistics data (2006) the main economic activities and their share of the regional GDP is:
Agriculture, fishing 3,52 %
Industry 9,30%
Construction 5,52%
Commerce, tourism 18,28%
Services 28,28%
Finance, real estate 21,29%|
The average per capita GDP in the province of Agrigento  (14.790 Euro) is below both the average country value ( 30.680 Euro)  and the Sicily average ( 17.533 Euro) (year 2008).
Land ownership or rent is the dominant land tenure in these rural areas. The cropped area surronding the mud volcanos was sold by private owners to the Regional Government following the participatory actions implemented by the local Environmental NGO, with the scientific support of researchers of the University of Palermo.|

Com base em quais critérios e/ou indicadores (não relacionados com a Estratégia) a prática proposta e a tecnologia correspondente foram considerados como "melhores"?

The practice was considered as 'best' on the basis of the analysis of the efficacy, efficiency, effectiveness of the practice.
- The paradigm shift of farmers was considered as an indicator of efficacy of the actions of the environmentalist NGO and the University researchers leading the informal facilitation platform
- The relatively low investements put in place through the Macalife project was considered as an indicator of efficiency.
- The non-coercive shift of farmers that became managers of the protected area through the cooperative enterprise and the willingness to carry on with a self-organized adaptive management of the protected area were considered as indicators of effectiveness. |

Principais problemas abordados pelas melhores práticas

Threats to endangered priority habitats for the EU|Conflicts of interests between the agricultural activity and the environmental conservation. |Land degradation and loss of biodiversity related to farming practices in drylands

Esboçar problemas específicos de degradação do solo abordados pelas melhores práticas

Soil erosion on slopes caused by intensive arable cropping systems in drylands
Soil sealing and organic matter depletion caused by burning crop residuals
Drainage of temporary wetlands in high valuable habitats.

Breve descrição das principais atividades, por objetivo

Collection, multiplication and plantation of local germplasm of authoctonous species such as Lygeum spartum involving farmers.|Restoration of temporary wetlands in collaboration with farmers|Limitations to farming practices in the areas closer to the mud volcanos and participatory planning of habitat maintenance
Institution of the cooperative by the farmers with the role of maintaining the restored habitats and to guide visitors in the protected area.
|Investments in capacity building courses for farmers to develop sustainable farming practices in the croplands surronding the protected area.|Participatory design of new cropping systems around the priority habitat integrating local (i.e. farmers)
Analysis of the vegetation and of its level of conservation|Participatory monitoring of the ecological vegetation dynamics determined by the interventions of environmental restoration.|Assessment of different restoration ecology techniques.

Breve descrição e especificações técnicas da tecnologia

The researchers of the University of Palermo developed a protocol for the collection, multiplication, nursery installation and plantation of the main endangered native species
typical of the habitats surrounding the mud volcanos. This protocol was implemented using low-cost technologies based on conventional farming practices. The job requirements were recruited within the local farmers. FArmers were also involved in the restoration of some degradad habitats where the soil was manipulated and drainage implemented for farming purposes.|

Nome e endereço da instituição que desenvolve a tecnologia

Dr. Tommaso La Mantia |University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, Ingresso H, 90128 Palermo

A tecnologia foi desenvolvida em parceria?

Sim

Liste os parceiros:

Environmental NGO|Cooperative of local farmers

Especificar a estrutura dentro da qual a tecnologia foi promovida

• Iniciativa local
• Programa/iniciativa baseada em projetos

A participação das partes interessadas locais, incluindo as OSCs, foi fomentada no desenvolvimento da tecnologia?

Sim

Lista das partes interessadas locais envolvidas:

Cooperative of local farmers|Environmental CSO

Para os participantes listados acima, especifique seu papel no projeto, início, uso e manutenção da tecnologia, se houver.

Environmental CSO: preparation and management of the EU project MacaLife, within the .
Cooperative of local farmers: responsible for ordinary and extraordinary maintaing of ecological restauration, environmental presidium territory and the organization of guided tours within the reserve|

A população que vive no local e/ou nas proximidades estava envolvida no desenvolvimento da tecnologia?

Sim

Por meio de quê?

• Abordagens participativas

Descreva os impactos no local (os dois principais impactos por categoria)

Macalube d'Aragona case study is emblematic of the potential benefits related to the shift in perceiving the same natural habitat from a constraint to productivity to a source of income from integrated management.
The rehabilitation of the degraded habitats and the institution of the cooperative significantly increased the tourist flow in the area.
Crop productivity was not substantially affected by the intervention
The learning system that was developed around the ecological restoration of the mud volcanos habitat is a guarantee of effectiveness of the action in the long term.
Restoration of endangered natural priority habitats sourrounding the mud volcanos according to the EU Habitat Directive

Descreva os dois principais impactos fora do local (isto é, não ocorrendo no local, mas nas áreas circunvizinhas)

Development of tourist activities related to the mud volcanos habitat restoration led to economical benefits to the sourrounding area.

Impacto sobre a biodiversidade e a mudança climática

Explique as razões:

Restoration of habitats and multiplication of authoctonous germplasm of endangered plant species was the main task of the intervention. The monitoring of natural habitats indicates on one side the efficacy of the intervention, on the other side the need of contonuous management  (e.g. through grazing) of some of the priority habitats (e.g. grasslands) in order to maintain the ideal conditions for in-situ germplasm conservation.|
Farming systems in the area are vulnerable to climate change for the risks associated to envisaged changes in rainfall and temperature. The learning process triggered by the intervention provided new options of multifunctionality and adaptive managing to farmers
The area is too small to provide significant impact on climate change mitigation

Foi realizada uma análise de custo-benefício?

Foi realizada uma análise de custo-benefício?

Não

A tecnologia foi disseminada/introduzida para outros locais?

A tecnologia foi disseminada/introduzida para outros locais?

Sim

Onde?

Island of Lampedusa, Sicily|

Foram fornecidos incentivos para facilitar a adoção da tecnologia?

Foram fornecidos incentivos para facilitar a adoção da tecnologia?

Sim

Você pode identificar as três principais condições que levaram ao sucesso das melhores práticas/tecnologias apresentadas?

The conflict between farmers and environmentalists was effectively approached through the integration of scientific and local knowledge, facilitated by the attitude to dialogue of the NGO's operators (whose regional leader is a farmer)|
The availability of funds (project Macalife) triggered the intervention through NGO's and scientists, supported the purchase of private land in the procteted area and the capacity building programme for farmers. |
The (EU and regional) policy framework provided spaces for involvement of local stakeholder in the management of priority habitats.

Replicabilidade

Na sua opinião, a melhor prática/tecnologia que você propôs pode ser replicada, embora com algum nível de adaptação, em outro lugar?

Sim

Em que nível?

• Local
• Sub-nacional
• Nacional
• Sub-regional
• Regional
• Internacional

Relacionado a recursos humanos

The role of farmers in managing protected areas was enhanced by the participatory and open approach of the NGO's operators and by the scientists. Even if the practices were not informed by a purposeful framework, they provided a new effective learning space|Farmers learned how to shift from monocropping to a diversified set of activities in a context of multifunctionality|NGO operators learned that dialogue with farmers can lead to mutual collaboration towards integrated management

Relacionado aos aspectos financeiros

External funding (i.e. EU) were essential to trigger the process. However, comparing with similar situations in the same region, in this case the cost of the intervention was well repaid by its effectiveness|We don't have precise figures of the cost of the entire intervention, also because the current management is integrated in agricultural practices: further data should be collected to make a comparative balance.

Relacionado a aspectos técnicos

The technology used is relatively simple (described above), even if specific knowledge on the biology of enmdangered plant species were essential for the establishment success.|