The project purpose is decreased the rates of land degradation in South regions of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan by introduction and adaptation of PV-methodology as tool of GEF/SGP project management and also stimulation of local innovation processes, to involve community and decision-makers, public awareness and exchange of experience between NGOs.
Land degradation is a serious economic, social problem related to environment, which faces Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It directly affected the livelihood of the rural population by reducing the productivity of land resources and adversely affecting the stability, functioning and the resources quality produced by natural ecosystems. The causes of land degradation are multiple, complex, and vary across country?s regions, but to a greater extent deterioration and exhaustion of land resources is the result of admittedly incorrect and destructive agricultural practices, overgrazing, deforestation and cutting down of bushes, forest degradation, loss of biodiversity and natural disasters.
The GEF, since its establishment in 1991, has been providing incremental funding to assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition to prevent and control land degradation, primarily desertification and deforestation, as it relates to its four focal areas - biodiversity conservation, climate change, international waters, and ozone layer depletion.
The goal of the project on land degradation (i.e. desertification and deforestation) is to catalyze partnerships with other organizations working on land management issues, land users, and other stakeholders at the local, national, regional, and global levels to provide coordinated financial and technical support to address land degradation in a way that achieves long-term global environment benefits within the context of sustainable development.
This project provides a framework for the development of activities eligible for GEF incremental financing to address the root causes and negative impacts of land degradation on ecosystem stability, functions, and services as well as on people?s livelihoods and economic well-being through sustainable land management practices.
The tool of resolving this problem would be completely new methodology of Participatory Video for Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan as well.
In many remote regions of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan where literacy levels are low, visual documentation of local innovation through PV provides material in a form that is easily understood. This gives PV a decided advantage over the written word in documenting local innovation. That is why GEF/SGP Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan is interested in using PV to solve land degradation and enhance portfolio of projects.
PV is an excellent tool in processes of public consultation, advocacy and policy dialogue, as well as for mediation in conflicts. Instead of bringing everybody involved together in a meeting at a place where nobody feels at home, PV can allow each stakeholder group to present their cause at home, in their own way and with their own words. They can also be provided with opportunity to digest and contemplate the claims of other stakeholders in their own pace, and put together a response, and receive a response to their own claims.
The project will improve capacity of the partner NGOs in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to implement citizen science projects and will raise awareness among relevant government institutions about benefits of land degradation using Participatory Video. Training and involving citizens in project, improving their knowledge about land degradation is a vital part of the project and PV monitoring methodologies. This will be done in a series of workshops and local meetings in order to share experience and to transfer experience from countries that already have successful salvation land degradation using PV methodology already. The other extremely important part of the project is to raise awareness among government authorities of all sectors regarding the commitments of the countries within the PV and exchange experience between NGOs. The project will demonstrate the importance of PV as a powerful tool for stimulating self-expression and interaction in-group development work. Using in participatory way, video encourages people to examine the world around them, raising awareness of their situation and helping them to become more actively involved in the land degradation decisions, which affect their lives.
The purpose of project is recording on video realizing GEF/SGP project concerning land degradation; in PV the subjects make their own film in which they can shape issues according to their own sense of what is important. The PV process is less concerning with appearance than with content, and the films are usually made with particular audiences and objectives in mind.
The products ? films that result from the PV process (the short films) can give development agents and formal researchers greater insight into the dynamics of indigenous knowledge, as well as into local aspirations and concept of well-being; can also be used in community-to-community exchange to spread ideas, and to encourage and inspire
We will not promise more than can fulfill. Working in the field on a powerful project, it may be tempting to promise all kinds of help and to build up the possibility of the finished video to bring about huge change. It is really difficult to get the film shown to the relevant people who have the power to make life-changing decisions, no matter how powerful the film. Instead of building up the expectations, work with the community to identify local solutions. PV is a catalyst for locally-led change. People explore their problems collectively, share ideas and begin to believe in themselves and in their ability to make change. This will shift perspectives on what is possible at a local level.
At the end of project NGOs, governmental institutions and scientists in two countries will have gained experience and increased their knowledge about land degradation, such common problems in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan desertification and deforestation
PV under establishment or running in each country. Through the production of video films project will help people share stories, thus increasing self-esteem and community connection will be achieved.