It is envisaged to introduce the model of sustainable pasture management system piloted in project communities to other non-GEF funded initiatives for replication and scale-up, such as EU-funded Projects (GIZ), WB-funded agricultural resource management program, etc.
Linkages gef projects
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Planning gef grant
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Replication of project activities
Taking into consideration that the issues addressed by the project are typical for rural communities in Armenia and that the project is in line with the priorities of national policies in the area of sustainable agricultural development and land management, it has a good potential for replication.
Shared experience, project results and outcomes with major stakeholders at national, regional and local levels will help replicating of approaches and strategies throughout Armenia.
Project sustainability
The environmental sustainability of the project results will be ensured through (a) improved capacity of local population to implement pasture management activities, (b) introduced pastureland management practices at community level; and (c) improved access to 800 ha of remote pastures; which allows preventing land degradation, at the same time ensuring sustainable local livelihoods in long-term perspective. Among major factors ensuring the institutional sustainability of the project outputs are the establishment of farmers union with legal status, which will continue functioning based on income generated as part of their collaboration.
The institutional importance of artificial insemination is conditioned with ensuring availability of equipment for technical staff and profitability of services. The financial sustainability of the system will be ensured through the fees paid by the pasture users/farmers-groups for maintenance of infrastructure and implementation of Pasturelands Management System.
Policy Impact
The project addresses the GEF-SGP land degradation focal area and is in line with ?2010-2020 Sustainable Strategy Program for Agricultural and Rural Development? and ?National Action Plan to Combat Desertification? adopted by the Government of Armenia. In these policy documents improvement of pasturelands and grasslands management are recognized as a priority for sustainable agricultural development and mitigation of land degradation and desertification in Armenia. Improved capacities of the local authorities and pasture users, raised environmental awareness among the community members as well as improved access to remote pastures will enable target communities to implement integrated natural resources management practices that mitigate land degradation.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
The project plans to support rural communities to establish a comprehensive pasturelands management system, which will be designed by local population and governed by local authorities in a transparent and accountable way. In the meantime, the system for collection of pastureland use fees (by farmers groups) will be established with certain mechanisms and procedures (previously not applied) which will ensure sustainability of the pasture management process (including maintenance of available and newly established infrastructure in remote pastures).
Capacity - Building Component
The project will focus on the capacity building of community-level stakeholders to address community pastureland use and management issues based on the best local and international practices. The project results, experience and lessons learnt will be shared with stakeholders at regional level (Gegharkunik regional authorities, rural communities of Gegharkunik region) and national level (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Territorial Administration, local and international organizations etc.) through project reports, public events and media.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The project will promote sustainable changes in pasturelands use and management practices in target communities that will increase/sustain quantity and quality of fodder base during the pasture season and will positively affect the productivity of cattle. In long term perspective, due to introduction of improved pasturelands use and management practices, the annual volume of milk and meat produced in the project communities will increase by 33% and 43%. In total, it is estimated that about 788,338 USD of additional income will be generated in meat and dairy sector annually in the project target area. Additional income generated in livestock sector will be distributed amongst 1,313 households (or 7,471 inhabitants, 48% of which are female), average annual cash income per household will be increased by 600 USD.
Notable Community Participation
The target communities will be actively involved in the whole process of the project implementation; particularly, in design and implementation of integrated Pasturelands Management System, improving infrastructure in remote pastures, monitoring and assessment of activities. To ensure inclusive participation of community members in the project implementation and decision making (designing of Pasturelands Management System, allocation of resources and implementation), the project will promote participation of different target groups (pasture users/farmers, community counsel and staff of local authorities) in working-groups at community level. The financial contribution of the target communities in this project comprises about 7.8% of the total project budget.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Training sessions on global environmental concerns addressed by the GEF and on benefits of sustainable pastureland management practices are planned to be organized for the project beneficiaries. Environmental awareness raising campaigns among local population will be also organized through development, publication and distribution of information leaflets. In order to disseminate the project information for broader strata of the society, it is planned to involve regional mass media representatives (TV and newspapers) to share information on the project outcomes. A short film on the project progress and results will be produced and uploaded into the web.
Policy Influence
While introduction of pasturelands management good practices in rural communities is prioritized in several Policy documents adopted by the government and existing laws (including the Land Code, the Law on Local Governance etc.) providing sufficient legal basis for that, no dedicated legal and institutional system (particularly, framework for implementation of Pasture Management in the rural communities with set functions and responsibilities of different actors) exists to regulate pasture resource management at local level. The project will support the rural communities to design schemes and procedures (including rights and responsibilities of community authorities and pasture users, TORs for community authorities staff, self-control scheme etc.) for introduction of an integrated Pasturelands Management System. The appropriate decrees and documents (including Pasturelands Management Plan) will be approved by the community councils. As a result, the project will have a positive influence on land management policy at local/community level.
Gender Focus
Women are actively involved in agriculture (constitute 57% of labor force) and have a vital role in achieving sustainable agriculture and rural development. 48% of the project beneficiaries are women who are involved in animal breeding and will benefit from the project. So far, both women and men are naturally interested in sustaining agro-ecosystem functioning, improved access to community pasturelands and as a result increased income from livestock.
The project implementation mechanisms will ensure women?s equitable access to resources and equitable representation in decision making. Particularly, taking into account that women?s involvement in local authorities is low, the project will pay special attention to enhancing equal access to information on the project amongst female and male farmers/pasture users in the whole project cycle. Mobilization and capacity building of communities to develop and implement Pasture Management System for community pasturelands is a major approach to ensure sustainability of improved pasture management system in the target communities. To ensure inclusive participation of women in decision making (designing of strategies, allocation of resources and implementation) the project will promote women participation in farmers-groups at community level (at least 30% of farmers-groups involved in the process will be women). In the meantime, capacity building of women farmers involved in the process will be designed and implemented in gender sensitive way to mitigate the risk of ?formal? involvement in the process.
Project Results
The project will produce the following results:
? Integrated pasturelands management and sustainable use practices (including rotational grazing system) are introduced in 6 target communities to mitigate land degradation.
? Capacities of local population (pasture users/farmers, community counsel and staff of local authorities) to design and operate Pasturelands Management System are developed (number of people trained ? 60).
? Improved land management practices on the surface of 3,506 ha of pasturelands.
? Decreased pressure on 2076 ha overgrazed/nearby pasturelands as a result of improved access to 800 ha remote pastures.
? Saved from degradation and rehabilitated lands of total 3546 ha (2706 ha of adjacent pastures, 800 ha of remote pastures and 40 ha of arable lands).
? Access to remote pastures increased as a result of improved infrastructure (construction of 3 covered milking parlors and 3 milk cooling baths; 3 water heating utilities and 3 electric fences for cattle established).
? Increased productivity of cattle due to available artificial insemination services (3,045 cows -40-50% for the first and 80-90% for the second years are artificially inseminated).
