31333 Delivering Global Public Goods Locally: Developing and Exchanging Good Practice Among Local Communities: The Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Lessons Learned And Successful Desertification Approaches The United Nations Convention to Combat alternative sources of energy and embarking The World Bank Desertification (UNCCD) seeks to engage local communities because they possess the on income-generating ventures, including community-based- eco-tourism, a business ________________________________________________________________________ Development Grant Facility (DGF) Technical Note February, 2003 greatest knowledge of the natural resource that is being learned from other base. The UNCCD’s Global Mechanism acts communities. Based on their success, the effectiveness than would be the case if each as a hub for a network of global and local women of Shantumbu have organized their Introduction of the partners were to act independently.4 partners, channeling knowledge and own association to grow and sustain these During the World Summit on Sustainable They are also important in reinforcing resources to scale-up sustainable natural initiatives. Development in Johannesburg, the World country based efforts. Examples of such resource management on the ground At the Bank convened a panel of global and local programs include the Consultative Group on Sharing lessons learned. The Shambutu national level, the GM facilitates the stakeholders to discuss the challenges International Agricultural Research, the and other local experiences are being formulation of a National Action Plan (NAP), which global and regional partnership Global Water Partnership, the Critical shared throughout the region through the with local organizations and projects feeding programs (GPPs) face in collaborating with Ecosystem Partnership Fund, and the Global Mechanism’s Community Exchange and being supported by national local stakeholders. The meeting yielded Multilateral Initiative on Malaria. and Training Program (CETP). The CETP organizations and the national planning lessons from a number of programs that, for targets poor rural communities whose Some GPPs are focused broadly in areas process. example, are including beneficiaries in livelihoods are jeopardized by unsustainable like international research, standard setting A bottom-up approach. Shantumbu is a resource management. It brings together project design and implementation, encouraging the commitments of national and advocacy. But many also provide typical rural area near Lusaka with high local communities using NGOs as country-level services such as dissemination temperatures and seasonal rainfall. It intermediates to exchange experience and governments, and devolving decision- comprises 11 villages, with about 500 best practice. making to the lowest appropriate levels. Contents households and an average family size of These lessons and approaches are Developing the national action plan highlighted in this note for the benefit of about seven people. Subsistence farming Introduction 1 through indigenous knowledge and GPP managers, practitioners and and charcoal burning are the dominant Global to Local Engagement: economic activities. Desertification in technologies. Another local beneficiary of supporters.1 Lessons Learned 3 the CETP is the Northwest Córdoba Shantumbu has become a problem because What are global partnership programs? Producers Association (APENOC) in Successful Approaches this poor community could not sustain the Global partnership programs have been the Argentina. APENOC is receiving support to use of chemical fertilizers and lime to subject of recent academic literature as well Balancing Global and Local identities 5 identify, test and disseminate traditional fertilize and neutralize the soils. Therefore, indigenous knowledge and technologies as of the UN and World Bank.2 They are Applying Resources Downstream 6 most of the cropland has been acidified and seen as new institutional forms that respond Building Constituencies Around among the farmers it serves. The program abandoned, and what is being used now has to the need to cut across geographic and Common Objectives 7 also supports the exchange of information lower crop yields. And as more and more organizational boundaries to deliver global Localizing and Empowering between APENOC and other organizations people search for virgin, cultivable land, in other provinces in Argentina. It will and regional public goods,3 and they are Field Staff 8 indigenous forests are being destroyed. seen to do so with greater development Catalyzing Government Commitment eventually result in the development of a Massive charcoal burning to provide fuel for Through an Innovative Grant sub-regional action program to combat Lusaka has also contributed to forest loss. Mechanism 9 desertification. That program will eventually Through the NAP consultative process, the come together with other regional action 1 Global to local engagement is an evolving area of Promoting Inclusion Through Shantumbu community met the Zambia programs to inform a national action practice and research. The lessons described in this Grant Making 10 note are drawn from the approaches discussed in Drawing on Local Skills Alliance of Women (ZAW), and community program which would be expected to be Johannesburg as well as from independent program leaders asked ZAW to launch awareness imbedded in the national planning and evaluations. They are not meant to be exhaustive or and Knowledge 11 and training programs in the area. budget framework and supported by the definitive. Developing and Exchanging Good national government and a wide array of 2 See for example, Wolfgang H. Reinicke and Francis Practice Among Local Communities 12 The response from the community, and Deng, Critical Choices: The United Nations, Networks, donors. and the Future of Global Governance, IDRC, 2000. especially from women, has been 3 Such goods include, for example, agriculture and overwhelming. The community is exploring health research, mitigation of climate change, This note was prepared by Randall Purcell of conservation of biodiversity, containment of For more information see www.UNCCD.org, communicable diseases, and assurance of international the DGF. The DGF provides approximately and www.IFAD/GlobalMechanism.org financial stability. $175m annually to some 50 global and regional 4 Partnerships are needed in the delivery of global partnership initiatives. For further information, public goods because (i) issues like communicable disease spill across national borders, (ii) global contact rpurcell @worldbank.org, or knowledge creation and sharing and setting standards tel: 202-473-5571. require economies of coordination and scale, and (iii) challenges of the global commons like forest loss and climate change can only be resolved through collective action. 12 of best practices, improvement of national policies, provision of goods and services, Box 1: Importance of Participation Drawing on Local Skills and Knowledge: and support – often through grant making – in Global Programs to augment local capacity in utilizing new The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) knowledge and technologies. While some N Provides legitimacy to global efforts programs are well established, others are N Demonstrates that global programs less than five years old. In some cases, they reflect and are informed by local realities Local people involved with forests have coordinators increasingly are turning to have fragile institutional arrangements. N Encourages global programs to be been working to make laws, create parks, community- based seed systems (CBSS) to Many are a fraction of the size they need to accountable to intended beneficiaries fund projects, and plant trees. By generating meet the surging demand for seed. CBSS be in order to achieve their objectives, and N Reinforces implementation capacity and new ideas, providing high-quality analysis, starts with farmers’ existing seed harvesting most struggle with the practical challenges sustainability promoting dialogue, and encouraging and conservation practices, which are of demonstrating their value and scaling-up learning, CGIAR’s Center for International refined on the basis of research-generated to have global or regional impact. Forestry Research (CIFOR) aims to respond knowledge on improved seed management. Delivering global public goods locally. directly to the needs identified by forest CBSS activities are going on in most of One of the key lessons emerging from stakeholders. WARDA’s 17 member states. For example, For example, the GEF study found that in Benin several farmers were trained in Johannesburg is that in order to have impact In West Kalimantan, Indonesia, local stakeholder participation was 2001 to multiply the three most popular globally it is often necessary to be relevant villagers are producing valuable charcoal comprehensive in only 30 percent of varieties selected in participatory varietal and engage partners and deliver results from trees that grow untended in abandoned projects reviewed. Similarly, a recent World selection (PVS) trials; seeds were sold, locally. areas. Vitex pubescens, a tree that springs Bank Operations and Evaluation exchanged, or given as gift to 110 non-PVS Local stakeholder participation in global Department (OED) report found that for up on land after fires or after farms have farmers. In Burkina Faso, three varieties programs can be a particularly good most of 70 global programs that aim to been abandoned, yields a charcoal that is as were multiplied in three locations by a total indicator for success (see Box 1). For provide global knowledge or technical good as that obtained from mangrove trees. of 11 farmers. From 7 hectares, 14 tons of example, a recent study by the Global assistance to developing countries, “the Rice does not grow well on the land and seed were produced. In Togo, seven Environmental Facility (GEF, which finances relevance of the information, effectiveness farmers find weeding the rough fields too varieties were multiplied by 54 farmers in environmental public goods) on stakeholder of exchange, and extent to which the labor intensive. But establishing small local three villages. participation in biodiversity conservation exchange is building developing country industries to grow Vitex for charcoal offers a projects, found that stakeholder capacity to access new knowledge is way of making the land productive again. Participatory learning. After the success of participation, especially by affected mixed.” 7 integrated crop management in Sahelian A local NGO as the pivotal organization. communities, is essential if behavioral irrigated systems, the WARDA-hosted The report found that “linkages between The idea of developing a Vitex industry change is expected and interventions are to Inland Valley Consortium began a campaign global programs and developing countries originally came from a local NGO, Yayasan be sustained. 5 to promote integrated rice management are inadequate.. . countries do not always Dian Tama (YDT), which collaborated with (IRM). Participatory learning and action Participation, relevance to local realities have the capacity to connect effectively to Tanjungpura University in Pontianak to research (PLAR) was used to build 70 and local impact remains a formidable global programs or access their benefits.” explore how local farmers could best profit farmers’ capability to observe, analyze, and challenge. This is true for both GEF OED also reported that global program task from the grasslands. The collaboration make decisions relative to production projects and global programs that are managers at the World Bank believe that capitalized on the strengths of each partner constraints and opportunities. The involved in the provision of knowledge and one of the biggest obstacles to achieving for maximum impact. YDT was the pivotal knowledge base is a combination of known technical assistance or make investments relevance, engagement, and local impact organization; it conducted research with the IRM components (from the research and locally.6 may be that donors, not beneficiaries, still University and CIFOR provided scientific extension side) and farmers’ own knowledge drive the agenda, design and governance of input. YDT used its good rapport with local of their cropping systems. In 2001, the first GPPs. Bank managers also pointed to the people and their contacts in the regional year, application of IRM increased farm tenuous connection between beneficiaries government while CIFOR made connections yields by 0.7 tons per hectare. Moreover, in developing countries (intermediaries such to outside parties. each participating farmer shared at least one 5 Participation Means Learning Through Doing: as local and national officials, researchers Drawing on farmers’ knowledge. The component of the IRM with an average of GEF’s Experience in Biodiversity Conservation and data managers, private entrepreneurs Participatory Rice Improvement and two (nonparticipating) neighbors. Four of the and Sustainable Use. GEF Lessons Notes 12, and national NGOs) and the poor. Gender/User Analysis (PRIGA) network for 70 farmers were trained as farmer-trainers July 2001. 6 Global and regional programs differ in respect Yet many global programs are engaging West and Central Africa, coordinated by to extend the PLAR-IRM concept to to the nature of goods and services provided at locally and provide lessons in how to do CGIAR’s West Africa Rice Development neighboring inland valley lowlands. The the global/regional levels and at the country level. so effectively. Three sets of lessons - Association (WARDA), delivers adapted rice methodology is being delivered to six more Some programs focus only on advocacy, global covering governance and management, varieties to farmers throughout the countries. rule and standards setting, knowledge subregion. As the news spreads and management, research or donor coordination at partnership and implementation, and resources and capacity building - were demand grows among neighboring farmers, the global/regional level. Others, which concern PRIGA shared in Johannesburg and are For more information see www.cgiar.org us here, provide knowledge, capacity building and resources locally. summarized below. 7 See The World Bank’s Approach to Global Programs: An Independent Evaluation – Phase I. May 8, 2002 2 11 implement activities, local leaders can Global to Local Engagement: generate consensus and support, increasing the chances of sustainability Promoting Inclusion Through Grant Making: Lessons Learned when external funds are depleted. At the The Multilateral Initiative on Malaria same time, implementation should be at Governance and Management the level of most immediate effectiveness, which is not always the The Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) African research partners institutions. One of N Articulate a vision from lowest level. There are tradeoffs: aims to maximize the impact of scientific these must be an established institution. In headquarters. The commitment of an Providing local stakeholders with a great research against malaria by strengthening order to raise the capacity of emerging organization to local engagement and deal of autonomy can threaten the and sustaining the capability of malaria- institutions, the other must be an emerging empowerment is often driven from top coherence of a global effort. But too little endemic countries in Africa to carry out group. The African coordinator must also leadership who convince others in the autonomy, and local stakeholders research to develop and improve tools for select at least one non-African partner. The organization to give up a degree of (including field staff) lose the flexibility to malaria control. research is conceptualized and managed by control, both for decision-making respond to felt and urgent needs. the lead African scientist who is advised to generally, and resource utilization in Constraints to African participation. A submit a pre-proposal outline to the Task particular. This is often part of the Partnership and Implementation rational and concerted anti-malarial research Force manager for review. Unlike the results process of instilling deeper institutional effort must involve the participation of of some collaborations between developed N Focus on a limited number of cultural reform over time. researchers from malaria endemic countries. and developing country scientists, research countries that are ripe for success. Unfortunately, inadequate and dilapidated results are published under the principal N Include developing countries in Successful GPPs often concentrate on a research infrastructure limit their authorship of the lead African scientist. governance structures. Programs that few areas where progress can be contribution, and too many skilled succeed in engaging locally often have demonstrated and where there is a researchers leave for opportunities that offer Research proposals are reviewed on a participants from developing countries healthy dialogue between government better resources in European and American competitive basis and with an eye towards on their governing boards, the board’s and civil society. In order to gain ensuring a balanced geographic distribution, voting arrangement’s can empower laboratories. Furthermore, the external credibility, it may be particularly support to new areas, and support only to developing countries, and boards draw support which African researchers receive is important for new initiatives to focus on projects which promote complementary knowledge from the South through often tied to the research agenda of the where they can achieve quick “wins.” scientific collaboration and capacity building. advisory bodies comprised of people donor or developed country research In addition to support for the scientific from developing countries. These N Exercise selectivity in identifying partner. It often fails to address locally investigation, proposals may include a arrangements are not always partners. Partners need to be credible research priorities. It rarely provides support request for funding Ph.D. and M.Sc. straightforward given the multiplicity of (ideally legitimated through a for formal academic training. And it fails to students. Group training activities such as local stakeholders. Who, for example, participatory process). and capable encourage interactions between African workshops and meetings of partners, are should represent developing countries (have some experience, expertise or countries. encouraged as are opportunities for at the global level? Governments? Civil special knowledge). The level of The grant mechanism. MIM’s Task Force collaborating partners from the North to society? It may depend on who is expressed need for the activity is a on Malaria Research Capability provide technical support for the largely responsible for implementation particularly important prerequisite for investigators in African institutions and locally. Government may be especially success, as is interest by other donors Strengthening in Africa is using a grant short-term student training. important where it has a crucial role in and the possibilities for national or mechanism to enable African researchers to conceptualize their own research, choose Creating synergies. The Task Force also creating an environment for effective regional networking and replication. At partner organizations in developed countries serves to create synergies among its implementation. the same time, organizations that chose grantees. For example, five projects only partners who have a glowing track on their own terms, and train local N Balance global and local identities. covering Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Mali and record may miss opportunities for researchers. Global initiatives that succeed on the Tanzania focusing on anti-malarial drug innovation. The Task Force makes grants to African ground often have a “corporate identity” resistance were submitted independently but and at the same time are “legitimized” N Identify interventions through a scientists who can build regional networks now form the nucleus of a network involving by local-decision-making and collaborative process. Ideas for and international partnerships which African investigators in partnership with participation. There are often tradeoffs interventions that come from multiple address their own research needs and who research institutions in France, the United if there is an imbalance between these sources – global, national, local, are training postgraduate students in order States, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand. characteristics: The geographic spread community - acting in concert have a to develop more sustainable local expertise. The network will use the results of its of some global programs, and the better chance of succeeding. Also, Africans take the lead position on the grant. research to monitor levels of drug resistance perception that many are donor-driven, global programs may be the only vehicle Calls for proposals are announced by email and generate information for evidence- may give them standing as source of available for local and community lists and web sites. Proposals must be based malaria treatment policies for the external experience or stature as a groups to access national institutions submitted and coordinated by an African countries involved. source of money. However, this does and processes. national scientist working in a research group in Africa and include as least two not ensure that such programs can win N Apply a multi-sectoral approach. the trust needed to be effective locally. For more information see www.who.int/tdr. Interventions across sectors and N Devolve operational structures disciplines will often be necessary. For without compromising effectiveness. example, it is difficult to imagine broad With the authority to design and health or conservation outcomes without 10 3 simultaneous interventions in education, N Develop leadership capacity. the private sector, research, and policy. Identifying and training champions and At the same time, programs will need to committed change-agents is often decide who has the comparative essential. In the last few years, the trend advantage in each of these areas. has been to conduct local leadership Catalyzing Government Commitment Through An Innovative Grant training in-country. Funding for training N Catalyze government commitment. abroad has been reduced by donors. Mechanism: The Global Alliance For Vaccines And Immunization While governments can be cumbersome Yet such training is invaluable. This and uncooperative, they have a critical should include attendance at role in delivering global public goods. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and The proposal must be based on a multi-year conferences and workshops, activities Government provides an enabling Immunization (GAVI) is a mechanism for national immunization plan, drawn up by the that international partners often frown environment, and is often the only coordinating and revitalizing immunization government with the ICC. The plan is upon but which provide local sector that has adequate capacity for programs at the national level. assessed on the basis of whether there has practitioners a great sense of implementation. Thus, integrating been an immunization assessment within empowerment and inclusion. Leveraging government financing. The activities within local provincial and the last three years, the plan’s relationship national policy and planning frameworks N Seize technology as a ability of partners to catalyze greater to general health services strengthening, may greatly increase the relevance of communication tool while national commitment to improve plans and targets for improving an initiative and opportunities for recognizing its limitations. immunization coverage and distribute new immunization coverage, a strategy to sustainability and replication. Technology conveys ideas well and and under-used vaccines is limited by the improve disease surveillance, a strategy for quickly, but conveys feelings and variety of demands on the budgets of advocacy and social mobilization and – Resources and Capacity Building commitment clumsily. People helping developing countries. The challenge was to importantly - a budget forecast for people involves trust, compassion, design a financial tool that would leverage government and partner contributions which N Nurture relationships and apply anxiety, frustration, confidence, joy, etc. the efforts of national governments rather demonstrates increased government resources downstream. Many global – all things best conveyed when people than act as a substitute for such spending investment and decreased external aid over programs are in the “upstream” meet people. and encourage governments to prioritize time. business of producing knowledge and resources in favor of vaccines and technology. But because they are immunizations. Need and performance criteria. The type evaluated on the basis of their ultimate and amount of funding received from the Box 2: Making Grants Locally: An innovative fund. The tool is the Global impact on the ground, many programs Fund is governed strictly by need and Lessons From Experience8 Fund for Children’s Vaccines which serves are helping to build delivery performance. National governments of to finance underutilized and new vaccines, mechanisms by nurturing relationships countries with GNP/capita equal to or below Set priorities and be selective strengthen immunization delivery and spreading financial resources Y US$1,000 are eligible for support. Countries Don’t fund something just because it is a infrastructure, and support development of downstream. Y are considered for immunization funding priority vaccines. The Fund is designed as good idea; it should be strategic and with a reward for performance: Increases in N Make sufficiently long-term, part of a comprehensive package of replicable the number of children immunized is used unrestricted commitments while assessment, planning, and coordinated Y If strategic, don’t always shy away for as the measure of performance. Countries maintaining incentives for support. It only supports unmet needs: once lack of capacity if it can be built receive “shares” on the basis of their up- performance and sustainability. it is evident that countries have maximized Y Look for measurable indicators of what front investment in plans to improve Single year funding is often too short to their own resources and the resources of success would be immunization services, and as a allow local partners to leverage support others for investing in immunization, the Y Don’t ignore what’s difficult, including retrospective reward for additional children and grow. Such short-term Fund will “close the gap.” politically. Grants are an opportunity to immunized. The investment is calculated on commitments require organizations to empower people to engage the political Funding proposals are developed by the number of additional children – over and begin fundraising replacement dollars process governments in collaboration with their above the number who are currently almost immediately, and the time spent Ideas should evolve out of a National Inter-agency Coordinating targeted – the government plans to reach in in proposal and report writing and Y Committee (ICC) or equivalent. The review the future, with targets agreed to by the ICC meeting with potential funders can be collaborative process between grantor, of proposals starts with assessing whether and endorsed by GAVI. The reward is prohibitive. At the same time, open- grantee and – ideally – another financial there is a fully functioning ICC in place and calculated at the end of each year, based on ended commitments can breed partner understanding its role, responsibility and the number of additional children dependency, and other donors may shy Y Promote possibilities for broader functions in relation to overall health sector immunized. If, after two years, recipient away in the face of large, steady collaboration, networking and exchange planning, taking into consideration: Its terms countries do not show any increase in the streams of support from a single source. Y Develop leadership capacity of reference, clarity and transparency of number of children immunized, support is Such commitments also lessen the Y Encourage sustainability through longer- decision making, level of the ICC chairman suspended until satisfactory progress is incentive for organizations to diversify term, yet defined commitments within the Ministry of Health, the list of shown. funding. Building a sustainable effort members, and plans and budget locally also requires devoting sufficient requirements for strengthening the ICC if resources to infrastructure and salaries. For more information see necessary. Local organizations have few other 8 Drawn from discussion at a meeting of World www.vaccinealliance.org. sources of such support. (See Box 2 for Bank-supported intermediary grant makers more on grant making.) supporting grass roots groups in maternal health. Paris, December 12, 2002. 4 9 Successful Approaches Localizing and Empowering Field Staff: Balancing Global and Local Identities: Conservation International in Botswana Global and Regional Water Partnerships Conservation International’s (CI) Okavango and flexibility to make adjustments in The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is the region with an interest in water Delta program aims to protect one of the allocations. helping local stakeholders develop the resources management. In practice they world’s largest wetlands and animal habitats capacity to articulate their need for water are comprised of government ministries, Drawing from the community. The country water utilities industries, farm groups, water against a multitude of threats. The program services by replicating itself regionally. program draws heavily on the staff’s local researchers and NGOs. There are is working to maintain the ecological integrity knowledge and experience. The Country Recipients of services as shapers of a knowledge-sharing linkages between the of the Delta through education, policy Director is a wildlife management specialist larger service partnership. The GWP regional and global partnerships, but each dialogue, enterprise development, eco- who worked for the Government’s recognizes that assistance by donors in the regional partnership is expected to conduct tourism and research and monitoring. Department of Wildlife and National Parks form of advice and support is often driven by its own affairs, raise its own funds using the These activities are governed and managed and the Forestry Association of Botswana. the particular interests and bias of the donor. GWP umbrella, and be subject to its own by local staff and stakeholders. They are No other staff hold higher degrees. Most It is also the advice of aid professionals who checks and balances. supported by a Washington headquarters have been hired from the communities in are not the real sources of operational management team that values local which the program is active. For example, expertise. And the advice is fragmented by Managing the tension between a global knowledge and an organizational structure an effort to develop local enterprise in one of sub-sector (irrigation, power, water supply identity and local legitimacy. Perhaps the that makes available the best science and the last remaining Bushman communities is and sanitation, etc.), with little coherence greatest challenge in this model is the scientists in the world. managed by a former member of that among the pieces and the whole less than perception that the global program is unduly community. And the son of the community’s the sum of the parts. How might developing influenced by the donor community and not Governing and managing locally. CI’s truly representative of its members who are Chief works full time for CI. CI’s efforts to countries do more than just receive Okavango office is located in Maun, a small its constituents, and the fear that regional teach local schoolchildren about the Delta’s services? How might they play a central role town at the entrance to the Delta. It is imitations might be similarly manipulated. biological richness is run by former staff of in defining what exactly is needed and what staffed by a dozen people, managed by a However, the donor “tag” – the link to an the Wildlife and National Parks Department. they might have to share with others? One Country Director, and guided by a National international body - gives the regional And its program to assist community answer is to establish regional partnerships Advisory Council which is chaired by the partnership some authority, allowing it to members in commercial basket weaving is based on a global model that: Minister of Lands and Okavango member of serve as an engine for articulating principles managed by a woman who pioneered the Parliament. The Vice President of Botswana also sits on the Council as well as idea in another part of the Delta, and is N Provide a forum for debate on regional and spreading good practice. Credible herself a nationally recognized ‘master water management issues, including regional water partnerships must embody on CI’s International Board of Directors. and manage the tensions arising from weaver.’ discussions between donors and Other Council members include the having a “corporate” identity tied to the regional or sub-regional stakeholders on Paramount Chief, the Commander of the Supporting community action with global global effort and being seen as legitimate the coordination of support. Botswana Defense Force, the Director of a science. While local interests and representatives of their members. local human rights group, and knowledge guide decision making at the N Regionalize the global conceptual representatives of various other interest country level, the Okavango program agenda of integrated water resources A related challenge is a result of the basic groups (cattle ranchers, tourism operators, benefits from external resources needed to management and disseminate participatory principle which the GWP insists the diamond industry, etc.) operate at the cutting edge. Thematic “hubs” information on integrated water guide the activities of regional partners. and R&D centers in Washington inform the management practices. Regional partnerships are being asked by Country staff are organized in thematic national governments to assist in preparing teams. Each team contributes to a three- work program according to practices which N Assess local needs and articulate national programs of action with specific have been developed and tested in other demands for services. year strategic plan and budget which is stakeholder targets. They cannot respond countries. For example, an eco-tourism approved by the National Advisory Council initiative draws directly on CI’s experience in N Interact with GWP structures at the favorably to these requests unless there is a and by Washington. The team is then global and trans-regional levels, sufficiently strong commitment from Guatemala and Costa Rica. And research allocated a part of the plan’s approved contributing to the discussion and governments to inclusion of all water projects like aerial wildlife surveys and a annual budget. Washington provides 30-40 exchange of experiences within the stakeholders. rapid biological appraisal of the Delta rely on percent of the budget, covering salaries and GWP. Washington’s technical expertise and overhead. The remainder is raised locally experience in similar wetlands such as the and regionally by country staff, with some Structure of the regional partnership. As Pantanal in Brazil. For more information see support from headquarters. The Country in the global partnership, membership in the Director has sufficient discretionary funding www.gwpforum.org regional partnership is open to all entities in For more information see www.conservation.org. 8 5 Applying Resources Downstream: Building Global and Local Constituencies Around Common Objectives: The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund The World Commission on Dams A fundamental purpose of the Critical strategy among diverse stakeholders for The World Commission on Dams (WCD, on both sides of the debate found Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is to conservation of the Succulent Karoo 1999-2001) was born out of the World themselves with no other option to influence ensure that civil society and other local biodiversity hotspot. The project team Bank’s first evaluation of Bank financed big the outcome than to participate. stakeholders who are personally committed gathered biodiversity and land-use data for dam projects. Disquiet about the document Inclusion. A key structure was the WCD to the welfare of their local environments are the region, which stretches more than led the Bank and the International Union for Forum, a more widely and deeply the driving force behind lasting, workable 100,000 square kilometers across South Conservation and Nature (IUCN) to convene representative group than the Commission, solutions to regional biodiversity threats. An Africa and Namibia. More than 60 scientific a workshop to discuss the review and initiate consisting of about 70 people. The Forum additional purpose is to ensure that those experts and 300 individuals representing an open and transparent dialogue on the was a mix of former Reference Group efforts complement existing strategies and communal land authorities, commercial future of dams. The meeting represented all members and new stakeholders and interest frameworks established by local, regional farmers, mining companies, tourism the stakeholders in the dams debate. Later groups. It was primarily a mechanism for and national governments. interests, local government and to be called the “Gland Reference Group,” maintaining a dialogue between the WCD conservation authorities helped map the they agreed to create the WCD. The To ensure success for these alliances and and the respective constituencies of the distribution of current and projected land use agreement was possible because there was coordination, the Fund provides an Forum members. Thus, within the Forum - vital information that helped determine a strong commitment among all parties that integrated package of financial support, there were ad hoc groups representing the conservation priority areas. The process the initiative would follow a process of technical expertise, field knowledge and private sector, NGOs, affected peoples and incorporated awareness-raising, training and inclusions, independence, and transparency. administrative flexibility. The Internet offers donors. The Forum has been crucial in partnerships as part of the process to global access to data collected from field Transparency. Following the Gland ensuring that the Commission’s results find develop an overarching plan and ultimately projects so that organizations can share meeting, the process of negotiating the form acceptance. contribute to its effective implementation. best practices and lessons learned. and mandate of the WCD fell to an Interim The WCD produced a set of The project team included special advisors Working Group, which derived its legitimacy How the fund works. CEPF supports the recommendations drawn from the and four local coordinating organizations: from having been part of the Reference formation of new NGOs and expansion of Secretariat’s knowledge base and feedback the Botanical Society of South Africa, Eco- Group. The selection of the WCD Chair and existing organizations. It supports varying from the Forum and a series of regional Africa, the Institute for Plant Conservation Commission members was agreed upon forms of capacity-building, including consultations. It recognized that it was and the National Botanical Institute. It also because the nomination process went wide communications, understanding relevant essential that stakeholders should have the included 10 local conservation champions, and deep those selected fairly represented a laws, organizing policy interventions, natural opportunity to inform the knowledge base. well-connected and respected individuals in wide range of stakeholders. Also, the Chair resource planning and implementation, anti- their communities with biodiversity or social and Commissioners would not officially Independence. At the same time, poaching measures, forest inventory development expertise who raised represent any stakeholder group but would agreement on the recommendations was systems, and wildlife census methods. awareness about the process and gathered act in their individual capacities. The only possible because the Commission was There is no limit to the level of funding that vital information within their communities. selection of South Africa’s Prof. Kadar allowed to reach its own consensus from its NGOs can request. Funding may be given Asmal, a former anti-apartheid leader, as independent review of the knowledge base At the end of the year, more than 70 for a maximum of 5 years. Applicants must Chairman of the WCD gave the process and consultations. This avoided the “horse representatives of local, provincial and first consult the CEPF investment strategy immediate legitimacy. trading” which could result if Commission national government agencies, for the region in which they propose to work. members were formally representing the nongovernmental organizations and The WCD mandate was agreed upon The strategy, called an ecosystem profile various constituents. In that case, any academic institutions from Namibia and because it gave all stakeholders something (the result of a participatory planning consensus would simply reflect a lowest South Africa participated in a consensus- to gain: A look into the experience of the process, see below), guides the funds common denominator or least controversial building process to develop a final action past appealed to critics of dams; making investments. Each project must be linked to position.. As a result, the Commission’s plan. The workshop and other activities of proposals for the future appealed to one of the strategic directions in the profile conclusions, broke the stalemate on the the project team will result in a framework proponents. And the fact that work would be to eligible for funding. contentious issues, the resolution of which is for conservation of the hotspot and a completed within a specified two-year period what brought stakeholders to the table in the A participatory profiling process in the foundation for an ecosystem profile—a made the Commission useful to everyone. first place. Succulent Karoo. In 2002, a pioneering strategy document that will guide CEPF The process gained such credibility that the team of more than 30 individuals from 15 investments in the region. small number of intransigent organizations institutions in Namibia and South Africa worked to establish a common vision and For more information see www.dams.org For more information see www.cepf.net 6 7