The ‘Happy Strategies’ Game: Matching Land and Water Interventions with Landscape Needs

Alan Duncan, Beth Cullen, Catherine Pfeifer and Peter Ballantyne

International Forum on Water and Food, Johannesburg, South Africa 14-16 Nov 2011

http://www.nbdc.org

Origins of the GameNile Project 3: Aims to identify ‘best bet’

practices and technologies to scale out

Objectives of the GameMatch what we know to a specific landscapeCombine practices and interventions into a

strategy to address specific issues/problems of a landscape

Test an interactive ‘game’ approach to matching supply and demand

Process• Groups form, each with a facilitator, set of game cards• Landscape introduction – contours, issues, actors …• Groups formulate initial strategy ideas / review

package of ‘practices’ in its hand• Combine practices into a strategy

– Exchange wanted / unwanted practices with other groups (with the helpdesk)

– Identify essential ‘interventions’ to deliver the strategy– Develop innovations – practices – that you need but are

not already in the game. Obtain these from the helpdesk• Share your strategy with the wider group

– Document your strategy, how you came to it, major choices, any trade-offs you made

Intended result by groupAn ‘objective’ tailored to the landscape [in

the presentation]A strategy to achieve this objective,

comprising:Package of practicesEssential interventionsNeeded Innovations

Site description – Jegerida

This fictional landscape is derived from real sites of the NBDC

ElevationWide variation

in elevation from Highland to Lowland

SlopeSome very

steep terrain especially in mid-altitude areas.

RainfallModerate

rainfall of 900 to 1800 mm per year.

Poorly distributed – most falls in an intense rainy season

SoilsDeep volcanic

soilsSusceptible to

erosionProne to

waterloggingLow organic

matter content

Access to markets and waterOne major

urban centre but poor infrastructural development

Many water courses for irrigation

Erosion potentialSlope and soils

mean high erosion potential, particularly in Highland and mid-altitudinal areas.

Zone 1 highland

Zone 2 midlands

Zone 3 lowlands

Elevation

Innovation platform updates

Jegerida innovation platformFirst meeting held recentlyActors: Many government line departments, Local

Agricultural Research Center, Grassroots Development NGO

Key land and water management constraints identified Population increase leading to cultivation of steep slopes and

land deforestation, soil erosion etc. Very short land use planning horizon by farmers. Limited use of improved land and water management

technologies Erosion – loss of soil fertilityFlooding in lowland areasPoor crop yields

Baseline diagnosisLooked at planning, implementation,

innovation and livelihoods issues

System failuresTop-down implementation and lack of

farmer/community participation seem to be major historical factors in deteriorating NRM practices.

Community based institutions may have been weakened due to strong government intervention during a previous regime

Although current approaches are said to be participatory, this is debatable which has implications for long-term sustainability.

Collective action not workingPlanning and implementation

Most successful NRM activities are on farm and initiated and carried out by farmers

Those requiring collective action are not working due to previous efforts in which farmers have been co-opted and ownership has been lacking.

Farmer awarenessMany govt

respondents stated that

“farmer awareness” was

a major stumbling block

to progress – such attitudes

are not conducive to

building farmer engagement.

Implementation

Land and water management interventions

Quotas

Campaigns

Farmers often destroy the results of their work under collective schemes which is perhaps indicative of their feelings towards these activities.

SummaryOverlying issues

Poor food security High poverty levels

Key land and water management constraints identified Population increase leading to cultivation of steep slopes and land

deforestation, soil erosion etc. Very short land use planning horizon by farmers. Limited use of improved land and water management technologies Erosion – loss of soil fertility Flooding in lowland areas Poor crop yields

System constraints Top down implementation Weak local institutions Market access limited