LandCare Strategy Workshop

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 Acronyms used

1.2 Objectives

1.3 Approach

2. Workshop components

3. Workshop outputs

3.1 Background to LandCare (Presentation by Ms N. Nduli)

3.2 Australian perspectives (Presentation by Mr. T. Rowley)

3.3 Strategic planning for 2001 answers

3.4.1 Questions

3.4.2 Answers

4. Stakeholder networking

5. Immediate follow-up actions

APPENDIX A: Strategic planning results

APPENDIX B: LandCare stakeholder networking

1. Introduction

The overall goal of LandCare is to optimise productivity and sustainability of natural resources so as to result in greater productivity, food security, job creation and a better quality of life for all. A strategic planning workshop for 2001 was held with about 65 LandCare stakeholders on 7-8 December 2000 in Wonder Waters, Pretoria. Johan Swart from Group Dynamics and Ted Rowley from Amron Consulting facilitated the workshop sessions. This document captures the key outputs of the workshop. 

1.1 Acronyms used

NDA             National Department of Agriculture

DALRM        Directorate Agricultural Land Resource Management

SRUM          Programme: Sustainable Resource Use and Management

PDA             Provincial Department of Agriculture

1.2 Objectives

The objectives of the strategic planning workshop were:

• To revisit the vision and objectives of the National LandCare Programme

• To consolidate the efforts and direction of the new policy shift

• To obtain stakeholders and role-players comments and concerns and improve the delivery system

1.3 Approach

In order to meet the workshop objectives, the approach followed was output-driven and participative in nature. To achieve the highest degree of consensus, information technology was utilised during the strategic planning sessions to obtain the highest quality information in the shortest time.

2. Workshop components

This section briefly captures the story of each of the workshop components. A description of some of the components is provided in the next section.

Introductions (Mr. K. P. Taylor)

Mr. K. Taylor (Deputy Director: DALRM, NDA) welcomed participants to the workshop, in particular the International delegates. In doing so, he created a friendly atmosphere for working together. Each participant was invited to introduce him/herself; thereafter Mr. K. P. Taylor addressed a few logistical issues.

Background to LandCare (Ms N. Nduli)

Ms N. Nduli (Chief Director: SRUM, NDA) provided a concise but fundamental background to LandCare, from its beginnings in South Africa (1997-8). She further emphasised how LandCare has grown, both in terms of funding and in physical support. Ms N. Nduli paved the way for building on a common understanding of LandCare among the workshop participants. Her talk ended with an explanation of the purpose of the workshop.

Official welcome address (Dr S. Cornelius)

Dr S. Cornelius (Deputy Director-General, NDA) officially opened the strategic planning workshop with enthusiasm and appreciation. He pointed out the importance of such a workshop and also welcomed distinguished guests.

 Australian perspectives (Mr. T. Rowley)

Mr. T. Rowley (Amron Consulting) presented Australian perspectives on LandCare. His experience provided us with areas for further exploration. The presentation was enjoyable and informative. Key lessons from the Australian experience: 

• Written agreement/memorandum of understanding between partners

• Socio-economic environment is important

• Did not realise the scale of LandCare

• Problem of taking LandCare to local government

• Integration through different spheres of government

• Partnership & community involvement is critical to LandCare success

South African perspectives (Dr. R. Auerbach)

Dr R. Auerbach (Rainman LandCare Foundation) provided South African perspectives on LandCare, based on his experience in the Umlazi River Catchment, KwaZulu-Natal. He was previously heading the Farmer Support Group, until he formed the Rainman LandCare Foundation. Issues, elements, constraints and successes were key features of his presentation. Bringing together rural/subsistence farmers and commercial farmers together in the same catchment was highlighted as challenges for LandCare. Dr. R. Auerbach shared a practical approach to LandCare with workshop participants. In addition, he reiterated the importance of the social dimension in LandCare, the sexual and racial inequalities and the need for more representation on the part of subsistence farmers. Dr. R. Auerbach introduced the concept of a LandCare movement to the workshop.  

Work sessions: Strategic Planning (Mr. J. Swart)

Mr. J. Swart from Group Dynamics facilitated the work sessions. Ms Anna van der Merwe rendered information technology and facilitation support. This component of the workshop was highly successful, given the time allocation, as the objectives of the workshop were met.  

Recap (Mr. B. Msomi)  

Mr. B. Msomi has recently been appointed as the Director: DALRM, NDA. He provided an excellent overview of the previous days events. In essence, ‘LandCare has moved forward’.  

Australian perspectives cont.… (Mr. T. Rowley)  

Mr. T. Rowley (Amron Consultants) continued his presentation on the Australian LandCare Perspective, using slides and more participatory methods. 

South African perspectives cont… (Dr R. Auerbach) 

Dr R. Auerbach continued from his previous presentation, using slides.  

LandCare success stories (Mr. T. Rowley)  

Mr. T. Rowley invited stories from successful LandCare projects. Ms V. Titi introduced the Gauteng LandCare Programme and a successful LandCare project in Olifantsfontein. Mr. P. Thabethe provided insight into a liming project in Mpumalanga, including successes, failures and lessons learnt. Mr. R. Conchuir (Farm Africa) from Northern Cape presented a land reform/’save the sands’ LandCare project. Mr. E. Netshikovhela introduced a LandCare project in the Northern Province (Koring Koppies) that provides for protection of water sources (i.e. springs and wetlands). Integration with other programmes was highlighted as a key issue of LandCare. Mr. P. de Bryn introduced the Suidbokkeveld LandCare Project (Northern Cape).  

Work sessions: Questions (Mr. T. Rowley)  

Mr. T. Rowely facilitated the work sessions. Questions were formulated during a group discussion. Workshop participants were divided into provinces. Each provincial group was given the set of questions.  

Official ending: (Mr. B. Msomi)  

Mr. B. Msomi officially ended the Strategic Planning Workshop for 2001 with a note of thanks to participants. He confirmed the need for an aggressive communication and awareness strategy for LandCare in 2001.

3. Workshop outputs

3.1 Background to LandCare (Presentation by Ms N. Nduli)  

Introduction

“This workshop intends to pave the way for all of us as stakeholders and role-players in LandCare to make inputs so as to take the programme from point A (which is the current situation) to point B (which is the ideal situation) to say that we have seen and observed how the programme has been in operation for the past three years, and as new methods, procedures, technologies and means of operation are being developed so should the LandCare programme also keep up with the changing times.  

Definition of LandCare

The LandCare Programme is a community-based and government supported sustainable land management programme. The LandCare programme offers practical assistance to effect land conservation activities that are identified, implemented and monitored mainly by the farming community.  

In other words it must achieve the following:

• Biological productivity,

• Economic viability,

• Social acceptability,

• Minimisation of risk, and

• Protection of natural resources

  There are five components of LandCare

1. Projects
2. Awareness & education
3. Capacity building
4. Policy and legislation
5. Monitoring and evaluation  

Since the inception of the programme in 1998, the Poverty Relief Fund has pledged about R80 million towards LandCare in South Africa.  

Projects to the value of R80 million have been implemented countrywide. The main focus being on the five provinces, namely: Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, North West and the Northern Province. The themes have been Soil Care, Bush Care and Veld care.  

We also implemented small community grants to the tune of R10 million, which we envisage that they will gradually become our focused investment projects.  

As far as capacity building is concerned, a number of teams comprising both government and private sector people have visited international countries, such as Australia and the United States of America, as part of exposure and education to learn and observe as to how other countries conserve and manage their agricultural and environmental resources for the benefit of the future generations.  

In the next coming three years, AusAid will be implementing a capacity building programme and our starting point will be in the Northern Province, and as the need arises we will expand to other provinces. In monetary terms, the value of the programme is R15 million” . 

3.2 Australian Perspectives (Presentation by Mr. T. Rowley)  

Australian LandCare Perspectives: “Looking backwards – looking forwards” 

LandCare in Australia

• Voluntary community group movement, 4500 groups

• Land, water, biodiversity protection

• Productive, profitable, 33% farmers active in groups

• Rural, urban, indigenous groups

• National, State, Regional, Local planning

 LandCare has been about…

• Awareness, Realisation

• Information/knowledge sharing

• Attitudinal/behavioural change

• Development of plans/planning

• Doing works ‘on the ground’  

LandCare issues in Australia

• Agriculture practice unsustainable

• Momentum of agricultural research hard to change

• Scale of LandCare needed not understood

• Expectations of LandCare plans very high

• More community inclusion needed at all levels

• Critics have an easy target

• Successes are more social at this stage

• Farmers and communities do all the work  

Report card

• Community norms/attitudes have changed, new political force has formed in the bush

• Resources overall are still degrading, but better information/technical services

• Farmer groups organised/plans

• Failure to articulate LandCare’s place

• Public/private outcomes still a policy issue

• Acquittal of grants an issue, cost shifting a problem

• Integration of indigenous interests

• Increased participation of communities in policy/planning at Regional, State & National levels

• Nationally a new NRM policy supports: Strategic investment in LandCare $, regional empowerment, devolving authority

• Formal partnerships at regional level started

Challenges

• More effective involvement of community in planning

• Inclusionist LandCare approach spread to related programmes

• Community needs help to represent itself

• Community administration/organisational support needed

• Agency cultural change needed to accelerate participatory planning

• LandCare successes better profiled

• Natural resource management monitoring to include social change and operate at all levels  

Way forward

• Social contracts/partnerships between community and government on natural resource management outcomes

• Partnerships/expectations better defined at Region, State, National levels

• Mutual obligations understood by all parties

• Regional community groups empowered by agreement to plan, deliver investments in LandCare (and be accountable)

• Omnibus legislation at State level to force cross-sectoral approaches for LandCare by agencies

• All natural resource management policy/strategy to be based on a participatory basis with the community

• More assistance to organisational plan and implement at community level

• Share understanding about natural resource management decision-making across agencies, community and politics

• Develop simple natural resource management strategies at different levels

• Regional scale projects to receive support (managed by communities)

• Big business to be engaged-green investment

• Policy developments to include economic incentives, suasion and regulation

• Increase knowledge sharing between land managers

• Develop cross-sectional approach at national level

• National incentives to be based on real achievements of continuing programmes which recognise the spread of successes across the regions

• ‘Bottom-up’ planning at Regional level to be the basis of ‘top-down’ initiatives

How do we put?

• Community participation, capacity building, attitudinal and behavioural change and awareness raising into the National natural resource management agenda?

• Structural adjustment, market systems, micro-economic policy, economic incentives and research policy into a partnership with LandCare?  

Summary

• Big journeys start with the first steps (always)

• Social change is the critical indicator to measure

• Partnership agreements between Local, Regional, State and National parties are essential

• Community will drive change ONLY IF pathways are identified/developed

• Keep on, keeping on!  

3.3 Strategic Planning for 2001

LandCare Mission

“To facilitate an enabling environment for the development and support of an integrated community driven LandCare movement thereby enhancing quality of life of the present and future generations” LandCare Stakeholders, 2000

LandCare Vision

“We strive to be a world-class benchmark on participatory natural resource management”                                          LandCare Stakeholders, 2000

LandCare Strategic Goals 2001

• Ensure good LandCare governance

• Ensure a sound LandCare stakeholder network

• Increase community LandCare capacity

• Ensure effective LandCare communication  

LandCare Governance Processes

• Legislation/policies/directing

• Regulatory framework

• Institutional structures i.e. community

• Management systems & procedures

  LandCare Success Outcomes

QUALITY NATURAL RESOURCES

• Enhanced resource conservation

• Decrease in resource degradation

• Resilience to climate change

• Sustainability of natural resource use

• Improved wetland management and use

• Improved water resources

• Decrease in waste

• Increase in water quality

• Improved soil fertility

• Improved soil availability

• Reduced soil erosion

• Increased water use efficiency  

SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT IN LandCare

• Broad involvement of key stakeholders

• Empowered/educated community

• Improved health and nutrition

• Increased community awareness

• Improved community cohesion

• Better access to land for future farmers

• Improved communication on LandCare

•  Improved public participation  

BIO-DIVERSITY INTEGRITY

• Increased conservation of biological diversity

• Decrease in alien vegetation  

IMPROVED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN LandCare GOVERNANCE

• More effective LandCare governance

• Decentralised local governance

• More effective decision making by stakeholders at local levels

• Improved cooperative governance

• Agricultural productivity

• Increased income

• Sustainability of agricultural production systems

• Increased competitive ability

• Improved rural infrastructure

• Increased internal rate of return on investments

• Reduced agricultural input cost

• Increased public investment in infrastructure

• Reduced impact of drought and reduced flood damage

• Improved development of tourism industry  

Critical success factors for an enabling environment

• Voluntary community involvement

• Cross-sectoral integration of LandCare

• LandCare education

• LandCare communication/promotion/awareness/information

• LandCare direction (legislation, policies, regulations)

• Stakeholder networking

• LandCare monitoring & evaluation

• LandCare research & audit

• LandCare incentives

• LandCare human resources

• LandCare finances

• LandCare management system/proceduresLandCare local leadership/ethics

• LandCare scope realisation

• LandCare programmes & projects

  SWOT analysis  

Strategic programmes  

3.4 Questions & answers  

3.4.1 Questions

The following questions were formulated, and answered by provincial groups during a breakaway session:

1.     How do we make LandCare more community owned?

2.     How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief? (on-ground, in programme)

3.     What issues (from the workshop) do you want progressed?  

3.4.2      Answers  

KWAZULU-NATAL  

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Better understanding of community /land users

• Community-owned (who are we talking about?) Involvement at which levels?

• Need to experiencing problems at local level and see benefit of joining a LandCare programme/activities

• Money is falsifying need for LandCare

• Awareness campaign to identify problems, create and enhance felt need

• Community development/facilitation support

• Stakeholder involvement, i.e. committees  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• Forget word "poverty relief" rather integrate it through programmes

• Communal resource management: voluntary or paid work, community-based, public works?

• Community interest groups: group involvement in natural resource management issues or LandCare, technical advice & support, paid inputs

• Individual projects: Support, commercial farmers, a Rand for a Rand?

• Different levels of intervention

• Awareness – Advice – Small business development???  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• More transparency in project selection

• LandCare is not a priority at national and provincial levels

• Secure dedicated medium-term budgets at provincial level

• LandCare integrated into PDA/governments programmes

• Monitoring & evaluation

• Who and how is capacity building addressed?

• Awareness creation

• Co-operatives or farmers associations

• Capacity building

• Reward good approaches (awards)  

MPUMALANGA  

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Use existing structure

• Awareness & information

• Broader community involvement

• Empowerment & education

• Improved land tenure security

• In-house training to get community involvement  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• Sustainable employment creation: Promote activities that sustain long-term jobs for projects beneficiaries  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Aggressive awareness campaign

• Professional behaviour regarding financial agreements (between spheres of government & community)?

• Funding for initial planning

• Progress reports, e.g. Technical guide by the NDA  

EASTERN CAPE

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Awareness campaign

• Capacity building

• Experience tangible benefits

• Ensure effective community institutions

• Ensure on-going community support  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• LandCare outcomes must contribute towards poverty relief  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Clearer directives and funding criteria from NDA

• More effective management by NDA

• Increase Provincial capacity

• Increase political support

• Consistent & transparent procedure

• Simplify & stimulate reporting  

GAUTENG

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Assist communities with identification of opportunities & solutions

• Prioritising of issues

• Skills existing? Identify skills gaps

• Identify needs for training

• Market LandCare concept  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• People understanding the Government's role, transformation from "provider" to "enabler"

• In the design of LandCare, incorporate projects that have a direct income-generating benefit

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• How do we access knowledge/information from LandCare stakeholders

• Inter-sectoral co-operation, networking  

FREE STATE  

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Identify  (needs) sustainable projects

• Representation by relevant stakeholders

• Clear set of roles and responsibilities (contract, action plan & business plan)

• LandCare communication

• LandCare committees & facilitators (from rural & commercial)

• Pay a facilitator from the community  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• Split LandCare & poverty relief

• Links with other programmes (Food Security, Land Reform, Rural Development Strategy, Poverty Relief, etc….)  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Commercial farmers on-board

• Focused Investment for Free State (bigger grants)

NORTHERN PROVINCE  

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Create awareness

• Empowerment (training for self-reliance), SWOT analysis, etc…

• Community planning: Feasibility studies (Technical, socio-economic, environmental and sustainability)

• Involvement of stakeholders (multi-level) + proper identification of roles

• Decision-making

• Community should contribute & contracts

• Identification of issues

• Memo of understanding between parties on issues of management and maintenance by communities

• Training of staff on participatory approaches

  How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• Funds should not be a goal, but rather a tool to achieve a goal

• Proper preparation of projects should be made before money is applied for the project

  What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Long-term funding

• Marketing LandCare

• Implementation plans for the w/shop & recommendations

• Promoting local economic development  

NORTH WEST PROVINCE  

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Link needs with LandCare problems

• Intensive LandCare campaigns at all levels

• Focus on importance of resource

• Address causes not symptoms

• Must become the focus of the Department of Agriculture  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• Money for LandCare not poverty relief

• Create jobs to relieve pressure on resources

• Improve production systems  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Involve commercial agriculture (focus is currently on poverty relief)

• Provincialise strategic programmes

• Review budget for soil conservation (Act 43/1983)

WESTERN CAPE  

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• Abolish soil conservation committees & form LandCare committees

• Re-writing Soil Conservation Acts

• Involve committees in LandCare awareness and communication

• Cost money for facilitation/human resources in all budgets  

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• Focus on LandCare & sustainable natural resource management not poverty relief

• LandCare can uplift communities by insisting that projects are labour intensive  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Focussed investment component for Western Cape

• Full allocation of funds, not only 50% of funding as currently done

• There must be guidelines & principles laid down for all LandCare projects by the National Department of Agriculture

NORTHERN CAPE

How do we make LandCare more community owned?

• More coordination & networking at provincial level (lack of staff/capacity)

• Typology studies

• Learn through experience/failures/doing

• Cross-fertilisation & exchange visits

• Partnerships & agreements/contracts with communities

How do we integrate LandCare with poverty relief?

• LandCare not poverty relief

• Deliver funding for 2000/2001 to community

• Communication & capacity building

• Supply social networks with LandCare information  

What issues (from workshop) do you want progressed?

• Consider technical support, LandCare structures & action committees

• Extension officers are a stumbling block but need to be managed?

• A need for live bodies/structures on the ground and in communities

OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN  

1.     Competition (awards for success in each Province)

4. Stakeholder Networking

A LandCare Stakeholder-networking list is attached to this document (see APPENDIX A). Kindly check your details to ensure they are correct. Please add other LandCare stakeholders you may be aware of. A list will be produced in January 2001, and updated quarterly.

5. Immediate Follow-up Actions

• The National LandCare Secretariat will plan to facilitate a LandCare Indaba in 2001

• Supporting more effective stakeholder networking & list of stakeholders

• Promote opportunities for inter-provincial visits

• Implement the LandCare marketing and communication strategy

APPENDIX A: Workshop Participants