Output 1.4. Knowledge management and national-level governance framework strengthened to increase adoption of SLM in Sergipe and facilitate replication in NE
Output 1.4. Knowledge management and national-level governance framework strengthened to increase adoption of SLM in Sergipe and facilitate replication in NE
Output 1.4 aims to improve regulation, communication and knowledge management processes to support adoption of SLM practices regarding crops, livestock, forest resources and energy in the semiarid in Sergipe and facilitate their replication in the NE. It will (i) develop standards and technical policies to prevent, reduce and mitigate LD in Caatinga ecosystems and levels of degradation in the NE region; (ii) Incorporate the lessons from Sergipe on SLM in semiarid knowledge management and dissemination systems; and (iii) support a working group to promote appropriateness of norms regarding sustainable use of natural resources with more emphasis on guidance for appropriate technology and less on control and punishment. A number of different lines of actions will be supported as described below. This Output is in line with the National Action Program to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of Drought (PAN-Brazil) focuses on the Areas Susceptible to Desertification (ASD) and targets these for relevant government programs that offer production alternatives to combat desertification while promoting social inclusion, local development and environmental sustainability. Optimizing the contribution of these programs to SLM requires actions grounded on extensive liaison among federal, state and local governmental iinstitutions implementing these policies as well as civil society organizations. The key institutional partners at the federal level include the Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger (MDS), the Ministry of National Integration (MI), the Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME).
The first line of action will be to support the development of norms and technical directives for reducing working through the National Commission for Combating Desertification (NCCD) & National Environment Council (CONAMA). To this end, the project will support the review and influence the drafting of regulations to promote SLM practices, simplify licensing procedures and strengthen decentralization of environmental management. In this way experiences from Sergipe will be replicated to other NE States LD.
The second line of action will be through developing a communication programme with the following characteristics: a) communication actions to public institutions regarding the advantages of systems as a tool for environmental management; b) scientific publications, manuals, folders, magazine and newspaper articles, films, videos, CDs and radio and television programs generated directly or indirectly by the project.
The third is knowledge management (closely linked to communication and to the monitoring system). This will include:
Policy papers developed based on project results, for example regarding SLM practices and licensing and oversight procedures. These will be used to influence the executive and legislative branches and commissions that include civil society participation;
Outreach initiatives including classes and contents in existing training programs in university degree programs, university extension, federal technical institutes (for example in Piranhas, Alagoas, adjacent to Canindé), rural extension services and seminars, workshops and congresses. These inputs will contribute to the work of institutions such as the Xingó Center, the National Semiarid Institute (INSA), the Federal Institute of Alagoas (IFAL) and the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology (IFPB) in Campina Grande, Paraíba;
Dissemination of training materials such as manuals, folders, data-show presentations and inputs for pages for websites of government and international agencies and non-governmental organizations such as ASA (www.asabrasil.org.br), MST (www.mst.org.br), IABS (www.iabs.org.br) and ISPN (www.ispn.org.br, www.cerratinga.org.br).
Strengthening of the inter-ministerial (MMA and MCTI) Desertification Network. The Network’s mission is to seek solutions to contribute to sustainable development in ASD, through the generation, dissemination and appropriation of knowledge and technologies in environmental planning and management, as well as contributing to the formulation of public policies for prevention and mitigation of desertification processes and the negative effects of climate impacts, aimed at conserving natural resources and improving quality of life. Also the project will strengthen the efforts of the National Institute for the Semiarid (INSA), which is Brazil's scientific focal point for the UNCCD, in its efforts regarding knowledge management on SLM in the semiarid region.
