PRIORITY ISSUES

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PRIORITY ISSUESCAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ACTION
PLANto addressLAND DEGRADATION IN BANGLADESH

• National Capacity Self Assessment
• Mid-Term National Workshop
• Mamunul Khan
• ltmamunul.khan_at_undp.orggt

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Presentation Focus

• PART A Overview of UNCCD and country obligations
• PART B Major land degradation issues
• PART C Relevant initiatives and institutions
• PART D Capacity needs to address the issues
  related to land degradation
• PART E Capacity development action plan

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PART A

• Overview of UNCCD and country obligations

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UNCCD

• Drought in Sahel in 1968-74 200,000 died
• UN Conference on Desertification - 1977
  desertification addressed as a worldwide problem
• 1992 Rio Earth Summit Chapter 12 Agenda 21
• UNCCD was adopted in 1994, entered into force in
  1996
• Only legally binding universal instrument to
  address desertification

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Use of terms

• For the purposes of this Convention
• (a) "desertification" means land degradation
  resulting from various factors, including
  climatic variations and human activities
• (b) "combating desertification" includes
  activities which are part of the integrated
  development of land for sustainable development
• (c) "drought" means the naturally occurring
  phenomenon that exists when precipitation has
  been significantly below normal recorded levels,
  causing serious hydrological imbalances that
  adversely affect land resource production
  systems
• (d) "mitigating the effects of drought" means
  activities related to the prediction of drought
  and intended to reduce the vulnerability of
  society and natural systems to drought as it
  relates to combating desertification
• (e) "land" means the terrestrial bio-productive
  system that comprises soil, vegetation, other
  biota, and the ecological and hydrological
  processes that operate within the system
• (f) "land degradation" means reduction or loss of
  the biological or economic productivity of lands
  resulting from land uses or from a process or
  combination of processes, including processes
  arising from human activities and habitation
  patterns

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UNCCD Objective

• The objective of this Convention is to combat
  land degradation through effective action at all
  levels, supported by international cooperation
  and partnership arrangements, in the framework of
  an integrated approach which is consistent with
  Agenda 21, with a view to contributing to the
  achievement of sustainable development in
  affected areas.
• Achieving this objective will involve long-term
  integrated strategies that focus simultaneously,
  in affected areas, on improved productivity of
  land, and the rehabilitation, conservation and
  sustainable management of land and water
  resources, leading to improved living conditions,
  in particular at the community level.

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General obligations of the country parties

• 1. The Parties shall implement their obligations
  under this Convention, individually or jointly,
  emphasizing the need to coordinate efforts and
  develop a coherent long-term strategy at all
  levels.
• 2. In pursuing the objective of this Convention,
  the Parties shall
• (a) adopt an integrated approach addressing the
  physical, biological and socio-economic aspects
  of the processes of land degradation
• (b) give due attention, -----with a view to
  establishing an enabling international economic
  environment conducive to the promotion of
  sustainable development
• (c) integrate strategies for poverty eradication
  into efforts to combat land degradation
• (d) promote cooperation among affected country
  Parties in the fields of environmental protection
  and the conservation of land and water resources,
  
• (e) strengthen sub regional, regional and
  international cooperation
• (f) cooperate within relevant intergovernmental
  organizations
• (g) determine institutional mechanisms

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Specific Obligations Commitments

• All affected country parties shall prepare a
  National Action Programme, and sub-regional and
  regional action programmes
• Also, affected country Parties undertake to
• (a) give due priority to combating land
  degradation, and allocate adequate resources in
  accordance with their circumstances and
  capabilities
• (b) establish strategies and priorities, within
  the framework of sustainable development plans
  and/or policies
• (c) address the underlying causes of land
  degradation and pay special attention to the
  socio- economic factors
• (d) promote awareness and facilitate the
  participation of local populations, particularly
  women and youth, with the support of
  non-governmental organizations and
• (e) provide an enabling environment by
  strengthening, as appropriate, relevant existing
  legislation and, where they do not exist,
  enacting new laws and establishing long-term
  policies and action programmes.

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Ultimately--

• The UNCCD contributes to global human security
  it is a strategic tool and action framework for
  combating hunger and achieving sustainable human
  development and sustainable land use, as well as
  for helping to realize the MDGs and the
  objectives of the WSSD Plan of Implementation.

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PART B

• Major land degradation issues in Bangladesh

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Major Categories of LD Issues in Bangladesh

• Ecological issues
• Physico-chemical issues
• Socio-economic issues
• Policy, institutional legal issues
• Trans-boundary issues
• Disaster and climate change

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Bangladesh Physical Setting

• 7.5 of GBM basin inside Bangladesh
• 90 discharge of GBM thru Bangladesh
• Lowest forestland per person (0.02 ha/person)
• Highest rate of incoming discharge and sediment
• Rich in biodiversity

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Actual canopy coverage is less than 6 of the
country Protected area coverage is 1
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Physiography of Bangladesh
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Basic Land Information

• Area About 148,000 sq. km.
• 17.8 percent land under FDs administrative
  jurisdiction with actual canopy coverage 6
  percent
• 1 percent under declared protected area
• 6.5 percent perennial water bodies
• 86 percent flood plains
• General low topography
• 50 percent of land area below 12.5 metres
• The Northwest, Southwest and North central zones
  covering over 6 million hectares are considered
  as dry areas.

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Land Degradation in Bangladesh

• Declining per capita land (.07 hectares as per
  2001 estimate)
• Agricultural land declining at 1 per year
• Declining forest cover (Present forest cover
  approx. 5.8)
• Loss of sensitive ecosystem and biodiversity
• Rapid conversion of wetland and forest for
  agriculture
• Encroachment of agricultural and forest land for
  urban, industrial and infrastructure development
• Declining land productivity
• Land and water pollution due to agricultural
  intensification
• Seasonal and recurrent droughts

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Degradation Spatial Extent

• 43 percent of land area affected
• 33 percent of total agricultural land degraded
• (During 1983-84 and 1997 period, a 11 percent
  decline in total cultivable area, and
  specifically 14 decline in cultivated area was
  observed)
• Moderate to severe droughts spread over an area
  of 5.46 million hectares.
• (The droughts of 1994-95 in the Northwest region
  of Bangladesh led to 3.5 million tons shortfall
  in rice production)

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Degradation(physico-chemical and ecological)

• Declining soil fertility
• Deforestation
• Unplanned brick Fields
• Unplanned urbanization and growth
• Salinity intrusion
• Reduction in fresh water during dry season
• Arsenic contamination
• Lowering of ground water level
• Climate change

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Forested Area
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Drought in Kharif Season
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Drought in Robi Season
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Landuse
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Agro-Ecological Zone
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Sea-level Rise
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LD in disaster Prone Areas
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Major LD Issues in Bangladesh
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Major LD issues
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Major LD issues
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PART C

• Relevant initiatives and institutions

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Project/Programmatic Initiatives

• Land resources appraisal by UNDP/FAO
• Sustainable Environment Management Program
• Forest Resources Management Project
• Barind Integrated Area Development Project
• Forestry Sector Project
• Coastal Green Belt Project
• FDs Protected Area Management Program
• Nishorgo Support Project
• Management of Aquatic Resources Through Community
  Husbandry
• Coastal Wetland and Biodiversity Management
  Project
• Drought Assessment Framework Development
  Initiative
• Coastal Land use Zoning Project
• Sustainable Land Management Project
• Bangladesh Environment Management Project
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project
• Water Management Improvement Project
• Small Scale Water Resources Development Project
• Afforestation program on denuded hills
• River Erosion Project

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Institutions, Policies and Legal Instruments

• An in depth analysis should be carried out on
  institutions, policies and legal instruments to
  identify institutional and systemic capacity
  needs in a more specific manner
• -- this should get special attention in the group
  meetings

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Major Institutions

• Ministries MoL, MoEF, MoA, MoW, MoFL, MoLGRD,
  MoI, MoE MoLaw, ERD, PC, MoFDM, MoC
• Department/Agencies DoF, DoFish, DLRS, DAE,
  BMDA, RH, LGED, Railway, WARPO, BWDB, BIWTA,
  SPARRSO, Meteorological Dept, GSB, BARC, SRDI,
  BARI, Tea Estates, Armed Forces etc.
• NGOs/CSOs
• Research/Academic institutions
• Private Sectors FBCCI, DCCI, AmCham, BGMEA,
  BKMEA, Multinational Companies
• Media and networking print and electronic media,
  national and international networking
• Regional forums and institutions SAARC, BIMSTEC,
  ICIMOD etc
• The PPP potential, and harmonization need among
  the institutions should be a priority topic in
  the group discussion

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Major Policies, Plans, Strategies and Legal
Instruments

• Policies on landuse, agriculture, fisheries,
  environment, forest, water, rural development,
  livestock, energy, minerals etc.
• Plans/programs/strategies on land degradation,
  biodiversity, climate change, coastal zone,
  UNCLOS follow up, water mgmt plan etc.
• Legal instruments such as ECR, Wildlife Act,
  Forest Act, etc.
• This list should be discussed and completed
  during group meeting specifically focusing on
  harmonization and enhanced compliance
  requirement- this would ultimately contribute to
  systemic level capacity development action
  planning

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PART D

• Capacity needs to address the issues related to
  land degradation

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Capacity Needs-- Individual Level

• Adequate resources for HRD/HRM
• Focus group/ focal points at the relevant
  agencies
• Inventory of relevant HR
• Pre COPs preparation and post COPs briefing
• Expertise service from in country and abroad and
• Dissemination of technology

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Capacity Needs-- Institutional Level

• Establish a dedicated institution for capacity
  building on sustainable land management
• Establish GIS/MIS in the relevant institutions
• Conduct proper institutional analysis
• SLM should be part of academic curricula
• To be integrated in the training curricula of
  PATC, Planning Academy (APD), NAEM
• SLM to be considered in feasibility level and
  also approval level by Planning Commission, IMED
  and ERD
• Integrated area development planning capability
  and
• Establishment of efficient me system
• Capacity development action program and its
  implementation
• SLM demonstration initiatives

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Capacity Needs-- Systemic Level

• Documentation of best practices, creation of data
  bank and creation of knowledge networks
• Good governance
• Regional initiatives regional cooperation on
  trans-boundary issues such as water
• Introduction of watershed/basin management
  approach
• Revision of Land Use Policy
• Coordination among the national bodies
• Demonstration projects/programmes on SLM

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PART E

• Capacity development action plan

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Elements of Capacity Development Action Plan -- I

• Regulatory measures to be taken to protect land
  degradation
• National Action Program has to be implemented
• A comprehensive pollution abatement strategy has
  to drafted and implemented
• Regulation to be introduced on establishment of
  brick fields
• There must be a thorough guideline for land use
  both in urban and rural areas
• Introduce Strategic Environmental Assessment to
  harmonize policies and institutional mandates
• Development of a comprehensive database
• Reduce vulnerability of crop production
• RD for emerging challenges including climate
  change

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Elements of Capacity Development Action Plan -- II

• Education and public awareness on the issues of
  land degradation
• Transfer, acquisition, and development of
  environmentally sound and appropriate technology
  for sustainable land management
• Promotion of alternative livelihoods, including
  training in new skills for conservation of
  ecosystem and sustainable land management
• Training of decision-makers, managers and
  personnel responsible for collection and analysis
  of data for disseminating and using early warning
  information on drought conditions, water
  resources and for food production
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Effective early warning and advance planning for
  periods of adverse climatic variation
• Research and development
• Technical and scientific co-operation in the
  fields of land degradation through appropriate
  national, sub-regional and international
  institutions

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Whats Next?

• Group meeting on land degradation should focus on
  the following to recommend future course of
  action to further the capacity development action
  plan
• Is there any capacity needs to be added?
• What should be done for harmonizing relevant
  policies?
• What should be the actions for facilitating
  enhanced compliance of policies, plans, and legal
  instruments?
• How the institutional mandates should be
  harmonized?
• What approaches should be adopted to develop
  capacities?
• What are the major institutional reform needs?
  (What approach should be taken to identify the
  appropriate actions for institutional reforms?)
• What are the needs to mainstream SLM?
• How resources should be leveraged for SLM?
• How an effective PPP can be nurtured?
• What should be the project/programmatic
  initiatives to mainstream SLM?