Quo Vadis?

Mainstreaming the Conservation

of the GIAHS Ifugao Rice TerracesDr. Consuelo Dl. Habito

Faculty of Management and Development Studies,

conie.habito@upou.edu.ph

Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, University of the Philippines

Open University

Quo Vadis?

Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?"

Quo Vadis?

Ifugao Rice TerracesAgricultural biodiversity: Traditional rice varieties of high quality for rice wine production (4 endemic); Associated mudfish, snails, shrimps, and frogs in paddies, some of which are endemic;Managed forest re-growth (muyong) after shifting cultivation, with enhanced biodiversity (264 species, most indigenous, 47 endemic), including 171 tree species (112 species are used), 10 varieties of climbing rattan, 45 medicinal plant species, 20 plant species which are used as ethno- pesticides

Associated biodiversity:41 bird species, 6 indigenous mammal species and 2 endemic reptiles

Ecosystem functions:The muyong have important functions for water regulation in the hydrological cycle (catching 320 cubic meters of water while primary forest catches 74.5 cubic meters), and provide habitat for pollinators and pest predators.The terraces provide reservoirs for excess water reduce land degradation and erosion and catch nutrients and filter water for human consumption.

Conservation and Adaptive Management of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Project-GCP /GLO/212/GFF

FAO funded Project

• Algeria, China, Chile, Philippines, Peru, Tunisia

• Philippines: Ifugao Rice Terraces

• terminated in 2014

• evaluation in June-July 2014

Recommendations(based on terminal report and evaluation)

• need to push for NIAHS/GIAHS national policy

• strengthening of inter-agency, multi-stakeholder coordination

• role of local government units

• need to build and disseminate practical knowledge on agro-biodiversity conservation

• promotion of participatory approaches

• harnessing economic benefits from agro-biodiversity conservation

Mainstreaming NRM and Conservation

• “internalize the goals for safeguarding resources into economic sections and development models, policies and

programs…into all human behavior.” (Cowling, 2005, Capetown 2004))

Framework

(i) prerequisites, elements without which mainstreaming cannot happen;

(ii) stimuli (or windows of opportunity), elements external and internal to the sector that catalyze awareness of the need for mainstreaming;

(iii) mechanisms, the actual activities that seek to effect mainstreaming; and

(iv) outcomes, the measurable indicators of mainstreaming effectiveness (Cowling et al, 2002)

Theory of Change

• conservation of IRT is a complex and non-liner issue

• several levels of outcomes are expected (short, medium, long-term)

• help project implementors in the Monitoring & Evaluation of the project

• can be used in conjunction with outcome mapping (IDRC, Canada)

Project Phase

• Assessment - multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral team

• social

• biophysical

• valuation (prices are different from values)

• opportunities and constraints for implementation

Project Phase• Planning

• strategy development

• strategic objectives and specific actions for conservation

• all stakeholders

• actions and behaviors

• instruments

• financial incentives (e.g., direct and indirect payments for service delivery)

• governance-based instruments (e.g., enforcement of

existing legislation, capacity-building, and the establishment of cooperative governance structures)

• value- based instruments (education and recognition)

Project Phase

• Management

• coordination of actions• user-useful and user- friendly maps of ecosystem services

and guidelines for managing them, which can be mainstreamed directly or via social market- ing into local integrative planning processes (Pierce et al, 2005)

• research

• “learning by doing”

• monitoring and evaluation

Learning Organizations

• co-learning, co-governance & accountability

• three elements:

• socially relevant,

• user-inspired research,

• stakeholder empowerment

Adaptive Management

Title of Project: Youth Capacity Building and Exchange

Program toward Sustainable Development and Conservation of Ifugao Rice Terraces

Objectives: This program aims to:

• Develop comprehensive training modules for onsite coordinators and training guides for Ifugao youths;

• Capacitate onsite/local Ifugao trainors/coordinators to train the youths of Ifugaos towards sustainable development;

• Link urban-based schools with Ifugao Rice Terraces communities to encourage rural-urban linkages and partnerships between countryside and urban communities;

• Train the youths of Ifugao on sustainable development and conservation of Ifugao Rice Terraces;

• Provide skills development through hands-on experience, exchange program and internship involving rural and urban based youths, i.e. Ifugao and Los Banos youths

Mainstreaming Conservation of GIAHS Ifugao Rice Terraces

Module Writing1. Conserving Ifugao Rice Terraces as Satoyama landscape and GIAHS site2. Ecosystem Services of the Ifugao Rice Terraces Landscape3. Ifugao Rice Terraces and Sustainable Development (focus on sustainable tourism, sustainable agriculture, livelihood, etc)4. Nature, Culture & Heritage of Ifugao Rice Terraces5. Ifugao Rice Terraces as a Satoyama Landscape in the 21st Century

References:Cowling RM (2005) in Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Production Landscapes, eds Petersen C, Huntley BJ (Global Environment Facility, Washington DC), pp 18 –25.

Cowling RM, Pierce SM, Sandwith T (2002) in Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Devel- opment Case Studies from South Africa, eds Pierce SM, Cowling RM, Sandwith T, MacKinnon K (World Bank, Washington, DC), pp 143–153.

Pierce SM, et al. (2005) Systematic conservation planning products for land-use planning: Interpretation for implementation. Biol Conserv 125:441– 458.

Thank you