FAO and Erra jointly hold multi-stakeholder workshops

To address the environmental impact of the earthquake such as curtailing land-sliding to restore productivity of the eroded hills, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Erra jointly organised three multi-stakeholder orientation workshops on 'Collaborative Watershed Management(CWM).
The objective of these moots was to familiarise Erra and their implementing partners with integrated approaches to watershed management. The workshops were held in Muzaffarabad, Abbottabad and Islamabad. Thomas Hofer, Forestry Officer (Sustainable Mountain Development), FAO Headquarters, briefed the participants on 'the new generation of watershed management programmes and integrated and collaborative approaches'.
He stated that watershed management is very appropriate approach for the rehabilitation of the natural resources base in the earthquake-affected areas, for which the involvement of line agencies is essential. This component aims to strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders to jointly restore and enhance eroded arable land, depleting water sources and degraded forests and rangelands, he said.
Hofer said it intends to identify and test effective, affordable and potentially replicable solutions to local watershed problems based on both local environmental knowledge and expert knowledge of natural and socio-economic functions of sub-watersheds.
"FAO has been involved in global watershed management review of 27 watershed management projects in 19 countries of Asia, Latin America, Africa and Near East. This has involved stick-taking review of FAO projects, regional workshops, global conference included 220 participants proceeding and case studies with final analysis and synthesis," he said.
Syed Mujtaba Hussain Advisor on Watershed Management of Erra chaired the workshop and highlighted the salient features of the project. He presented the operation plan of the Watershed Management Component 2007-2010.
The operational plan that started in August/September 2007 is expected to end in December 2009, divided into three phases. He explained that the first phase involves collecting baseline information such as conducting awareness workshops, selection and delineation of watersheds, establishment of project management mechanisms, collaborative watershed implementation mechanism, mapping preparations of inventories, stakeholders training and type of technical assistance required.
The second phase will focus on development of watershed management plans, strengthening of interest groups, sub-project planning through CWM approaches together with a continuation in stakeholders training and incorporation of technical assistance.
The third phase will deal with the sub-project implementation comprising stabilisation of pilot landslide and in priority areas, inter-project collaboration and identification of funding for other integrated watershed engagement interventions, action research along with continued stakeholders training and technical assistance.
Dr Salahuddin and Dr Faizul Bari, Technical Co-ordinators, FAO presented the objectives and informed that 8 pilot watershed areas in Azad Kashmir districts of Muzaffarabad 6 and Bagh 2 and 9 in NWFP in the districts of Mansehra 3, Battagram 3, Shangla 2, and Kohistan 1 have been selected, respectively.
Collaborative Watershed Management(CWM) is a component of the Cida funded "Project to assist Erra and its partners in restoring livelihoods in earthquake affected areas. The project envisages two Watershed Management Components Implementation Units (WMCIUs) to be established within the Department of Forest in Muzzafarabad the Divisional Forest Office in Mansehra.
The WMCIUs would be responsible for the co-ordination and the project activities including sub-community organisations and FAO and WMCIUs will also be assisted by a group of international and national consultants provided by FAO in the areas of social forestry, bio-engineering, community development, procurement, financial management and monitoring and evaluation.