Improving the livelihoods of agro-pastoral

systems in WANA region: Achievements

and lessons learned

Ali NEFZAOUI
CRP-DS Flagship Coordinator NA&WA
a.nefzaoui@cgiar.org

Pastoral & agropastoral

systems in the WANA

Deep changes in the pastoral &

agropastoral production systems
Rangeland: reduction in area and
productivity
Mechanized transport
Increasing reliance on supplemental feed
Failure of most of development initiatives
aiming to achieve better management of
grazing lands and avoid degradation
(collective land tenure status, open
access)

Pastoral & agropastoral

systems: Challenges

Failure of top-down approaches;

Slow adoption of participatory approaches
(more than 3 decades);
Technical options: easy to develop and
implement, and are not sufficient;
Policy and institutional issues are the
bottle neck and are crucial for Natural
resources management;
Land tenure dimension: crucial (natural
resources are not confined to
administrative division)

Deep changes of the pastoral &

agropastoral systems

Dismantlement of traditional
institutions;
Privatization of communal
rangelands;
Regression of animal mobility;
Reliance on supplemental feed;
Mechanization;
Inequity between poor and rich

Hardins tragedy of the commons

Commons are doomed to fail because

of combined effects of:
Demographic pressure
Human desire to maximize individual
benefits
Competition and overuse of resources
(open access)

Hardin State property rights or

private property rights to eliminate
free riders & establish incentives for
users not to over-exploit resources

The issue of land tenure and right of use

Most WANA governments view pastoral
resources as state property, while the
pastoral communities consider them as their
territory.
Poorly defined tenure rights often lead to
conflicts and equity issues.
Those who advocate devolution policies
suggest that the success of range
management depends on the extent to which
pastoral communities are granted full
control over access and use of the
resources and on the assurance of

The issue of land tenure & right of use

State ownership and state driven

cooperatives: These cooperatives, prevailing in
most WANA countries, co-opted the roles
traditionally played by pastoral communities and
institutions. They proved to be unpopular due to
the separation between traditional rules and
production systems, and rules governing the
functioning of cooperatives and their resources.
Herder-driven community cooperatives: The
main benefit, compared to state-driven
cooperatives, is that they offer better security of
tenure to their members, in addition to new
services such as health and feed provision.
However, more exclusive decision-making
authority on access and use of cooperative

The issue of land tenure & right of use (ctd.)

Community-based cooperatives: These have

been created to enhance the managerial role of
local institutions and maintain customary access
and use rules. They provide security of tenure
over pastureland and mere local control over
resource access and use.
Co-management of community rangelands:
This strategy, mainly used in Tunisia, involves
placing non-privatized tribal pastureland under
the control of the Forest Services to improve the
range and manage its utilization.

A Study case: ICARDA-IFAD partnership

Program of agropastoral development
and promotion of local initiatives at South
East Tunisia PRODESUD

Agropastoral area of
4.7 million ha
(90 % of communal rangelands)

Project Area/ The Gate to

desert
Climate:

100 mm

Plaine
Pimont
Djebel
Dahar
Dunes Mobiles
Grand Erg Oriental

Rainfall : 80-175
mm/year
Frequent droughts
Two aridity gradients:
North South
East West
10,000 households (6.6)
5000 Sheepherders
Sheep & goats: 554000
Camels: 29000
Rangeland-based
livestock is the main
vehicle of the region
economy

An excellent
traditional knowhow: Water
harvesting (jessours)

Rich cultural heritage (Ksours: 110)

IFAD-ICARDA terms of
partnership
1. Design the PRODESUD Project
2. Develop methodologies and tools
for participatory management of
natural resources
3. Training & backstopping of the
PRODESUD team

Designing the Project

Negotiation with high-ranking decision

makers
Developing the tribes map (socio-territorial
units STUs)
Production systems typology of the region
Selection of 4 representative tribes (STU)
to test methodologies and tools
Initiate community based organizations
(CBOs)

Administrative
division
- 7 Districts
- 64 Imadas

Society &
territories
- 37 management
councils
- 25 GDA

Property rights
map
- Private land: 327000
ha
- Collective land: 3,562
million ha

The tribal map of Tataouine

Governorate, Southeastern Tunisia

Methodologies and tools for

participatory management of
natural resources

Develop methodologies and tools for participatory

management of natural resources
Empower communities through the creation of communitybased organizations (CBOs)
Getting policymakers at the local and national level to
realize that technical, policy, and institutional options
(TIPOs) must be strongly linked and integrated for a
successful and sustainable local development
Enhance on-going research and development initiatives
using community participatory tools through a sound
training program targeting all stakeholders.

Participatory Community Development

Plan: Methodology/ Steps and tools

Step 1. Participatory characterization of the Community

(territory and users): knowledge/learning phase
Step 2. Participatory diagnosis & planning
Step 3. Participatory programming
Step 4. Characterization & promotion of community-based
organizations
Step 5. Implementation and Monitoring and Evaluation

Process based on group animation and multidisciplinary team work

Tools &
methodolog
ies to
implement
PA and CDP
in
agropastora
l
communitie
s

Innovation: Local
The population
through the participatory
development

process determines the activities to be

implemented, the amount, the location, the
beneficiaries, and the implementing entity.
The population contributes effectively in
monitoring and endorsement of the work
implemented.
The power given to the community is a part
of a MOU signed between the community
and the Project management unit.
Small businesses are currently emerging
from the community (soil and water
conservation, planting, nurseries, etc.),
The President of the CBO is acting equal to
equal with the project director, and
approves and co-sign with him any
deal/bargain related to their community. 22

Highlights of main achievements

1.Institutionalization of the Community
Approach (CA) and Implementation of
Community Development Plans (CDPs)
(outcome A successful framework for
community-based participatory research in
WANA/ score 8.6)
25 Agropastoral communities in IFADfunded project in Tunisia;
Agropastoral communities in IFAD-funded
project in Morocco
Agropastoral communities in Algeria,
Syria, and Jordan
Legal framework of CBOs
The methodology is know recognized and
used in many countries (Tunisia, Algeria,

Development Projects benefit from

M&M!
M&M community approach and CDPs has been
recognized and used by development agencies and
donors
Barani Project, Pakistan
Kordofan project, Sudan
Siliana & Zaghouan Projects, Tunisia
PRODESUD, Tunisia
PDPO, Morocco
PDRTT, Morocco
Oued Safsaf, Algeria
ARMPII (Jordan),
KARIANET/IDRC
And many others

Highlights of main achievements

2. Options for communal management
of rangeland resources: How CBOs play
a central role in the management of
collective rangelands?

What legal status and mandate of CBOs:

Pastoral cooperatives in Morocco
GDA in Tunisia
Communes in Algeria
Study-case: Improvement and management of
desert rangelands in Southeastern Tunisia (26
GDAs, 90 % of Tunisian collective rangelands)

Participatory management of communal

rangelands
Open grazing

Two years resting

Good resilience

Participatory management of communal

rangelands
Impact of two years rangeland resting (P) on
biomass, rain use efficiency (RUE) and range
value as compared to those of the grazed site
(G) of the Chenini (Tunisia) communal
rangeland
(O. Belgacem et al., 2007).
2006
Biomass

RUE

2008
Range
value

Biomass

RUE

Range
value

Rest (P)

800

23,5

45

2135

106,7

120

Open (G)

450

13,2

38

236

11,8

32

Biomass: DM.Kg.ha-1; RUE: Kg.mm-1; Range value: FU.ha-1.year-1

Evolution of diversity (Shanon index H' and

Equitability E) during 2006 2008 in relation to
management mode

Impact of rangeland resting on biodiversity

Species
richness
Total
species
Perennial
species
Annual
species
Perennial
grasses

2006
Protecte
d area
Grazed
(P)
area (G)

2008
Protecte Grazed
d area
area (G)
(P)

46

23

52

22

32

40

14

14

12

13

Adoption of collective rangeland

resting technique

Increase of collective
rangeland area under rest
(PRODESUD Tataouine)

Increase of collective
rangeland sites put under rest
(PRODESUD Tataouine)

Impact of rangeland resting

technique on pastors income
TD/UZO

Key learning

The success of this methodology depends on

effective communication where all
stakeholders are involved in negotiating and
discussing community development plan on
an equal basis and where indigenous and
research-based knowledge and other sources
of knowledge are explored, examined and
used;
Annual and long-term development plan
approved by communities is an efficient tool
to mobilize resources and ease project
implementation
Do not underestimate the ability of
communities to identify appropriate technical
solutions, to solve internal conflicts
particularly relating to property rights

Key learning

The success and the sustainability of the

process depends on the promotion of elected
community-based organizations (CBOs) that
play a key interface role between
communities and other actors (government
agencies and decision makers, non
government agencies, donors, and other
communities).
Better institutional encroachment of local
institutions (representative in local and
regional organizations)
Favor decentralization and devolution
Empower individuals and communities

Key learning

GDA: combination of tradition and

modernity but inadequate legal
framework
Some empowerment indicators:
Self confidence,
initiative
Ability to rally people and to exert
leadership.
Collective feelings as us and confidence
in ourselves ability
Ability to raise opportunities and funding
(ex: 6 GEF grants)
Part of the local and regional

Urgent challenges

Policy issues: What strategy for

grazing lands?
Institutional issue: 3 umbrellas
Need to bring all this under an unified
entity (e.g. Agency to cooperate with
many department)
OEP : private
DGF: communal
DGACTA: both

GDA legal framework: current

legislation
is inappropriate
PASTORAL
CODE

Urgent challenges

Multifunctionality of rangelands:
Environmental services, eco-tourism,
medicinal and herbal plants, etc
Rangeland projects should be integrated with
projects in other sectors
To achieve greater efficiency: Human capacity
development should be an integral
component of any project related to
rangelands
Governance and support to CBOs and herder
associations

Urgent challenges

Study conflicts and develop mechanisms for

conflict resolution are crucial for successful
implementation
Climate change and climate variability
(drought): protection of rangelands during
drought years is a crucial aspect
The development of rangelands is crucial for
decreasing the vulnerability of the poorest
section of Tunisias population and alleviating
poverty.

ICARDA is ready to
collaborate
Framework:
The New CGIAR Research
Program (CRP) on Dryland
Systems

Selection of benchmark areas & action sites

1.
2.

Reducing vulnerability (SRT2 type)

Sustainable intensification (SRT3 type)

Circles/ovals
indicate roughly the
5 Target Regions.

CRP-DS Goal & Partners

Goal: to identify and develop resilient, diversified and

more productive combinations of crop, livestock,
rangeland, aquatic and agroforestry systems that
increase productivity, reduce hunger and
malnutrition, and improve quality of life for the rural
poor.
ICARDA (Lead Center) and 8 CG Centers
ICRISAT
Bioversity

International

CIAT
CIP
ICRAF
ILRI
IWMI
Sub-Saharan

Africa Challenge Program (SSA CP)

Reducing the number of sites: 3 sites 3 ALSs

Intensiv
e rainfed
Agropast
oral

Meknes
-Saiss,
Morocc
o

B.KS.B,
Tunisia

Intensiv
e
irrigated

Nile
Delta
Egypt

T-S
JordanSyria

42

KRB
Egypt

Bni Khdache-Sidi Bouzid Site, Tunisia (Agropastoral)

17,920 km2 (5
Governorates);
Total
population:
1.525 million,
AI: 0.07-0.35
IPCC 4th
Assessment
Report on
Climate Change:
hotspot of CC,
expected decline
of 20-40% in the
annual
precipitation end
21st century
43

Research Questions

Are the local institutional set ups such as GDA

the best vehicles for rational and sustainable
management of communal rangeland
resources?
Can a pastoral code be an effective way of
managing common rangelands and what
policies and institutional set ups are needed
to implement it?
What are the impacts of Government
interventions for protecting natural resources
(governance and gender equity)?
How to improve and sustain livelihoods of
farmers who face market fluctuations, CC and
44
sustainable management of natural

Communal rangeland management by the

communities,
Promotion of a national pastoral code,
Impact assessment of soil and water
harvesting work,
Use of Bioeconomic and multi-agent
modeling that will be used to develop
future scenarios and trade-offs that help
decision making and assess impacts.
45

SLOs
IDO2
Wealth &
Wellbeing

IDO1
Resilience
grazing lands productivity is improved by 20
% in communal rangelands under rest and
managed by communities; productivity of
controlled flocks improved by 10 % in at least
two communities; 5 % of HHs will have more
secured food access

10 % of poor households increased their

income
income by
by 5%
5% at
at field
field sites
sites

IDO3
Food
access

women
women and
and youth
youth improved
improved their
their
access to resources, and consequently
improved
improved their
their dietary
dietary scores
scores at
at field
field
sites

IDO4
NRM

Activities
Activities

Private
Private and
and community-based
community-based management
management of
of
land, water, rangelands, and biodiversity
degradation
degradation decreased
decreased by
by 10
10 %;
%; livestock
livestock and
and
crops productivities improved by 15 % at
participating farms in field site

Managing water
scarcity
scarcity and
and
combating land
degradation
degradation
Assess
Assess the
the
impacts
impacts of
of NRM
NRM
national program

Managing
rangelands
rangelands and
and
biodiversity
conservation
conservation
Promoting
Promoting a
a
national
national
pastoral code

Partners
along impact
pathway
Development
agencies
Policy
makers
Line
departments

IDO5
Gender
empowerment
involvement
and
involvement of
of women
women and
youth in the decision process
improved through the creation
of
of at
at least
least 3
3 women/youth
women/youth
associations in the field site

IDO6
Capacity to
innovate

Producer &
marketing
associations
NGOs/CSOs
Extension
systems

two innovation platforms established and operational and at least

two communities participatory development plans developed with
all
all stakeholders;
stakeholders; water
water and
and land
land policies
policies analyzed
analyzed and
and documented;
documented;
value-chains
value-chains for
for sheep,
sheep, olive,
olive, figs
figs and
and cactus
cactus developed
developed with
with the
the
participation of all actors and stakeholders

Agribusiness
Farmers
pastoralists
NARS

Communitybased
based flock
flock &
&
crop
crop
management

Innovation
Innovation
platforms
Value
Value chains
chains of
of
cash
cash crops
crops and
and
sheep

Develop
Develop and
and use
use
bio-economic/
bio-economic/
multi-agent
models

Advanced
Empower
Empower women
women
and youth
research
through
through the
the
creation
creation of
of centers
specific CBOs