As part of the Fellowship programme, Fellows were asked to profile their own indigenous food systems before they come for the training both in India and Rome. While conducting this exercise, one of the tools that they applied was to make a village map that enabled them to understand the different land use systems. In the process, the Fellows found it quite difficult to make an assessment of their own indigenous food systems on whether their systems are resilient enough or not in the face of climate change. Also, this issue came out strongly during the retreat that was held in Siloam Shillong from 27th to 29th May, 2019. Therefore, the workshop that was held on 24th June, 2019 was useful for the Fellows as they were able to learn the different indicators of Resilience in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes (SEPLs) which they can take back to their own respective communities and start having a dialogue with the them.
Members present:
Nadia Bergamini, Research Assistant, Bioversity International, Italy Andrea Selva, TIP Assistant, Italy Yani Nofri, TIP Fellow, Indonesia Chenxiang Marak, TIP Fellow, India Edgar Monte, TIP Fellow, Mexico Merrysha Nongrum, TIP Fellow, India Pius Ranee, Ex-TIP Fellow and TIP Consultant
Venue: Bioversity International, Rome, Italy
Timing: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM
Date: 24th June, 2019
Methodology of the workshop:
Session 1: Introduction to IPSI (International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative)
Nadia Bergamini during her presentation
While briefing the Fellows, Nadia Bergamini highlighted that the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) was officially launched during the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) in Nagoya, Japan, October 2010. This global platform aims to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of activities under the Satoyama Initiative. The Partnership consists of diverse organisations committed to promoting and supporting Satoyama like landscapes or socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being. Since its establishment, IPSI has provided a comprehensive platform for sharing knowledge and making synergies among its membership and with other organisations and networks. Presently, there are 184 members and Bioversity International has served on the Steering Committee since the beginning.
Before going into the details of the indicators, she reminded the Fellows that Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS) are dynamic mosaics of habitats and land uses, such as villages, farmlands, grasslands, forests, pastoral lands and coasts that have been formed and maintained through interaction between people and nature in a sustainable manner.
Initially, indicators of Resilience in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes (SEPLs) were first developed by UNU-IAS and Bioversity International in 2011 as an IPSI collaborative activity. Field tests were carried out by Bioversity International in China, Cuba, Bolivia, Kenya, Nepal, Fiji, Mongolia, Tanzania and Uganda. Based on the above experiences, a toolkit to provide practical guidance for making use of the SEPLS indicators was launched at the World Parks Congress in Australia, Nov 2014.
Session 2: Indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS)
During this session, Nadia Bergamini briefly discussed with the Fellows about the 20 indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS). These indicators aim to provide communities with a framework for discussion and analysis of socio-ecological situation in SEPLS, which is important for strengthening SEPLS resilience. Measurement of resilience in SEPLS is based on the observation, perceptions and experiences of the local communities themselves.
The indicators cover the following 5 components: See Table 1Table 1: List of indicators:
Landscape/seascape diversity and ecosystems protection
1. Landscape/seascape diversity
2. Ecosystem protection
3. Ecological interaction between different components of landscape/seascape
4. Recovery and regeneration of landscape/seascape
Biodiversity (including agricultural biodiversity)
5. Diversity of local food system
6. Maintenance and use of local crop varieties and animals breeds
7. Sustainable management of common resources
Knowledge and innovation
8. Innovation in agriculture and conservation practices
9. Traditional knowledge related to biodiversity
10. Documentation of biodiversity-associated knowledge
11. Women’s knowledge
Governance and social equity
12. Rights in relation to land/water and other natural resource management
13. Community based landscape/seascape governance
14. Social capital in the form of co-operation across the landscape/seascape
15. Social equity (including gender equity)
Livelihood and well being
16. Socio-economic infrastructure
17. Human health and environment conditions
18. Income diversity
19. Biodiversity based livelihoods
20. Socio-ecological mobility
Session 3: Preparation
Chenxiang Rimchi Marak from India gave a short presentation based on the exercise
Nadia Bergamini highlighted the following key issues before taking forward the exercise with the Fellows’ own respective communities:
It is important to make sure that everyone is involved in the planning of the resilience assessment
The target landscape or seascape should be determined based on the purpose of the assessment and the available resources.
To help selecting the landscape or seascape, it is useful to develop a number of parameters such as: natural assets, socio-economic activities and stakeholders, cultural heritage, threats and opportunities, and the presence of particular species and biodiversity values
Information like land uses, population, rainfall, livelihoods, biodiversity, etc., is useful for participants and stakeholders to have a common understanding of the area.
Key stakeholders in the area should be identified during the planning process in order to hold consultation during preparation of the workshop.
Consultation with local stakeholders about the assessment workshop is essential to learn more about the area and communities, and to tailor the assessment into local needs.
The target landscape or seascape for assessment should be defined based on a community perspective.
The boundaries of the landscape or seascape (watershed, jurisdictional boundaries, social definition or the landscape or seascape, etc.) may be determined.
The facilitators should lead the smooth proceeding of an assessment workshop and stimulate active and equal participation of the workshop participants.
Session 4: Assessment workshop
Merrysha Nongrum from India gave a short presentation based on the exercise
Yani Nofri from Indonesia gave a short presentation based on the exercise
Nadia Bergamini shared her experience while conducting this kind of workshop. She stressed upon the need to translate the indicators into local languages for better communication.
This phase becomes so crucial because participants need to think through before deciding on the score and trend. Also, the facilitator needs to keep in mind; a work plan should come out at the end of the session. While selecting participants, Nadia reminded the Fellows to involve different age groups and the maximum number of participants should be between 15-20.
Session 5: Follow-up sessions
Based on the work plan, another resilience assessment can be conducted to check if there is any progress.
The results could be used in different forms. For example:
At the local communities: Develop landscape strategies and/or landscape action plans that are based on local values, world views and local knowledge.
Policy makers: Identify intervention priorities and develop strategies at the local and national level that are culturally grounded.
Edgar Monte from Mexico gave a short presentation based on the exercise
To become more acquainted with the process, a small exercise was carried out on how to conduct a workshop with the communities for better management of their landscapes/seascapes. Also, a hard copy of the toolkit was distributed to all Fellows.
At the end of her presentation, Nadia Bergamini showed the website of Satoyama Initiative (https://satoyama-initiative.org) that could be useful to be part of this global initiative.
Ideas to take away:
Fellows will facilitate a workshop within their own respective areas and the key lessons could be shared with Satoyama Initiative.
Translate the toolkit into local languages.
TIP to facilitate the process of becoming a member to International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative.
TIP to facilitate in developing a case study that could be submitted to Satoyama Initiative.
Comments from Fellows: “Different indicators can help to measure in terms of loss of resilience and sustainability especially in areas where degradation of natural resources are quite common. This could be the starting point to make the communities realise.” -Chenxiang Marak “Landscape is not only about conserving diversity but also to promote livelihood.” -Merrysha Nongrum “Before starting any project, it is necessary to measure the resilience of any landscape/seascape in order to know the weakest areas and therefore focus on those.” -Edgar Osvaldo Monte Borges “These indicators can help to have a deeper understanding of our own ecology.” -Yani Nofri
New friend of the TIP Fellows:
Nadia Bergamini joined Bioversity International in 2009. Since then she has been giving scientific assistance in the implementation of projects on the conservation and use of neglected and underutilised species in India, Nepal, Bolivia, Yemen and Peru, and on the integration of ecological functions across wild and cultivated landscapes in protected areas in Cuba. She is also collaborating with the UN University of Advance Studies in Yokohama, Japan on the development and testing on Indicators of Resilience in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes as part of a collaborative activity under the Satoyama Initiative.
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