In The Nnae Of God

Sustainable Management of Land and Water Resources of Hableh Roud Project (Review of the first phase)

Forests, Range & Watershed Management Organization Deputy Of Watershed Management Title: Review of the first phase By: Forests, Range & Watershed Management Organization/ Deputy Of Watershed Management/ Sustainable Management of Land and Water Resources of Hableh Roud Project Author: Mohammad Salmani Moghadam, Mohammad Raza Mansouri, Hooshang Jazi Editor: Zohreh Jamshidi Translator: Masumeh Nasiri Designed by: Dariush Golesorkhi Printed by: Pooneh Publishing Address: Forests, Range & Watershed Management Organization, After Mini City, Artesh Boulvard. Tehran Zip Code: 1955756113 Tel: 22488572

Sustainable Management of Land and Water Resources of Hableh Roud Office Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 3

Abstract Since 1998, the project of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hablehroud has been started based on the agreement between the Government of the Islamic republic of Iran and the United Nations Development Program with the aim of achieving sustainable management of land and water resources of the country. Based on the agreements, Hablehroud watershed was selected as a pilot to do this project; the total area of this watershed is 1265977 ha and is located between two provinces of Tehran and Semnan. The project documentation was been on the agenda as one of the executive actions of the document, the methodology of this action is based on the document studies such as: reviewing documents, reports and the information sources on the project office, field study, interviews, questionnaires completed by directors, experts and dwelling villagers in the pilot areas. This report was developed in four sections as following: In the first section, the objectives, programs and the study areas of Hablehroud project were introduced and theoretical issues, the reasons for selecting the watershed, organizing works and how to select pilot villages were considered. In the second section, activities, performance and achievements were considered and the studies, management system, executive actions and financial performance of the project were evaluated. In the third section, the results of project implementation about controlling land and water resources degradation, improving vegetation cover, improving lives of watershed residents, increasing people participation and … were considered. In the forth section, conclusions and recommendation were presented. The project was based on increasing people participation, making intersectional coordination, and implementing the sample activities to increase the productivity of production systems, increase income, and make job opportunity, and conservation and sustainability of natural resources and environment. Investigations show the relative success of the project in attracting public participation, making community based organization, making job opportunities, increasing production, floods control, and pastures restoration, but, more attention is required for making intersectional coordination, designing monitoring and evaluation system, making local institution in the watershed, comprehensive training for staffs and expanding more NGOs, that this has been considered on the second phase document in order to develop and provide a model for sustainable management of land and water resources integrating the first phase achievements and second phase experiences. 1. Introduction Land degradation is a widespread problem in Iran that affected the most parts of the country. Loss of soil resources fertility caused by inappropriate changes on its biological, chemical, physical and hydrological characteristics which in turn increases soil erosion in sensitive areas, decrease of the quality and quantity of natural biomass (forest and pasture resources) and vegetation cover, decrease of the quality or quantity of surface water and groundwater and increase the risk of damages in downstream caused by floods, and inappropriate management of soil and water in fertile lands (irrigating lands or dry farming lands) are some of the conditions in the watersheds of the country that caused to undesirable consequences, 4 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

so that “annual deforestation is 130000 hectares, the number of animals in the pastures are 3 times of the capacity of the pasture and annual soil erosion is 2.5 billion cubic meter”1. Inappropriate management of soil and water in fertile lands (irrigated or dry farming lands) of the watershed across the country cause to adverse consequences, so that “130000 ha of forests are destroyed annually, the number of available animal in pastures are three times of their capacity, and 2.5 billion cubic meter of soil is eroded annually”.2 Already, rural areas are facing with some of problems to achieve to sustainable development, that lack of sustainability on using land and water resources is the main one. These are due to three main problems such as: poverty, less management and people participation in rural areas. Therefore, in order to sustainable use of rural resources and achieve to sustainable development, people participation should be attracted and the main goal of programs should be on the basis of poverty reduction through making job opportunities, increasing production and income, and in the following sustainable management that could support this process should be made in this areas. Unless people participation, land and water resources conservation will be costly and take a long time while protection of executed projects would be difficult, therefore, it is required to participate people in conserving natural resources and watershed management. In order to fulfill this important goal, one joint project was developed between Islamic Republic of Iran and United Nations Sustainable Development (UNDP) to achieve a method for people participation in sustainable management of land and water resources and make a pilot model in the basis of implemented works that would be converted into a national model by the ex-management and planning organization if it was being successful. Therefore, in order to fulfill the above goal, a document underlying one national action program for sustainable management of land and water resources was regulated and three sample executive project with reciprocal relationship with each other such as combating desertification, watershed management and irrigation systems improvement along with financial and technical aids of UNDP and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) were executed to show its execution feasibility. It was decided that three above mentioned projects would investigate social, technical and environmental issues of Hableh Roud watershed using an integrated procedure. The main purpose of this National Action Program (NAP) corresponding to convention of combating desertification of United Nations is to increase soil productivity and conservation and sustainable management of land and water resources in Islamic Republic of Iran which will improve life conditions especially for rural communities3. Documents of the activities of above mentioned project in the first phase (1998 to 2004) are presented in the following. 2. Documentation The first phase of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project was started with development of the four documents for projects such as umbrella, watershed management, combating desertification, and sustainable agriculture development project. One of the key measures that must be done in this phase was documentation of the project implementation that was less considered by authorities due to different reasons. However, documentation was referred in prepared documents of the first phase. Paragraph 9 of the document of umbrella or coordination project was assigned for presenting “a report for project”. Therefore, project report writing based

1. The main document of Hablehroud project- page 7, 1997 2. The main document of Hablehroud project- page 7, 1997 3. The main document of Hablehroud project, page 5, 1997 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 5

on the “frameworks of United Nations development programs” was asked in paragraph 1-9 and 2-9 of the document, and project implementers were asked to consider the documentation of whatever happened in the project. In the document of watershed management consists of four main goals, in the fourth goal was considered for “the process of collecting and analyzing data” that “collection and documentation of activities and collection and documentation of data” were emphasized in its first and second activities. In the document of combating desertification that consists of four goals as well as watershed management, the first activity of its second goal assign to “publication of project results” that emphasize on project documentation. But, documentation was not referred in document of sustainable agriculture development project in Garmsar. It is attempted to consider all resources, documents, information, reports, and studies in preparing the documentation report, and the information gaps will be completed through field studies and interview with directors, experts, and all individual involved in the project in national, provincial, and local offices. The last step, by visiting the pilot villages, villagers and executed projects will be visited and the final report will be completed through negotiation with local communities. In this regard, Mr. Ferdoosi, Mr. Kamyab and Mr. Farzin in UNDP, Mr. Heidarian, ex-director of watershed management project, Mr. Dehghan, ex-director of sustainable agriculture development project, Mr. Jalali, ex-director of coordination (umbrella) project, Mr. Tahmasbi and Mr. Pooyafar, national experts of combating desertification project, Ostadzade and Jazi, provincial experts of Tehran, Hatami, Rahaei, Rastin in Semnan province, Mirakhorli, Mohseni, and Khadem in Garmsar, Afshar Naderi, Khezri, Khan Mohammadi, and Bahu in Firoozkuh and Kooshki in Damavand were interviewed, and also, villagers of the pilot villages were visited and interviewed. 3. Geographical location, area and features of Hableh Roud +DEOHK5RXGZDWHUVKHGLVORFDWHGDWÝ·WRÝ·(DQGÝ·WRÝ·1LQ7HKUDQDQG Semnan province (Fig. 1). The total area of this watershed is 1265977 ha. The Sarab watershed with total area of 610742 ha is located at northern part of this watershed. The Caspian Sea sub basin, Semnan River sub basin, asphalted road of Garmsar and Jajroud river sub basin are located at the northern, eastern, western and southern part of this watershed respectively. In the basis of political divisions, this watershed is included of parts of Tehran and Semnan provinces and some cities such as Firouzkuh, Absard and Gilan. This region is a part of central desert lying in the middle of Iranian plateau, and Hableh Roud River is its main drainage. The Payab watershed with total area of 655235 ha is located at the southern part of the study area. This watershed is included of Sarab sub basin in the north, low and salty lands in the east and south and salt lake sub basin in the west. In the basis of political divisions, the major parts of this watershed are located in Semnan province and some parts in Tehran province and the most important cities are Garmsar and Ivaneki. The especial feature of this area is that it is located in conserved area of Dasht-e Kavir and Kavir national park. In the basis of hydrological divisions, downstream of Hableh Roud watershed is located in central desert or Dasht-e Kavir lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. Galu and Shout rivers are the main drainages of this watershed (Fig. 2) 6 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Figure 1: geographical location of Hableh Roud watershed in Iran Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 7

Figure 2: location of pilots in Hableh Roud watershed 8 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

4. Objectives Objectives of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project are as following: The final objectives: Þ Promote the quality of life, livelihood and well-being of residents dependent on Hableh Roud natural resources considering sustainable use of land and water resources. Þ Achieve to an appropriate model for integrated and participation-oriented management of land and water resources and socio-economic development that could be used in other regions with necessary changes and facilitate the success of national action plan impressively. The specific objectives: Þ Provide a plan for participation-oriented and integrated management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud watershed. Þ Improve the ability of local community and bodies for organizing the efficient production systems and sustainable use of land and water resources. Þ Promote participation-oriented approach successfully in all levels, with particular attention to active participation of women and youth and other people who do not have ownership on land, water and technology. Þ Decentralization and promote cooperation and coordination between governmental organizations and among this organizations and people involved in Hableh Roud watershed development. Þ Create effective and appropriate systems for monitoring and evaluation of land and water resources management and sustainable development1. 5. Management system The project management system framework of the first phase is planned as following: Form a project board consists of: Plan and Budget Organization, Ministry of Jihad-e- Agriculture, 0LQLVWU\RI$JULFXOWXUH0LQLVWU\RI)RUHLJQ$IIDLUV0LQLVWU\RI(QHUJ\DQG'HSDUWPHQWRI(QYLURQPHQW and resident representative of UNDP and representative of FAO as committee members. Select four national directors consist of: Þ National director of coordination or umbrella project (ex-head officer of agricultural water affairs office of plan and budget organization) with turns of reference of conducting general affairs such as: coordination between the relevant departments in national level, provide financial resources of project, conduct activities and flow the necessary information. Þ National director of watershed management project (ex-head officer of plan and program office of watershed management department of ministry of Jihad-e- agriculture). Þ National director of combating desertification project (head officer of range and desert office of forest, range and watershed management of organization of ministry of agriculture).

1. Workgroup of Tehran province, overview the results of implementation Hableh Roud national project in Tehran province, Seminar on planning participatory development of soil and water, Semnan, 2006 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 9

Þ National director of sustainable agriculture development project (head officer of research affairs office of ministry of agriculture). The responsibilities of national directors in each three projects are as following: A. Communicate with FAO and UNDP as a representative of project board for providing turns of reference, identifying, employing and sending consultants. B. Implement the general policies determined by project board. C. Implement all predicted activities in the project document for achieving the determined objectives. D. Cooperate with national coordinator of project to resolve the obstacles and problems. ( Coordinate at local level through provincial bodies.

Flowchart of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project

Board management meeting

National director of umbrella project

National director of National director of National director sustainable agriculture combating of watershed development project desertification management 10 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Flowchart of watershed management project

National director of watershed management project

National office

Organization of Ministry of Jihad-e- Agriculture Jihad-e- Agriculture of Semnan of Tehran province; of province; of watershed watershed management, management, extension and public extension and public participation management participation management

Management of Management of Management of Management of Jihad-e- Agriculture of Jihad-e- Agriculture of Jihad-e- Agriculture of Jihad-e- Agriculture of Garmsar township; Semnan township; Firoozkouh township; Damavand township; watershed management, watershed management, watershed management, watershed management, extension and public extension and public extension and public extension and public participation offices participation offices participation offices participation offices

Representatives of public people Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 11

)ORZFKDUWRIFRPEDWLQJGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQSURMHFW

National manager of combating desertification project

National office

General office of natural General office of natural resources of Semnan resources of Tehran province, range and province, range and desert offices desert offices

General office of natural General office of natural General office of General office of resources of Garmsar resources of Semnan natural resources of natural resources of township, rangeland township, rangeland Firoozkouh township, Damavand township, and desert section and desert section rangeland section rangeland section

Representatives of public people 12 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Flowchart of sustainable agriculture development project

National manager of sustainable agriculture development project

Agricultural management of Garmsar township

Center of agricultural Center of agricultural Center of agricultural Center of agricultural services of Aradan services of Davarabad services of Kardovan services of Lajran

Representatives of public people

To achieve to a model of national action, some objectives are described in 4 documents of projects as following: The main document: “The objective of national action plan (NAP) in accordance with convention of combating desertification of UNDP is soil fertility improvement and restoration, and sustainable management of land and water resources in Islamic Republic of Iran that would lead to improve living condition especially in rural communities”1. The document of watershed management: The long-term goal of this project is “generalizing and developing the results of national project of natural resources conservation through participation of rural people in watershed management” and the main goal of this project is “active participation of local people on its management and development of its upstream considering socio- economic issues and production system. Also, in this project, the necessary and reliable information should be provided for making an integrated model for conservation of watersheds through continuous evaluation and consideration of social and environmental conditions”2. To achieve to the above mentioned objectives, the work plan for project implementation are shown in the next chart: The document of combating desertification: “Objective: land degradation and desertification will be decreased through the long-term national action plan of combating desertification”3 The document of sustainable agriculture development project:

1. The main document of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud, page 5, 1997. 2. The document of the project of watershed management, page 10, 1997. 3. The document of the project of combating desertification, page 14, 1997. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 13

The long-term goals: Þ Manage the natural resources of the country (especially land and water resources) and conduct technological changes of organization such a way that the national capacity promote for sustainable management of these resources. Þ (QVXUH IRRG VHFXULW\ DW QDWLRQDO DQG UHJLRQDO OHYHO DQG DFKLHYH DQG PDLQWDLQ WKH VLWXDWLRQ WKDW the requires of current and future generations of Semnan province particularly the hard-working people of Garmsar (and in general across the country) are provided in it while rural and agricultural sustainable development are comprehensively done. Þ Improve water use efficiency in irrigating lands of the area and increase the area of fertile irrigating lands at the southern part of Garmsar and promote the improved agricultural methods, so that lead to increase agricultural production on small farms and increase the sustainable income level of villagers, more equitable distribution of income and reduce migration to urban areas. The short-term goals: Þ Plan for sustainable development of Garmsar Þ Improve agricultural productivity and irrigation efficiency in Garmsar. Þ Conserve and sustainable use of land and water through optimal utilization of surface and groundwater- strengthen and enhance the capabilities of organizations responsible for sustainable agriculture development project of the study area. Þ ,QFUHDVH IDUPHUV· SDUWLFLSDWLRQ DQG WKH UROH RI ZRPHQ RQ IDUP PDQDJHPHQW DFWLYLWLHV WKURXJK implementation of extension programs and making pilot farms1.

1. The document of sustainable agriculture development project- page 17-18, 1997. 14 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Three-year work plan of the project of watershed management

The first phase

The first activities: identifying, policy making, creating work organization

Hold the workshop of planning for experts and managers and select the pilot village The second phase

Complete studies and Rural meetings and Consider social systems and indigenous knowledge investigation conferences

Select collaborators for development

Hold the workshop of planning for experts and managers Hold the workshop of planning for experts and villagers

Visit from pilot farms and Start the activity of animators for Establish technical Participate international experts on participatory methods in development workshop for villagers Send experts abroad planning, monitoring and the country implementing workshop

Prepare the project and Do detailed studies executive planning by villagers Hold the coordination meetings with other governmental agencies

Planning studies Hold the expert meeting and workshop for approving plans

Start the executive actions The third phase

Establish executive, financial and Continue designing studies Create measuring administrative organizations and other investigations systems and start the monitoring acvies Continue executive activities

Documentation and prepare the final report

Develop the model for sustainable management of land and water resources

Prepare the national action plan Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 15

In order to do the above mentioned activities, each national manager was obligated to organize in the basis of document as following: In the document of Umbrella project, organizational and managerial structure is consisting of establishing the committee technical secretariat, two senior experts, one technician, one computer operator and one secretary with responsibility of national project manager that in fact, is responsible for making coordination in national level to implement projects through the project board. In the document of watershed management, the organizational structure of project was defined in government contribution that consists of determining one person as a national project director by deputy of watershed management, in the next step, establishing a central office in national office (consist of 5 staffs) and establishing two office in Garmsar and Firoozkouh (consist of 14 staffs in each one), that all of these staffs are working under the supervision of national project director (NPD). Also, using of 8 cars was mentioned in the document. In the document of combating desertification, employ one person as full-time project manager, one person as full-time executive project director, 4 experts specialist in forestry, rangeland management, sand fixation, extension and soil conservation, 4 persons as the station staffs, 4 drivers, and 5 range protector have been considered. But these structures have not been addressed in the document of sustainable agriculture development project, and only the formation of project board and determining the national project director through the researches center of agricultural economics and planning have been emphasized. 6. Theoretical issues and methods In recent century, doing all infrastructural and conservational works by government have led people ask all their requirements from government that caused the mentioned organization do a lot of activities, maintain and protect them and also conserve natural resources in this situation, and its rising trend will make the situation extremely difficult, so, the available procedure should be changed inevitably. In the first development program with the goal of decentralization, a significant part of government development budget was spent on decision making in cities, but due to the lack of socio- economic institutions in low levels and a specified and systematic program for promoting capability and organizational capacity, the decentralization policy was failed1. Therefore, sustainable development of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project is a country pilot for achieving to a participatory model. The method is making condition for human active presence and participation in watershed with simultaneous and integrated planning and monitoring. The Rapid Rural Assessment methods (RRA) and Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) are used in this project. In addition, achieve to a comprehensive and systematic planning, intersectional coordination, emphasize on the effective role of women on development, and convert the model to national action plan are the other theoretical issues of the project.

1. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water «necessities and objectives of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project» Seyed Ahmad Heidarian, 2006. 16 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

7. The reasons of choosing Hableh Roud as a pilot of project implementation

The main indexes for choosing pilot are as following:

Þ The index of distance and proximity of the pilot to nation capital in terms of appropriate access, coordination, implementation, monitoring and visit form executed activities. Þ The index of area: the watershed area should be selected in the basis that all three project could be implemented. Þ The index of resources: the watershed should have appropriate land and water resources and face with land and water degradation. Þ The index of activity: the watershed should have an appropriate condition for doing activities such as watershed management, combating desertification, irrigation and agriculture. Þ The index of population: the watershed should have appropriate rural population. Þ The index of rural settlements: in the basis of rural settlements, the watershed should have diversity of villages in Iran. In addition to above mentioned indexes, each project has considered the following indexes: In terms of watershed management project, the pilot watershed should have appropriate land and water resources, and different upstream, middle and downstream areas that enable us do different mechanical, biological and biomechanical activities on it and follow an integrated watershed management. In terms of combating desertification, the pilot area should indicate the effects of different resources degradation on desertification that encourage us do some activities for combating desertification. In terms of sustainable agriculture development project, the pilot area should be selected in the basis of doing agricultural activities using appropriate water resources; in addition, water scarcity, irrigation method, exploitation systems and converting traditional agricultural system to modern system are the other indexes should be considered. In this regard, the researches institution of planning and agricultural economics proposed Hableh Roud watershed as a pilot area in the basis of investigating different area of the country. After investigating indexes and offering this issue in a joint meeting, Hableh Roud watershed was agreed as pilot area by all parties involved because of having most of the condition for implementing above three projects. 8. Choose pilot villages: After choosing Hableh Roud watershed as a pilot region for implementing sustainable management of land and water resources project, due to its large area, it was decided to choose pilots for implementing activities and developing the determined model in the document. Meetings were held on 15th and 16th September 1998 for determining the executive pilots in natural resources researches center of Khojir. Then, the following provisions were agreed as indexes for choosing the pilot areas: Þ Appropriate diversity of population Þ Appropriate diversity of rural residents in the village during the year. Þ Appropriate diversity of economical activities. Þ Appropriate diversity of weather condition. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 17

Þ Appropriate diversity of traditional resources management systems. Þ Appropriate diversity of rural and nomadic issues. It was decided that each projects determine their pilot in the basis of above mentioned indexes. In the project of watershed management, two workshops of planning were held and Namrood and Delichay were selected as pilot watersheds, and four villages were selected as pilot villages in each one as following: Delichay watershed: Havir- Dehnar- Aru- Hesarbon Namrood watershed: Lazour- Najafdar- Vezna- Zarman. In project of combating desertification, 9 villages and 3 pastures were selected as pilots as following: 9LOODJHV&KDKDU7DJK8SSHU5DPH/RZHU5DPH*KDOLEDSK(LM-RYLQ/DVMDUG$EGROODKVKULQH Abdol Abad. Pasture: Souteh Zar- Lazoure- Khonar. In sustainable agriculture development project, 4 villages were selected as pilots as following: Davar Abad- Kardovan- Aradan- Lajran. 9. Studies about equipment and installation of measuring stations In the first phase of Hableh Roud project, each project has started its studies according to its needs and based on the document as following: A. Watershed management project: according to the document and the needs of project, three studies have been done (Table 1). As table 1 show, the amount of fund for this project was 1536 million Rials.

Table 1: studies of watershed management project Fund Progress Row Title Year Executer (Million Rials) percent 1 Studies of North Hableh Roud 1999-2003 797 100 Royan consultant 2 Studies of Lazour ecosystem 2000-2003 239 100 Royan consultant Jihad research center 3 Studies of Delichay monitoring equipment 1998 80 of water and watershed management 500 Jihad research center 4 Detailed- executive studies of Delichay 1999 100 of water and watershed management Total 1536

B. Combating desertification project: according to the document and the needs of project, two studies have been done with total fund of 940 million Rials (Table 2).

7DEOHVWXGLHVRIFRPEDWLQJGHVHUWL¿FDWLRQSURMHFW Fund Row Title Year Progress percent Executer (Million Rials) 1 Participatory monitoring 2002 440 60 Absaran 2 Attracting local people participation 2000- 2002 500 100 Tehran university Total 940 18 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

C. Sustainable agriculture development project: according to the document and the needs of project, six studies have been done with total fund of 3756 million Rials (Table 3).

Table 3: studies of sustainable agriculture development project Progress Row Title Year Fund Executer (Million Rials) percent 1 Groundwater model 2000-2003 442 100 Abvarzan consultant 2 Project of excavations monitoring 2000-2003 443 100 Pouyab consultant 3 Studies of attracting participation 2000-2003 540 100 Abvarzan consultant 4 Project of monitoring on pilot farms 2000-2003 573 100 Abvarzan consultant 5 Second phase of drainage irrigation 2000-2003 781 100 Abvarzan consultant 6 Studies of south Hableh Roud 1999-2003 987 100 Royan consultant Total 3756

The following actions have been done in three sections to do monitoring and evaluation: A. Watershed management: studies about supplying equipment and monitoring with the goal of making efficient stations for recording and analyzing climatic data, and soil erosion and sedimentation data have led to contract with researches center of watershed management as a consultant in the area of 35000 ha with fund of 500 million Rials.

Required equipments were bought but were not installed due to different reasons. Monitoring studies in Delichay showed that it is required to install a weather station in Hableh Roud watershed, so one station was installed in Aru village in 2002 and currently, the meteorological organization is using from it. F. &RPEDWLQJGHVHUWLILFDWLRQLQWKLVSURMHFWRQHFRQWUDFWZDVPDGHZLWK$EVDUDQ&RQVXOWDQW(QJLQHHUV Co. for doing participatory monitoring studies at southern part of Hableh Roud watershed with the Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 19

area of 200000 ha and fund of 440 million Rials in Semnan province. These studies have not led to install the specific equipment in the watersheds. B. Sustainable agriculture development project: in this project, agricultural activities for making pilot farms and excavations have been done with fund of 1006 million Rials through Abvarzan and 3RX\DE&RQVXOWDQW(QJLQHHUV&R 10. Executive actions Three projects have planned and implemented their executive actions to achieve their goals as following:

10-1. Executive actions of Tehran province: ([HFXWLYHDFWLRQVRI7HKUDQSURYLQFHVWDUWHGZLWKHPSKDVL]LQJRQZDWHUVKHGPDQDJHPHQWDQG combating desertification from 1998. The project office has been worked under the deputy of watershed management. The project of watershed management has taken the following steps for starting its executive actions: Ô Select pilots: After national policy makings, a meeting was held in researches center of natural resources of Khojir with the audience governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders of Tehran province, and the following villages were selected as pilots in the basis of indexes were approved in the meeting.

Damavand township: 1- Havir, 2- Dehnar, and 3- Aru Firoozkouh township: 1- Lazour, 2- Vazna, 3- Zarman, 4- Najafdar, and 5- Hesarbon. Ô Select development animator: In the next step, facilitators (governmental and nongovernmental) went to pilot villages, and after introducing and providing the project objectives to local people, villagers were asked to select 20 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

and introduce their representatives as development assistant to participate in the workshop in Damavand. Ô Hold a workshop in Damavand: In order to familiarity of governmental experts and rural development assistants with participatory approach and participatory rural assessment techniques for implementation in pilot villages, a workshop was held during 28 days in Damavand. A nongovernmental organization for sustainable development “Cenesta1” was the executer of this workshop. Ô Hold workshop for experts in extension department of Jihad-e agriculture: A workshop was held on March 1999 with the goal of familiarizing experts with participatory methods. Ô Visit from pilot farms and participatory methods across the country: In order to familiarity of project assistants and experts with participatory activities of the country, the multi- purposes cooperatives of Fars, Semnan and Markazi provinces were visited.

Ô Start activities in pilot villages: Project activities were started with the assistance of project assistants in pilot villages from March 1999. According to the decision making of national director of watershed management project, the pilot villages were divided between a number of facilitators and they were responsible to implement the project. Due to different perceptions of facilitators from approaches and physical and social condition of pilot villages, communicating with people and planning for villages were not following from a same method.

1. The Centre for Sustainable Development (Cenesta) Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 21

Aru: multi- purposes project of Fajr, modify and repair Sarcheshmeh qanat; water storage and cover Aghuzdar streams; pool construction, reconstructing qanat and covering Persua streams; pool construction and (OJHQ VWUHDPV FRYHUDJH SRRO FRQVWUXFWLRQ DQG $IUDVLDE VWUHDPV FRYHUDJH )DMU FRRSHUDWLYH VHZLQJ training project; weather station, convert dry farming lands and cultivate forages, dredge spring in national lands, construct trough, conservation and explosure (21 projects were proposed that 13 projects were implemented).

Dehnar: road construction and water transport for Mizra, flood control and construct Sedare dam for water storage, quay construction, pool construction for water storage and Heliyer pipe laying, Mamsen Heze water storage and transport, pipe laying and water transport from Targholi dam, range management project consists of hoeing- sowing and seeding (12 projects were proposed that 8 projects implemented).

Havir: access road construction, Malek Takht water storage and transport, modification the traditional irrigation system of Gate Yakhchal, quay construction, pipe laying and install water flow meter for rural drinking water, pool construction and modification the traditional streams of Javaher Cheshmeh, convert dry farming lands and cultivate forages, trough construction, conservation and explosure, dredge spring in national lands, hoeing-sowing and walnut planting, conservation and explosure (21 projects were proposed that 10 projects were implemented).

Hesarbon: widening, repairing and asphalting access road, flood control in valleys, sewing training, pipe lying in waterways and restore pastures (9 project were proposed that 6 project were implemented).

Lazour: Siahrood dam construction, covering streams, Kashkarz flood control, water supply for Khil Vardu and Vandeh Bedeh, construction roads for nomadic, construction hay loft, planting and Kashkarz pool construction, water sanitation and transport of Avin spring, pasture restoration and conservation, planting and growing medical plants, construction drying hall, training poultry breeding, repairing drinking water systems, convert dry farming lands, management and modification the pasture programs, flood control of Kangalin, restore pasture of Kalunak (26 projects were proposed that 17 projects were implemented).

Najafdar: road construction between farmlands and access bridges (4 projects were proposed that 1 project implemented). 22 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Table 4: implemented projects in Tehran province

Projects Aru Dehnar Havir Hesarbon Lazour Vazna Zarman Najafdar Water storage and stream coverage 5 4 2 1 5 - - - Modify, repair and dredge streams and qanats 3 - 1 - - - - - Weather station 1 ------Flood control and dam construction - 1 - 1 2 - - - Quay construction - 1 1 - - - - - Detainer structure - - - - 1 - - - Biological activities 2 1 4 1 4 - - - Medical plants - - - - 1 - - - Trough construction 1 ------Construction hay loft - - - - 1 - - - Access road - 1 1 1 1 - - 1 Drinking water - - 1 - 1 - - - Sewing training 1 - - 1 - - - - Poultry breeding -- - - 1 - - -

Quay construction

Dry Wall Mortarless Check Dam construction (Goshad dare) Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 23

Soil erosion in Kashkarz before project implementation

10-2. - Executive actions in Semnan province:1 ([HFXWLYHDFWLRQVRI6HPQDQSURYLQFHVWDUWHGZLWKHPSKDVL]LQJRQZDWHUVKHGPDQDJHPHQWDQG combating desertification and sustainable agriculture development project from 1998, its two first phases were implemented simultaneously and the third phase was implemented independently:

Ô Hold preparatory meetings and develop better relationship with local people: At these meetings, cooperating indigenous experience experts that were trustworthy by villagers played an important role on making and strengthening relationship with local people. In these meetings objectives and people participation in the project were described. In addition, villagers and stakeholders expressed their problems about using land and water resources.

1. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources. Investigating the results of LPSOHPHQWLQJWKHQDWLRQDOSURMHFWRI+DEOHK5RXGLQ6HPQDQSURYLQFH+RVHLQL(.KDWDPL696DEHULDQ*K.DVDHLDQ$ Gharib, M. 2006.

24 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Ô Training executive experts and national staffs of the project: In order to familiarize experts and administrators with the project goals and change their views toward the necessity of local people participation, several workshops were held. Also, some techniques of participatory rural assessment (PRA) were practiced scientifically in these workshops. In these workshops, in addition to stakeholders and local communities, 6 to 7 persons of national and provincial experts of the project were presented that helped facilitators of Tehran University on holding workshop.

Ô Hold training- participatory workshops for local people: The goal of these workshops is to increase the awareness level of facilitators and local people about problems of land and water resources and regional problems, increase participation of different groups of local people especially council representatives, elders, women and youths and finally provide condition for designing activities and projects. Training and research workshops for stakeholders participation were held in two-stages of three days respectively on 1 to 4 September in Rameh sub basin with the presence of 60 women and men from the villages of Upper Rameh, Lower Rameh, Ghalibaph, Deh Namak and on 7 to 9 September in Javin sub basin with the presence of 40 women and men from villages of Abdollah 6KULQH$EGRO$EDG(LFK-DYLQ/DVMDUGWRLQFUHDVHVWDNHKROGHUVSDUWLFLSDWLRQRQLGHQWLI\LQJDQG Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 25

prioritizing needs and problems and providing solutions and finally extracting executive projects by technical office of combating desertification project in Garmsar township.

Ô Design projects and participatory activities: After problems were identifying and prioritizing, facilitators helped villagers to select the solutions according to available facilities and resources, the objectives were determined and executive activities design and selection were started by interest groups.

Ô Hold training visits from village to village and technical training workshops: According to proposed projects and activities and in order to familiarize villagers (women and men) with scientific aspects of these activities, several training visits were held with the presence some interest groups of women and men inside and outside the province.

Ô Executive activities: After determining executive activities, mainly one or more meetings were held with the presence of group members and decisions about implementation mechanism, available resources, VWDNHKROGHUV· SDUWLFLSDWRU\ FRQWULEXWLRQ WKH GDWH RI LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ GHWHUPLQH SHRSOH DV UHSUHVHQWDWLYH DQG H[HFXWLYH PDQDJHU FROOHFWLRQ DQG PDQDJHPHQW YLOODJHUV· SDUWLFLSDWRU\ contribution whether monetary or labor force and monitoring on implementation were made in these meetings. The pilot implemented projects are as following:

Gong and Archelu: pool construction for water storage, water transport, planting fruit and non- fruit trees, seeding, range management, apiculture.

Ghalibaph: establish rural fund, water transport from spring, develop gardening, pool construction for water storage, spring repairing and trough construction, grazing management in pastures, seeding in pastures.

Abdol Abad: establish multi- purposes cooperative, range management, improve farmlands, develop planting tree, irrigation management, water transport.

Behvard: construction earth dam with masonry spillway, banket construction, tree plantation, water transport, gabion, construction wire check dams.

Anjirdar: construction stone-mortar check dams, banket construction and tracing, tree plantation, forage planting, water transport and pool construction for water storage. 26 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Table 5: implemented projects in Semnan province Gong and Abdol Projects Ghalibaph Behvard Anjirdar Archelu Abad Flood control - - - 1 1 Water storage and transport 3 1 1 2 - Spring and qanat restoration - - - - - Biomechanical projects (banket construction) - - - 1 1 Access road 1 - 1 - - Biologic 1 3 4 1 2 Women apiculture 1 - - - - Rural fund - 1 - - - (VWDEOLVKFRRSHUDWLYH - - 1 - - Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 27 28 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Sustainable agriculture development project1: The sustainable agriculture development project is one of three projects of Hableh Roud project. The main activities of this project are implemented at southern part of Hableh Roud watershed in Garmsar township. The goal of this project is to achieve to sustainable management models of Garmsar plain that could be extended to other agricultural plains of the country. Garmsar plain or Hableh Roud DOOXYLDOIDQZLWKWRWDODUHDRIKDLVORFDWHGDWLVORFDWHGDWÝ·WRÝ·(DQGDWÝ·WRÝ ·1LQ.PDWWKHHDVWRI7HKUDQ After collection necessary information and recognition of local people opinions and views to the previous and ongoing projects and also governmental activities in the same field, the information about agricultural issues such as potentials, problems, problem classifying and prioritizing have been achieved using rural rapid assessment method (RRA) and participatory rural assessment (PRA) during one week . Finally, the practical works were started using the method of Participatory Technology Development and followed it using research and sample farms, the method of Farmer Field School (FFS) was used. Analysis the results of three steps of problem detection, classification and prioritization by working group (people) provided the condition for preparing executive programs. This phase was also begun with group discussion and facilitating its process. 2QHRIWKHPDLQSUREOHPVZDVODFNRIIDUPHUV·JURXSVLQDJULFXOWXUDOSUDFWLFHV5HFRJQL]LQJWKLVSUREOHP was due to raise awareness achieved from group activities and the working group has achieved to it. By exchanging experiences in group working, they understand the role of cooperation on increasing ability for decision making, planning and implementing. Farmers of group working created one men group called “farmers group for sustainable development of Garmsar plain” and one women organization called “Javaneh”. These organizations were consisting RI UXUDO IDUPHUV· UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV DQG FRPPXQDO JURXSV RI *DUPVDU SODLQ WKDW WKHLU PDLQ WDVN ZDV developing the results of the project in Garmsar plain. Ô Executive actions: These actions are consisting of executive and research projects that were proposed by farmers of group working and tested in sample fields. The executive projects proposed and implemented by working group were consisting of 6 projects as following: A. Determine barely seed consumption per unit of area through farmer field school method. B. Improve irrigation management through creating sample field. C. Investigate the role of tillage in fields of wheat and barley. D. Investigate how to use the method of farmer field school for wheat and barley products. ( The project of barley production without using chemical inputs through the method of farmer field school. F. The project of melon production without using chemical inputs through the method of farmer field school.

1. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources “sustainable development of land and water resources of Garmsar. Ahmad Dehghan. 2006. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 29

11. Women participation A. Watershed management: Due to the recent experience of rural women participation in social activities, at first women participation was very low, but gradually it became more coherent, and sometimes their present was facing with lots of problems such as oppositions from fathers, husbands, or brothers. In order to inform people, training courses and extension workshops were planned in pilot villages. Duration of these workshops was different in different villages. Some of them were lasted three months and some were lasted one year. The process of women activity in pilot villages: Aru: Despite many social problems, women of this village were the most active group in the project, as far as the first project has been implemented was the project of “starch and noodle production” by women in Aru village. When this project proposed, some of them implemented it without any request and financial expectation.

It was seen a beauty perspective of self- sufficiency in supplying the raw materials through wheat production in abandoned dry farming lands. Unfortunately, attempts of this group to obtain public health permits, in conflict with administrative bureaucratic and the prohibition of industries establishment at 120 kilometers away from Tehran failed forever. Women of this village also offered other projects, that their sewing training project was implemented in the preliminary and supplementary phases with at least cost (100000 Tomans). Then, a group of women attempted to establish a sewing shop, but it 30 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

was failed due to lack of experience for working with industrial sewing machines, lack of these kinds of machines, their high costs, lack of a place for establishing the shop and inability to identify and communicate with garment manufacturers. Although some of them were able to produce clothes for their families. This village had a lot of skilled women in carpet weaving, but because of their bad experience in getting carpet raw materials from Jihad-e agriculture and taking much time and is costly, and finally lack of inability to sale it, they no longer were unwilling to weave carpet. In other hand, despite the poor condition of carpet market in the country and loss of Iranian carpet situation in global markets, starting such project for the remaining interests had an uncertain future. But, one of the advantages of Hableh Roud project in this village was providing conditions for rural girl to study that were strongly opposed until that time and almost all of them were educated in the fifth grade, because they had to go out of the village to study. But, they believe that Hableh Roud project implementation and the presence of educated women as visitor or facilitator in this village provided conditions for girls to continue their education1.

Hesarbon: The proposed projects of women in this village were sewing, crocheting, and collecting medical plants, mushroom production, and fish breeding. Training sewing was implemented through the efforts of rural women and for the first time, people provided all necessaries of this training course which were provided by extension before, thus the cost of the course was much lower than its average.

Lazour: In this village establishment of these workshops have led to form two groups called coordination group and central core group. The first group was included of 78 people (63 men and 15 women) and rural representatives and the second group was included of 7 people (5 men and 2 women) as representatives of coordination group that was such an executive arm for coordination council. Several projects such as watershed management, agriculture, culture and ... were presented by villagers at the end of these workshops. Most of the problems were expressed by women were related to all villagers and some were VSHFLILFWRZRPHQ([HFXWLYHSURMHFWVSURYLGHGE\ZRPHQZHUHVHZLQJFURFKHWLQJDQGVRPHZHUH from culture and indigenous knowledge about resources (Traditional carpet weaving, poultry breeding,

1. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources “Investigating the condition and achievement of women in the first phase of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project”. Fatemeh Moafi. 2006. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 31

growing some valuable species of medical plants and ...). Women have done the biological activities of the project of Kashkarz flood control was considered as the first public project, which was implemented in the best manner according to outside experts, as they said “this is the first time such hoeing-sowing was done with high accuracy and have the least amount of seed loss”. Implementation this project has led to increase women motivation to do other projects seriously. Therefore, they followed cultivation and conservation of valuable species of medical plants seriously. But because this project was not in turns of references of department of watershed management, any budget was not allocated for it. 7KHUHIRUHLWZDVUHIHUUHGWRVPDOOJUDQWVSURJUDPGHSDUWPHQWRI*OREDO(QYLURQPHQW)DFLOLW\ *() 1 to use from international financial facilities. The project of medical plants cultivation and conservation of Lazour rangelands was approved by participation of governmental organizations such as department of watershed management (Hableh Roud project), watershed management of Tehran province and Damavand and Firoozkouh townships and researches center of Khojir in 2001. The executive step of this project was started by identifying and collecting medical plants through women, and species of Peppermint, Hyssop, Chamomile and Squash were recommended for growing by studying the regional condition through experts. Women suggested that this project should be implemented jointly by women and men which led to lots of problems in later years. (Much interference of men in important decision makings and lack of accountability about funding and income from sales of products has created lots of difficulties and challenges in the group). Although, lack of experience about cultivation of above mentioned species created many problems for women in the first year, but the results of cultivating three species of Peppermint, Chamomile and Squash were very satisfactory, so that Peppermint of this region had the highest extraction of this species in Tehran province2. Seeds and plant production of the first year were used for cultivation in the second year. Thus, the Chamomile seeds were sowed and 35000 sapling of Peppermint were planted in pasture in the second year. In the second year, dry hall and warehouse of medical plants were completed and used and the first series of Peppermint was sold. It was supposed that the benefit from it be saved in rural fund and be used for other development projects. In developing this project, extraction of available species was also carried out. In order to range management and conservation, a group of 11 people was created as representatives of rural ranchers and stakeholders (one representative in each pasture). This group SURWHFWVSDVWXUHLQWKHILUVW\HDUEXWEHFDXVHSDVWXUHH[SORVXUHQRWRQO\GDPDJHVUDQFKHUV·HFRQRP\EXW also cannot ensure pasture survival and sustainability itself, thus put integrated planning for the use of pasture in the agenda in the second year. In this regard, planning workshops were held for recognition, enrichment and rational use of pastures by stakeholders and experts. In the following, the joint meetings of ranchers and general office of natural resources of Semnan province were held to organize migration and solve problems of ranchers in Lazour in Semnan province and issuing the grazing license was in agenda and finally two licenses were issued. In the second year, the presence of this group in exhibitions of flowers and medical plants across the country made their directly relationship with market that while gaining valuable experience for villagers specific women increased their income. Finally, after creating lots of challenges, parts of active group started their work independently as a cooperative.

1 8QLWHG1DWLRQ'HYHORSPHQW3URJUDP*OREDO(QYLURQPHQW)DFLOLW\²6PDOO*UDQG3URJUDP 81'3*()6*3 2. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources “Investigating the condition and achievement of women in the first phase of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project”. Fatemeh Mafi. 2006. 32 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

B. Combating desertification: According to practical framework of gender analysis is discussed in the world scientific societies nowadays, practicing and providing a model of women role in natural resources management has been considered. Therefore, a group of rural women of Rameh and Chahar Tagh were selected from workshops held in Rameh and Ghalibaph by Tehran University and then technical workshops were held with emphasizing on rural women on natural resources management. These workshops were held by Ms. Shadi Talab along with visiting from sample farms in the province such as the farm of Ms. Chambari in Damghan and the Walnut garden of Shahmirzad. In this project, 57 rural women from villages such as Chahar Tagh, lower Rameh and upper Rameh in Rameh sub basin were participated. In these workshops, rural women expressed the low income of rural families as the first priority. Therefore, they proposed different projects such as sericulture, exploitation of medical plants, growing ornamental plants, apiculture and range management to solve this problem, and the project of apiculture was selected as the first priority based on their abilities and experiences. Then range management was done by rural ranchers and stakeholders referring small grants program department RI*OREDO(QYLURQPHQW)DFLOLW\ 81'3*()6*3 ,QWKHILUVWZRUNVKRSVWKLVJURXSZDVGLYLGHG into two groups of Gole Sorkh and Partalaei apiculture. But because they migrate from villages to Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 33

Garmsar and Aradan township in autumn and winter, they divided into 5 groups of 10 people based on WKHLUIDPLO\DQGNLQVKLSUHODWLRQVKLS(DFKJURXSKDGWZRUHSUHVHQWDWLYHVIRUWDVNVGLYLVLRQEHWZHHQ members. In early of 2000, some women representatives and one animal science expert and one project expert went to Mazandaran province and bought 200 colonies of hives and divided between groups1. This project as the first independent activity of rural women was very attractive for them. There was good coordination between groups and their representatives and tasks division and performance were in an appropriate manner. They have gained many experiences and abilities to develop and increase the number of their bees during one year. According to some members, this project has led to strengthen women cooperation and relationship and also helped them to provide some of their children needs through selling honey which make good pleasure for their husbands. Because the numbers of provided hives were not economically, these groups were introduced to province governor of Semnan to get self-employed facilities. 40 percent of budget for buying above mentioned hives were provided from participatory contribution of women and 60 percent were from project funding. But some required equipment such as hat, gloves, empty hive, and wax were bought through groups. Their participatory contribution was much more than project participatory contribution. In order to more familiarity of members with apiculture, it was coordinated to visit from Ms. Chambari farm. The explanations of Ms. Chambari and specialist expert about apiculture were very interesting for women in this trip. After this trip, women asked for holding a training course of apiculture. What is more interesting for women in Ms. Chambari farm was the amount of water discharged from springs (as a samovar tap) that was very little in comparison with the amount of water in Rameh river, and caused them to blame themselves due to wasting water in their villages. Water storage in a small pool in Ms. Chambari farm strongly attracted women attention, so that asked precise questions about pool construction2. Rural women applauded the efforts of Ms. Chambari and his husband could develop a garden with 2500 walnut trees through using very little water and blamed themselves for not doing more work. In the following, women were visited from Shahmirzad in order to develop their activities. Women of the first trip along other rural women were participated in this trip. At first, they visited the research center of medical plants, how to collect and dry them, then became familiar with cultivation of medical plants on small scale (several hectares). Rural women were interested to inform about the water consumption of these plants and their marketing. Then they visited from several hectares of farm and garden that were developed through Shahmirzad villagers as a joint stock company. Here, rural women became familiar with crossbreeding the sapling of apricot and its irrigation method that was similar to Ms. Chambari garden (but through drip irrigation system). Rural women got a lot of information about deepening around apricot and almond trees, and irrigation using hoses. They learned how to storage water in a big garden. It was explained that they storage the stream water for 5 months and irrigate the whole garden during the next 7 months using drip irrigation system. At the end of the trip, women asked for a training course on how to dry apricot and berry in addition to apiculture workshop. The reason for this request was due to the failure of rural women in drying berries in spring 2000. Rural women think about drying berry instead of turning it into the sap, but because of not knowing

1. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources. Investigating the results of LPSOHPHQWLQJWKHQDWLRQDOSURMHFWRI+DEOHK5RXGLQ6HPQDQSURYLQFH+RVHLQL(.KDWDPL696DEHULDQ*K.DVDHLDQ$ Gharib, M. 2006. 2. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources. Investigating the results of LPSOHPHQWLQJWKHQDWLRQDOSURMHFWRI+DEOHK5RXGLQ6HPQDQSURYLQFH+RVHLQL(.KDWDPL696DEHULDQ*K.DVDHLDQ$ Gharib, M. 2006.

34 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

its correct way, berries become black and non-usable. Familiarity women with medical plants were very good, because they have correct and expert approved statements about it. One of the important achievements of these two trips was the request of women about how to make a cooperative company when returning from the trip in the minibus, that one cooperative company was established by their continuous tracking. Following the start of apiculture by the group of 50 people and their visits from sample farms of the SURYLQFHWKHUHZDVDVWURQJLQFHQWLYHWRPDQDJHWKHLUYLOODJHV·SULYDF\VRLWZDVFRQVLGHUHGWKURXJK a project called rangelands management of the privacy of Rameh village. Finally, making coordination by provincial authorities of the project and visits from Rameh village has led to establish a fund for supporting small environmental projects of the village1.

C. Sustainable agriculture development project: There is less documents about women activities in the sustainable agriculture development project than two other projects. But participatory activities of this project have led to create a work group of women called “Javaneh”2. The methods for making women active in this project were based on the participatory activities method. After the first evaluation and getting information about local people opinions about women activity, it was attempted to provide condition for women participation in participatory activities through rural rapid assessment (PRA). Problems about women participation in activity were considered in several meetings and condition was provided for their presence in project activities. $QDO\]LQJSUREOHPVVKRZHGWKDWRQHRIWKHPDLQSUREOHPVZDVODFNRIIDUPHUV·JURXSVLQDJULFXOWXUDO practices. Recognizing this problem was due to raise awareness achieved from group activities and the working group has achieved to it. By exchanging experiences in group working, they understand the role of cooperation on increasing ability for decision making, planning and implementing. Farmers of group working created one men group called “farmers group for sustainable development of Garmsar plain” and one women organization called “Javaneh”. These organizations were consisting RI UXUDO IDUPHUV· UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV DQG FRPPXQDO JURXSV RI *DUPVDU SODLQ WKDW WKHLU PDLQ WDVN ZDV developing the results of the project in Garmsar plain. The project of melon production without using chemical inputs through the method of farmer field school was one of the executive projects proposed by group working that women actively participated in it3. 12. Financial performance In the main document of project, it was considered that Islamic republic of Iran pay 20 billion Rials and UNDP pay 1.24 million dollars for implementing the first phase (at that time each dollar was equal to 30000 Rials). In the following, the predicted fund was increased by 35260

1. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources. Investigating the results of LPSOHPHQWLQJWKHQDWLRQDOSURMHFWRI+DEOHK5RXGLQ6HPQDQSURYLQFH+RVHLQL(.KDWDPL696DEHULDQ*K.DVDHLDQ$ Gharib, M. 2006. 2. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources “sustainable development of land and water resources of Garmsar. Ahmad Dehghan. 2006. 3. Proceeding of the seminar on participatory development planning of land and water resources “sustainable development of land and water resources of Garmsar. Ahmad Dehghan. 2006. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 35 million Rials and it was considered that 35, 34 and 31 percent of it be allocated for the projects of watershed management, combating desertification, and sustainable agriculture development project respectively. But in practice, the allocated project fund for the first phase was 27081 million Rials that was 76.8% of total fund. Table 6 shows fund accounted for each projects.

Table 6: distribution of Hableh Roud project fund allocated for each project separately (million Rials) Row Title Approved Allocated Cost Percent of total 1 Watershed management 14600 10835 10835 40 2 Combating desertification 12730 9216 9216 34 3 Sustainable agriculture development project 7930 7030 7030 26 Total 35260 27081 27081 100

As above mentioned all foreign currency fund was 1.24 million dollars that 330014 dollars of it equal to 27 percent of total fund was allocated for different project of the first phase (table 7). As table 7 shows, the umbrella project has spent the minimum foreign currency fund (8.3%) and the project of watershed management has spent the maximum fund (37.2%) in the first phase.

7DEOHDSSURYHGDQGVSHQWIRUHLJQFXUUHQF\IXQGVLQWKH¿UVWSKDVH

Watershed Combating Sustainable agriculture To t a l Title Umbrella management desertification development project (dollars) Approved 84500 384500 384000 387000 1240000 Cost 7060 143090 117907 61957 330014 Cost (%) 8.3 37.2 30.7 16 26.6

Table 8 shows distribution of Hableh Roud project funds in provinces and national office separately. As table shows, 44 percent of total project funds were spent in the national office that a part of it is the costs of studying. 31 and 25 percent of the funds were spent in Tehran and Semnan provinces respectively.

7DEOHGLVWULEXWLRQRIIXQGVLQQDWLRQDORI¿FHDQGSURYLQFHV(million Rials)

Row Title Approved Allocated Cost Percent of total 1 Tehran 10833 8337 8337 31 2 Semnan 8716 6685 6685 25 3 National office 15711 12059 12059 44 Total 35260 27081 27081 100 36 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

13. Hableh Roud project assessment According to the document, the project assessment is done by board meeting and United Nation development program. The board meeting has not evaluated the project, but UNDP has evaluated the project by its panel of expert called panel of expert one and two. A summary of these two panels assessment are provided as follow. The report of the first panel of expert assessment (POE1): This commission came to Iran on 21 to 30 August 1999. The committee was consisted of: Mr. Parviz Kouh Kan from FAO (head of this committee and specialist in watershed management), M.Anthony Fitzherbert, international consultant (specialist in rangelands management and rural development) and Mr. Ali Farzin (economist specialist in irrigation management). This committee visited with governmental organizations, Iranian managers, and consultant engineers, experts of United Nation development program and Food and Agriculture Organization in a busy schedule and visited from H[HFXWHGDFWLYLWLHVLQSLORWV7KHRXWOLQHVRIFRPPLWWHH·VILQGLQJVDVWKHSURMHFWHYDOXDWRUDUHSURYLGHG as follows: Þ The national action plan has considered very important and high priority problems in the country. Þ The general weakness is evident in goals, strategies and activities of project documents. Þ The board meeting is facing with problems in holding meetings and doing its functions and work division between projects has led to considerable lack of coordination. Þ Projects had good internal and external financial resources. Þ Projects had good specialist staffs and consultant. Þ Although about 25 percent of practical works and financial payments of the project have been done, but there is good opportunity for finishing it. Þ Organization selection and cooperative were appropriate. Þ Reviewing the documents and plan were proposed by the committee. In total, it could be say that the evaluator committee has emphasized on issues such as definite weaknesses on developed documents, coordination between projects, lack of project documentation, lack of appropriate project evaluation, and lack of appropriate physical progress of the project and proposed the document to be revised and plans be developed with reevaluation. The report of the second panel of expert assessment (POE2): This committee came to Iran on 6 to 26 October 2001. The committee was consisted of: Mr. Malcolm Douglas (head of panel of expert of participatory development of watershed management) from (QJODQGDQG0U%UHQW3DWWHUVRQ LQWHUQDWLRQDOVSHFLDOLVWLQLUULJDWLRQ IRUP&DQDGDDQG0U1DVHU

Þ The project board did not play its role, so the coordination committee should be created by cooperation of project managers. Þ More attention should be paid on economic projects and executed activities. Þ Because of rangelands degradation, participation of animal husbandry sector should be considered. Þ Project monitoring and evaluation should be done by international experts. Þ There was not any document of following the recommendations of the first panel of expert. Þ There is not any appropriate control and monitoring on the project. Þ The project could be generalized to other regions. Þ The project has good financial resources. Þ The project follows the first sample and appropriate model in the country that its success is very important. Þ The project has good staffs and specialist consultant. Þ The project has good database in GIS. Þ People participation and realization women participation in the project are the positive points of the project. 14. The second phase of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project According to completion of scheduling of sustainable management of land and water resources of Hableh Roud project and based on the need to continue the project in the second phase, it was considered to make decisions about it in a joint meeting with the presence of individual involved in the projects. This meeting called tripartite meeting was held on 4/1/2002 with the presence of head of Management and Planning Organization, Forest, Range and Watershed management Organization, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Nation Development Program, Food and Agriculture Organization and the followings were decided: Þ The project is extended until 3 June 2003. Þ During this period of time, UNDP and FAO modify the structure of the project with the help of Iranian authorities and create a new document for the second phase of the project. Therefore, based on the letter No. 03/162 L (7 April 2003), from Mr. Abdolrashid, representative of FAO to Mr. Siba Das, representative of UNDP in Iran, it was decided to revise document. Therefore, on 10 July 2003, Mr. Jaafari, manager of United Nation development projects in a letter addressed to Mr. Sharifi, deputy of watershed management of FRWO introduced Mr. Malkom Daglas as international expert responsible for preparing the new document1. After agreeing with his, Mr. Daglas came to Iran on 4 October 2003 and prepared a document for the second phase of the project based on the schedule lasted until 10 November 2003. Then this document was presented in a meeting on 19/7/2005 with the presence of following people: Mr. Yuxue Xue and Ferdoosi from UNDP- Mr. Sharifi, deputy of watershed management and executor of Hableh Roud project- Mr. Rezaei, general director of public relations and international affairs- Mr. Fallah Rad- Mr. Sanubar, general director of executive affairs- Mr. Moosavi, general director of sand

1. The report of project management progress. December 2003 to March 2004. Consultant engineer of Iran. Page 5. 38 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

fixation and combating desertification office- Hend Abadi from watersheds studies and assessment office- Mr. Lahooti from combating desertification office- Mr. Bahri from soil and water department- Zeinali, Salmani Moghadam, Mirkiaei, Ziad Bakhsh, Ms. Manzuri, Mafi, Jamshidi from national office of Hableh Roud project, and was signed with Mr. Yuxue Xue and Sharifi. Thus the second phase of Hableh Roud project was started. 15. Conclusion and recommendations The executed actions of Hableh Roud national project during 1998 to 2004 (first phase) as a new approach in participation-oriented management with the goal of achieving to a model for stabilizing land and water resources contains some of the achievements and failures that despite stakeholders common opinions about it (managers, experts, NGOs, local community and …), it has also distinctions that based on the insight and experience differences is an obvious objective. In the present report, it is attempted while considering all these opinions and presenting it with more studies of documents and looking in events reminder while interviewing with all authorities in that time, derived opportunities and treats of achievements and defects and based on all obtained notes, required recommendations for reducing risk taking of the second phase be presented as following: Achievements: 1. Improve participatory processes and structures systematically. 2. Improve the condition of public and local decision-making and planning bodies. 3. Open the way for participatory management to conserve basic resources of the country. 4. Motivate and activate the most important factors of watershed (Human) on decision-makings and implementation and joint exploitation. 5. Familiarity of local people with terms of project writing about prioritized needs estimation. 6. People self- confidence on providing and implementing projects. 7. Train a facilitator of participatory affairs (familiar to participation-oriented approaches and techniques) able to continue the project in other required sectors of the country. 8. Improve the management and planning role of Islamic councils according to constitution. 9. Local people relative empowerment and providing condition for their effective presence in different steps of planning of rural affairs. 10. Determine budgeting deficits and regulate agreements that do not provide the condition for implementing a participatory management model and generalizing it to other regions of the country. 11. Clarify the problems that are made in sector management and competition in taking more contribution and the need to change attitude and more comprehensive paying attention to affairs. 12. Organize active groups in some pilot villages 13. Provide relationship between public and official bodies with public planning approach. 14. Provide a unit project of integrating public project and expertise opinions in integrated management workshops with the goal of using new knowledge and responsibility and commitment towards project implementation. 15. (QVXUHWKHXVHIXOOLIHRIWKHSURMHFWVGXHWRSHRSOHUHVSRQVLELOLW\RQSURMHFWFRQVHUYDWLRQDQG maintenance that could solve one of the governmental challenges on spending large cost for project maintenance. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 39

16. Success implementation of different projects with people participation and management. 17. Make projects cheaper and save executive costs by 50 percent than to implementation in a different method. 18. Get appropriate training and learning from this method and do the action by governmental and public visitors of other provinces across the country. 19. Create jobs for rural women and men and increase their ability to participate with private sectors and international agencies such as micro fund grants of environmental facilities. 20. Improve people relationship and their ability to follow different projects in several governmental sectors. 21. Restoration of qanats and springs, pool construction for water storage and improve irrigation system of farms and gardens. 22. Increase production and income of farmers who owned land and water with implementing related projects. 23. Control and decrease floods (conservation of houses, roads and farms and …) 24. Participate women in social activities and their attempts for participate in rural public decision makings. 25. Create an extension sample farm and produce extractions from medical plants by women independent cooperative of Lazour village and rangelands management and produce high quality honey by rural women of Rameh village. 26. Restoration of rangelands through biological activities by rural people. 27. Provide short and midterm job opportunity and stabilize these jobs in long term due to joint projects implementation especially garden development. 28. Inform farmers about integrated management of pests and produce organic products using farmer field school in sample farms. Insufficiencies: 1. Structural weakness in the framework of first document. 2. Divide the pilot watershed into three parts (watershed management in the north, combating desertification and sustainable agriculture development project in the south) has led to integrated management and sever intersectional lack of coordination. 3. Lack of strategic plan as road map and action steps determination. 4. Lack of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan and turning it into an imperfect monitoring that is not compatible with limited executive activities in rural pilots. 5. Weakness and insufficiency in intersectional coordination of project. 6. Failure of ultra- sectional action by umbrella project. 7. Amateur facilitators with low awareness about the subject and dual and uncoordinated behavior of governmental and nongovernmental sectors of the project with local people in reducing the main goals of project and presenting confusing and problematic opinions (make misconception of people about infinite funds). 8. Some managers and authorities do not believe in participation approach and ability of local people. 9. Almost great changes from managers to authorities and experts of the region have made great shocks and interruptions on project. 10. Not being completed studies to be used in executive projects. 11. Not follow rural executive actions by governmental sector has caused to decrease pilots. 40 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

12. Select 8 villages at the northern part and 9 villages at the southern part of the pilot watershed with area of 1.2 ha could not show the effects of implementation and the continuity of action and made problems for developing model. 13. Not being clear the goals of project for people and governmental stakeholders in most pilots have caused to select the development animators inappropriately and isolate rural people and failure of predicted goals. 14. Not generalizing formation of development group in some selected villages to other pilot areas of the project. 15. Lack of a communication network between local organizations of pilot areas. 16. Make challenges for people due to inconsistent of spending money in governmental agreements with spending money in participatory projects. 17. Lack of adjustment in providing performance report of project achievements and governmental performance report. 18. Not establishing rural development funds due to lack of an official structure for its performance and loss of the opportunity for governmental funds return (governmental loans) trough stakeholders to this fund in order to use in new local projects. 19. Not spending a significant costs from UNDP funds due to lack of its prediction to allocate foreign currencies on executive projects has caused to not implementation of some women and youths projects with state funds. 20. Limitations in allocating the funds of watershed management on projects such as animal husbandry, small industries and other local priorities based on the agreements of Hableh Roud project caused to eliminate some groups. 21. Quick implementation of the project in some pilots has led to fail people participation. 22. Several management and decision making centers made interruption for project progress. 23. Decision making, project approving and implementing took a long time due to not participating local people. 24. Use from bank facilities is difficult due to the complexity in administrative affairs. 25. Not use from such studies in other countries. 26. Not adhere to some promises and being under orders of outsiders has seriously affected the issue of participation. 27. Lack of a female expert and facilitator on women participation in south. 28. Remove the section of sustainable agriculture development from the project and continue the project only in natural resources section. Opportunities: 1. Create an appropriate space for doing construction activities, production and services by people and provide conditions for macro and strategic planning by government. 2. (QKDQFHWKHFDSDFLW\RIORFDOSHRSOHWRGRGLIIHUHQWVLPSOHDQGFRPSOH[ZRUNVLQWKHLUUHJLRQVDQG solve their common problems. 3. Simultaneous use of indigenous and modern knowledge with the goal of achieving to more integrated programs and perfect actions. 4. Change views among government and local communities to make more agreement for maximum use of available capacities. Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project 41

5. Being responsible for conservation and protection of different resources through effective participation of all people. 6. Provide necessary conditions for doing new actions by government while saving macro funds which spend for repairing and protecting of different projects every year. 7. Make public trust and satisfaction about correctly use of national and provincial funds and remove many common misunderstandings and distrust. 8. Reduce executive costs with people sympathetic participation. 9. More comprehensive use of thought and responsibility of half of people (women). 10. Do hard and complex activities with active community based organizations. 11. Compare two procedures of people participation and their nonparticipation for using all facilities and removing all problems. 12. Use educated and experienced staffs in participation-oriented approaches for other activities in other areas. 13. Understand and determine the existing problems on current planning and practice to remove or reduce them. 14. Decrease parallel implementation and contrasts in decision making to implementation with active and joint presence of organizations and authorities of conservation and development sector of natural resources across the country. 15. More people get benefits of allocated budgets due to more clearly of program and presence informed people.

Threats: 1. Do the project incompletely and without final result and loss the opportunity to improve it. 2. Spend much time, energy and cost without achieving to coordination on doing unit activities by all individual involved in the projects. 3. Taking distance from the main goal due to lack of a strategic, monitoring and evaluation plan. 4. Loss of stakeholders experiences due to stopping or no continuing in other sectors and activities. 5. Loss of trust in local community and beneficiaries of natural resources due to not achieving to the determined goals for them. 6. Inconsistency in different parts of project and create gaps and problems in action process and achieve to main goal. 7. Remain on a certain level of knowledge and not use from all available facilities. 8. Lack of documentation of events and loss many useful results for future actions. 9. Neglect of indigenous knowledge and absolute believe in new knowledge, and vice versa. 10. Use individual opinions and loss team working and non real justification of the projects and take distance from the nature of project. 11. Use unclear methods and unreal views based on the short term requirements. 12. Unbalanced and single-dimensioned movement in different activities of the project (required simultaneous effort and practice in local and governmental regions). 13. Create difference and discrimination in any way and in all its forms. 14. Force in project conformity with current administrative regulations and loss test the new method and its evaluation. 15. Get different concepts of goal and the extent of project by authorities. 42 Review of the first phase of Hableh Roud Project

Recommendations: 1. Develop a detailed and comprehensive document as an action reference has integrated frameworks and does not have any heterogeneity. 2. Detailed explanation of projects for all effective stakeholders and achieve to a common understanding and language. 3. Provide a strategic plan that explains the different stages of the project clearly. 4. Design a monitoring and evaluation system that can have complete control on project progress and act to return and correct it if necessary. 5. Create a thinking room consists of experienced and professional people to investigate and present a logical procedure for given projects by authorities and also, make coordination with upstream sectors to facilitate and implement this recommendation. 6. Create a thinking room for local communities with presence of experienced people and youth with achieving to the mentioned goals in previous section and in smaller level. 7. (VWDEOLVKDMRLQWIXQGWRVDYHGLIIHUHQWIXQGVLQLWWKDWVSHQGLQJLVFOHDUO\DQGZLWKLQIRUPLQJRI governmental and non-governmental authorities and local communities and its duration is until the end of project implementation without any common financial limitation from government. 8. Taken decisions explain for all individual involved in the project with giving reasons and any secrecy. 9. Create conditions for governmental sector to implement the same procedures in pilot areas and not lead to local people confusion and distrust. 10. Agreement between executive and services organizations of pilot area to propose their next year projects using participatory method and placing a unit project to achieve to sustainable development. 11. Stability in management and whole main structure of the project. 12. Determine the action risks of strategic plan as far as possible and propose necessary approaches if it occurs and plan frameworks for dealing with unexpected circumstances. 13. Present additional training based on the requirements of responsible stakeholders of the project. 14. Step by step delegation of the projects from senior management to local level (transform the current pyramid to circle as possible). 15. ([WHQGWKHVXFFHVVIXODFWLYLWLHVWRRWKHUUHJLRQVDQGWHVWWKHXVHGPHWKRGVLQQHZFRQGLWLRQDQG continue to stabilize it. 16. ([WHQGWKHHVWDEOLVKHGRUJDQL]DWLRQVEDVHGRQWKHDFWLYLW\RIVWDNHKROGHUVLQZDWHUVKHGDQGFUHDWH specialized management cores of government and local people to achieve to a plan of conservation and development of local resources with using it in a best way.