Land Degradation Assessment in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) LAND and WATER DIVISION 17 WORKING PAPER
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LAND AND WATER DIVISION WORKING PAPER 17 Land Degradation Assessment in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) LAND AND WATER DIVISION 17 WORKING PAPER Land Degradation Assessment in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) By Janie Rioux Land and Water Division FAO, Rome, Italy Ronald Roopnarine The University of the West Indies Trinidad and Tobago Riccardo Biancalani Land and Water Division FAO, Rome, Italy Monica Petri Land and Water Division FAO, Rome, Italy FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2017 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. ISBN 978-92-5-109904-9 © FAO, 2017 FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services is not implied in any way. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to [email protected]. FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. This publication has been printed using selected products and processes so as to ensure minimal environmental impact and to promote sustainable forest management. Cover photo: © FAO/Daniel Hayduk iii Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 Land degradation issues in SIDS 1 2. APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 3 2.1 Approach and linkages between the local and national LADA 3 assessments 2.2 Analytical framework 4 2.3 Selection of the assessment areas 6 2.4 Consolidation into a national database 7 3. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE STUDY AREA 9 Introduction 9 Tool 3.1 Focus group discussion with the community and key 9 informants Tool 3.2 Reconnaissance visit and transect wal 12 4. VEGETATION ASSESSMENT 19 Introduction 19 Tool 4.1 Trees in forest/woodland 21 Tool 4.2 Land user interview on grazing lands 23 Tool 4.3 Pasture/rangeland 25 Tool 4.4 Annual croplands 29 Tool 4.5 Perennial tree crops 31 Tool 4.6 Interview with land user on crop productivity and yield 35 5. SOIL ASSESSMENT 37 Introduction 37 Tool 5.1 Visual assessment of soil quality 38 Tool 5.2 Soil measurements 52 5.2.1 Slaking and dispersion 53 5.2.2 Soil pH 55 5.2.3 Water infiltration 56 5.2.4 Soil carbon 58 5.2.5 Soil and water salinity measurements (electrical 63 conductivity) iv Tool 5.3 Soil erosion assessment 72 5.3.1 Field observations of erosion 74 5.3.2 Field scoring method for soil erosion features 80 5.3.3 Coastal erosion 82 Field measurements of erosion features to quantify rates and 83 amount of soil loss 5.3.4 Direct measurement of erosion 83 6. VEGETATION ASSESSMENT 89 Introduction 89 Tool 6.1 Land user and key informant inteerview on ld/slm 89 Tool 6.2 Detailed biophysical assessment (state/trend) of specific 94 water resources Tool 6.3 Assessing degradation of river/stream banks and lake 98 shores 7. ASSESSING MANGROOVE FORESTS IN SIDS 101 Introduction 17 Tool 7.1 Mangrove assessment 19 8. LIVELIHOODS 105 Introduction 105 Tool 8.1 Household livelihoods interview 105 8.1.1 Natural capital 105 8.1.2 Land degradation 106 8.1.3 Financial capital and production 107 8.1.4 Vulnerability context 107 8.1.5 Physical capital 107 8.1.6 Policies, institutions and processes 107 8.1.7 Social capital 107 8.1.8 Human capital and household composition 108 9. ANALYSIS AND REPORTING 109 Introduction 109 Introduction of the assessment report 109 Methodology 110 Characterization of the study area 111 State of the land resources (and trends) 113 Driving forces & pressures 115 Impacts on ecosystem services 116 Impacts on people and their livelihoods 116 v Responses 117 Conclusions and policy recommendations 118 Establishing and maintaining LADA-local database 118 10. EXAMPLE OF LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF TWO PARISHES IN 119 GRENADA vi Abbreviations and acronyms DPSIR Drivers-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses FGD Focus group discussion LADA Land degradation assessment in dry areas LD Land degradation LUS Land use systems LUT Land use types FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations NGO Non-governmental organization and SLM QM Questionnaire for mapping land degradation SIDS Small Island Developing States SLM Sustainable land management UNEP/GEO United Nations Environment Programme/Global Environment Outlook Introduction 1 1. Introduction LAND DEGRADATION ISSUES IN SIDS Including Urbanization/Development process creating land degradation Sustainable management of the natural resource base is a fundamental issue to support global environmental benefits provided by ecosystem services, and to ensure agricultural production and ultimately food security and livelihoods. Assessing Land degradation is a major component of effective sustainable land management particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Land Degradation is considered to be “…any form of deterioration of the natural potential of land that affects ecosystems integrity, either in terms of reducing its sustainable ecological sustainability or in terms of reducing its biological richness and maintenance of its resilience” (GEF, 2003). Globally it affects over 100 countries on all continents with Antarctica being the only exception (Springer, 2006). SIDS are generally characterized by high levels of chronic poverty, largely rural- based populations and heavy dependence on traditional agriculture and with specific reference to the Caribbean region, tourism based economies. In each instance land degradation has devastating effects on these countries such as significant structural constraints for economic growth, human development and environmental sustainability. At the same time, SIDS, possess unique characteristics, that further exacerbates the problems associated with land degradation, given the small size of the countries (in terms of both physical area and economy), limited infrastructure, distance from large international markets, high vulnerability to natural disasters low level of human resource development and increasing urbanization. Small size, combined with, diverse soil types, topography, climatic variation, lack or in some cases archaic and poor land use policies limits the area available for urban settlement, agriculture, mining, commercial forestry, tourism and other infrastructure, and creates intense competition between land use options. It is estimated that of the 400 ha of degraded land in SIDS worldwide, 120 ha occur in the Caribbean region and 30 percent of the reefs in the Caribbean are at risk (UNEP/GEO). In SIDS of the Caribbean, Land degradation has increased in the last 30 years related in some way to the following factors: • Economic: market forces, trade agreements, structural adjustments, national economic and land use policies, land tenure policies etc. • Social: urbanisation, immigration, population dynamics and growth, cultural changes etc. • Environmental: rainfall variability, water quality and quantity, access to water etc More specifically, land degradation is caused by poor land management practices such as slash and burn agriculture, uncontrolled livestock grazing on fragile lands, poor road construction and unplanned or poorly planned settlements in landslide-prone areas (Ahmad, 2011). Annually colossal amounts of valuable top-soil is eroded away and washed into rivers and out to sea during heavy rains. Over time, the productivity of land for agriculture is lost, as is the productivity of coral reefs as they become blanketed by 2 Land Degradation Assessment in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) silt. This presents challenges in maintaining food security as well as economic stability particularly on the islands with tourist based economies. Siltation of rivers increases the flood-risk in low-lying areas with potential for loss to life property and may also threaten agricultural productivity. Most aspects of environmental management in SIDS are directly dependent on, and influenced by, the planning and utilization of land resources, which in turn is intimately linked with coastal and marine management and protection. Consequently, land degradation also results in deteriorating water quality and wetlands particularly in coastal and marine areas. In the SIDS of the Caribbean, and Latin America, Land degradation costs an estimated US$ 4 800 million dollars annually, and impacts approximately 125 million people within the region (UNEP, 2006). It directly impacts human livelihoods and survival, with significant negative implications for the most vulnerable groups in society.