Applying Landscape and Sustainable Land Management (L-SLM) for mitigating land degradation and contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas. FINAL REPORT Client: REC Caucasus and UNEP, financed by GEF 12.12.2017 Project title: Applying Landscape and Sustainable Land Management (L-SLM) for mitigating land degradation and contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas. Client: REC Caucasus and UNEP, financed by GEF Local partner Financing: GEF Citation: Kirchmeir, H., Joseph, A., Huber, M. 2017: Applying Landscape and Sustainable Land Management (L-SLM) for mitigating land degradation and contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas: Final report. E.C.O. Institute of Ecology, Klagenfurt, 61 p. Implementation: E.C.O. Institute of Ecology Jungmeier GmbH Lakeside B07 b, 2. OG A-9020 Klagenfurt Tel.: 0463/50 41 44 E-Mail: [email protected] Web site: www.e-c-o.at Klagenfurt, November 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 6 1_1 Context 6 1_2 Objective and tasks of the consultancy 6 2 Results & Deliverables 7 2_1 Draft outline for a model pilot (micro) L-SLM project with accompanying guiding notes 7 2_2 Recommendations on criteria and procedures for validation of partners pilot projects 10 2_2_1 Selection criteria 10 2_3 Selection process of 6 communities/hotspots for implementation of 6 pilot (micro) L-SLM projects 12 2_4 Report on selection of 6 pilot (micro) L-SLM project areas 13 2_4_1 Additional sites visited, but not selected 15 2_5 Pilot (micro) project proposals 19 2_5_1 Akhmeta: Improve degraded part of sheep migration corridor in Alaverdi community 20 2_5_2 Akhmeta: Improve productivity of pastures in Shenako community 26 2_5_3 Dedoplistskaro: Introduction of a crop rotation system 33 2_5_4 Dedoplistskaro: Rehabilitation of windbreaks 40 2_5_5 Gardabani: Improve degraded land through establishment of fruit orchards in Gamarjveba community 49 2_5_6 Gardabani: Rehabilitating of vegetation cover on degraded pasture land in Lemshveniera community 57 3 Annex 65 3_1 Overview on missions & meetings 65 I NTRODUCTION List of Figures Figure 1: Talking to local land users on degradation phenomena and challenges. 12 Figure 2: Overview on the location of the proposed project sites (background: Google Physical). 13 Figure 3: Degraded pastures in Shenako (left). Degraded land on the migration route in close to Alaverdi community (right). 13 Figure 4: Location of sites selected to rehabilitate degraded windbreaks in Dedoplistskaro. 14 Figure 5: A local farmer demonstrating the degraded land in Lemshveniera. 14 Figure 6: Degraded pasture land south of Gamarjveba (left): Soil loss by wind erosion is indicated by enrichment of stones at the soil surface. 15 Figure 7: Migrations routs from the Higher Caucasus to the winter pastures in East Georgia (pink lines). 20 Figure 8: Location of sites selected to improve degraded pastures on the rest place at the sheep migration root (dashed lines). 21 Figure 9: Potential arrangement of paddocks at the rest place. 22 Figure 10: Change in land use practice in Shenako from the 19th to 21st Century (own scheme). 26 Figure 11: Location of sites selected to improve pastures and fodder production (red polygons) in Shenako. 27 Figure 12: Some parts of pastures show significant amounts of weeds (thistles) which are unsuitable as fodder for cows. 28 Figure 13: The maps is showing possible sites for pea growing in Dedoplistskaro. Fehler! Textmarke nicht definiert. Figure 14: Proposed rotation schema for wheat, pea and buckwheat. 35 Figure 15: Location of sites selected to rehabilitate degraded windbreaks in Dedoplistskaro. 42 Figure 16: Planting scheme for windbreak rehabilitation. 43 Figure 17: The Zemo Samgori irrigation system is located east of Tbilisi. 50 Figure 18: Degraded pasture land south of Gamarjveba. 51 Figure 19: Location of sites selected to improve degraded south of the village of Gamarjveba. 51 Figure 20: Optional phasing concept, fencing schema and availability of water pipeline. 53 Figure 21: The Zemo Samgori irrigation system is located east of Tbilisi. 57 Figure 22: A local farmer demonstrating the degraded land in Lemshveniera. 58 Figure 23: Location of site selected to improve degraded pasture land west of the village of Lemshveniera. 59 Figure 24: Potential sub-division of pasture land into paddocks. 60 1 4 Abbreviations AMMAR - Agriculture Modernization, Market Access and Resilience MENRP - Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Center MoA - Ministry of Agriculture SLM – Sustainable land management ToT – Training of Trainers I NTRODUCTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1_2 Objective and tasks of the consultancy The project is tendered by the Executing Agency Regional 1_1 Context Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus) on behalf of the Implementing Agency: United Nations Environment Programme Inappropriate land use practices – especially in the context of climate (UNEP). The activities are financed by Global Environmental Facility change – are threatening food security, livelihoods and the functioning of (GEF). ecosystem services. In Georgia, unsustainable land use practices refer The task of the international consultant is the preparation of 6 pilot to phenomena such as deforestation, overgrazing and improper (micro) project proposals. The pilot projects shall address the application agricultural management systems. The result is, that valuable land of L-SLM for mitigating land degradation and shall contribute to poverty resources in Georgia are degrading – a process that is being enhanced reduction in 3 rural municipalities in Georgia. by the effects of climate change (e.g. droughts). The time frame of the assignment is from 1. September 2017 – 30. National and rural decision-making frameworks do not provide the October 2017 and comprises the following tasks: adequate legal parameters and tools to support Landscape and sustainable Land management (L-SLM). Current policies result in ▪ Based on already existing background information, field trips and disparate organizations responsible for various land management meetings/interviews with local stakeholders (local authorities sectors making unilateral decisions that lead to uncoordinated and farmers) facilitation of work to select 6 communities/hot approaches. Consequently, “on the ground” management decisions spots for implementation of 6 pilot L-SLM projects in the made by responsible communities and resource users do not benefit following 3 rural municipalities: Akhmeta, Dedoplistskaro, from the guidance of coordinated, national strategies. (Kakheti Region) and Gardabani (Kvemo Kartli Region) of Georgia The overall objective of the project is therefore, to support the integration ▪ Identification of 6 pilot (micro) L-SLM project areas within the of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) principles and practices into above 3 selected communities/hot spots –one pilot area (10-60 national policy and institutional framework to ensure adoption of ha in size) in each community economically viable practices by rural communities. ▪ Preparation of 6 pilot (micro) project proposals applying L-SLM The baseline analysis revealed that land degradation and climate change Deliverables are: trends are especially visible in the lowlands of Eastern Georgia. The regions Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli and Shida Kartli were identified as most 1) Draft outline for a model pilot (micro) L-SLM project with vulnerable to desertification – a territory with more than 700,000 people accompanying guiding notes that will become eco-migrants if there is no radical change in land 2) Recommendations on criteria and procedures for validation of management practices. potential partners (CBO/local farmers) and their selection process for implementation of the pilot (micro) projects With the implementation of six pilot projects, the L-SLM program wants 3) Report on selection process of 6 communities/hot spots for to demonstrate sustainable land management practices in three different implementation of 6 pilot (micro) L-SLM projects municipalities and to encourage the adaptation by local communities. 4) Report on selection of 6 pilot (micro) L-SLM project areas The pilot projects focus on agroforestry (windbreaks), sustainable 5) Draft 6 pilot (micro) project proposals – including their technical pasture management and soil protection. Set aim is the contribution to monitoring and evaluation plans an improvement of livelihoods, food security and rural development. 6) Final report 6 R E S U L T S & D ELIVERABLES 2 RESULTS & DELIVERABLES contribute to rehabilitate vegetation cover, increase productivity and other ecosystems services? This paragraph will describe the envisaged activities and discusses the systemic approach on community level.] 2_1 Draft outline for a model pilot (micro) L-SLM project with accompanying guiding notes Specification of pilot area [This section deals with the current degradation problems and the The chapters below are the draft template proposed for all 6 pilot- related driving factors within the pilot area. The physically observed microprojects. The individual sections have [explanatory remarks] inside problem (decrease of productivity, loss of vegetation cover, soil-loss and should serve for a comprehensive elaboration of microprojects. through erosive processes etc.) have to be analyses by the socio- Applying Landscape and Sustainable Land Management (L- economic environment. What are the driving factors, which leads to the SLM) for Mitigating Land Degradation and Contributing to currently observed problem? Is it linked to global changes?] Poverty