1. It is now generally accepted that conservation is an important
consideration for developing countries. (l. 1 & 1.2)
2. This has been made clear in the World Conservation Strategy, published
in 1980, which sets out the essential link between conservation and
development. Three conservation objectives are identified:
- Maintenance of essential ecological processes
- Preservation of genetic diversity
- Ensuring sustainable utilisation of species and ecosystems (1.3)
3. Foreign aid donors have recognised the importance of conservation
considerations in their aid programs. The World Bank has had an environmental
program since 1970 and USAID since 1975. The emphasis has shifted
from the environmental impact of projects towards projects intended to bring
conservation benefits. Interest has recently been directed toward biological
diversity and wildlands. (1.4)
4. Although Australia has significant expertise in conservation, only in
the last couple of years has interest in the conservation aspects of
Australia's development assistance program been expressed. Australian
support for the World conservation Strategy indicates that conservation
concerns should be included in the aid program. (1.5)
5. Conservation and environmental assessment should be an integral part of
the processes of project appraisal and evaluation. The techniques used in
appraisal and evaluation such as the logical framework and cost benefit
analysis can be linked to environmental assessment, (chapter 2)
6. Many environmental guidelines are available, however these should not
be used directly for project appraisal and evaluation but rather to assist
in the preparation of project specific terms of reference. (2.6)
The intensification of some farming systems damages the ecological
processes on which they depend and hence reduces productivity. Other farming
systems can be intensified without ecological damage. The challenge is to
ensure that when farming is to be intensified it can be done without adverse
ecological consequences. (3.1, 3.2)
8. Constraints on the adoption of sustainable farming systems include the
perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of the society affected, economic
limitations and problems of land tenure. (3.3)
9. Foreign aid donors can make a contribution towards establishing
sustainable farming systems but past project designs have often not been
well suited to conservation. (3.4)
10. Projects can be developed with conservation goals which will conserve
the land, improve subsistence farming and assist with economic production.
There are three stages in these projects:
- Identify the causes of land degradation and the constraints to
countering them.
- Develop and demonstrate appropriate farming systems
- Extension (3.5)
11. A project is likely to have a greater impact if it leads to the
adoption of appropriate conservation techniques over a region than if it
intensively improves a restricted project area. A project must therefore
seek to develop techniques which will be adopted without subsidy. (3.4, 3.5)
12. The Australian projects in northern Thailand have successfully
demonstrated farming systems which would reduce erosion but these have yet
to be adopted on a significant scale by the population in the region. (4.2)
13. The NTT Livestock Development Project in Timor has not yet had
sufficient time to demonstrate suitable farming systems but it is expected
that such systems can be developed. (4.3)
14. In Sikka, Flores, Indonesia, the widespread planting of contour hedgerows
of leucaena has brought substantial conservation benefits. The key
factors in the adoption of this practice appear to have been that the
technique was readily undertaken by fanners, it increases crop yields and
that there was strong support from the local administration. (4.3)
15. It should be possible to introduce conservation farming systems to a
region in a period of about ten years. If success is to be achieved it is
essential that practices be capable of being adopted without subsidy, that
the introduction get strong support from the local administration and that
there be a vigorous extension campaign.
16. It is recommended that:
- Australia should have an explicit policy on conservation and
development assistance based on our commitment to the World
Conservation Strategy. (5.l)
- ADAB should have its focus of conservation within the appraisals
and evaluations area.(5.2)
ADAB should incorporate conservation considerations throughout the
project cycle. (5.3)
- The cost benefit guidelines provided by ADAB should be amended to
include conservation considerations. (5.4)
- ADAB should support and encourage conservation projects and should
seek to develop projects which will have a conservation impact
throughout the relevant region. (5.5)
- ADAB should cooperate with other agencies in its activities on
conservation and development. In particular we should play an active
role in OECD activities relating to environment and development. (5.6)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218799 |
| Date | January 1986 |
| Creators | Brown, W. S., n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Applied Science |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright W. S. Brown |
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