Beating Famine- FMNR Rolf Shenton Grassroots Trust Zambia Grassroots Trust- Shaping a Viable Future 1
Grassroots Trust- Shaping a Viable Future
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Beating Famine- FMNRRolf ShentonGrassroots TrustZambia
Grassroots Trust- Shaping a Viable Future
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Traditional CBNRM- Adapted Genius Harvest of forest, fish and wildlife
was moderated by local customary rules
Mosaic burning Crops were mixed, no till, integrated
with trees Grazing was planned and communal
to reduce disease and give time for vegetation to recover
ABUNDANCE & DIVERSITY !
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Disruptive Invasion-Conquer nature Europeans introduced sport hunting, soon
banning customary hunting like the “Chila” Ploughs, mono-cultures, fertilisers and
chemicals Clear felling, stumping and plantation while
Chitemene was banned and FMNR overlooked. Early burning became policy
Access to vast lands restricted by Protected Areas and large-scale farms introduced fencing & private land.
Mass resettlement- decision-making structures broken up
CONFUSION AND RESENTMENT SET IN!
Grassroots Trust- Shaping a Viable Future
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Soil Economy in free fall Bad practices spread, environments
degraded, over 70% of livestock and 90% of large wildlife died, crop yields plummeting
Nationalization further undermined local & Traditional Authority responsibility over land and resources-
Africans lost control of soil economy- millions moved to cities straining services
Poverty cycle set in
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Fortress conservation Bunker resource management
structures Little or no meaningful involvement
of stakeholders Elite capture Political appeasement – corruption ‘Fya Boma’ attitudes- freedom
became the freedom to ignore common sense
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Perfect storm Fertilizer subsidies off and on, soil
damaged, yields finally collapsed to 1/4
Farmers clear for more crop land Wildlife and fish finish quickly Urban demand for cheap food and
energy rises People turned to charcoal for
livelihoods
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Summary of decline Sense of ownership and
responsibility transferred from local communities to state
Rights and benefits given to general public via state
New thinking undermined local established CBNRM systems
New technologies replaced tried and tested
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Part 2Solutions
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Pockets of Regeneration Landscape- consistent success FMNR areas Holistic Management areas- Namibian
Conservancies, livestock ranches, farms Wildlife Conservancies- Campfire, some
GMA, Game Ranches, a few Pas
Farm level- erratic success Conservation farming
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Factors for regeneration Secure rights and clarifying responsibilities Organized community-owned decision-
making processes Holistic management of resources CBNRM business structures for commons Focus on soil as robust base for growth Regenerative technologies for biodiversity Consistent and long-term mentorships
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CO2
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FMNR in Zambia Still commonly used around
homesteads- motivation is ascetic No academic or official recognition vs
tree planting Currently low use of FMNR in commons Increased use of FMNR with CBNRM
approach
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Making FMNR ‘cool’
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Holistic Context: Environmental regeneration, economic growth and social stability Soil, water and natural resources
regenerating Organized rural communities, once a drain
on public coffers now take responsibility for their lives, turn profits and pay taxes
Government able to concentrate on public services, security and infrastructure
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT