UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Major Groups

Submitting organization:

Affiliation:	- Non-governmental organization

Name of Focal Point:	Tanveer Arif

Initiative Title:	Combating Desertification in Pakistan

Internet links:	http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/localcommunities/pakistan-eng.pdf#search='scope%20khar%20dam%20pakistan' http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx/sessions/FT3_09/Sustainable%20Management%20of%20Rainwater%20in%20Drought%20affected%20Areas%20of%20Sindh%20Province%20of%20Pakistan.pdf http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/mgroups/success/SARD-25.htm http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/pubs/working/WOR85.pdf http://www.worldwaterday.org/wwday/events/view.php?id=129 http://www.freshwateraction.net/library/FINAL%20TEXT.pdf

Scope:	National: - Pakistan

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: March 1997 End:

Lead Institution:	Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE)

Stakeholders/Partners:	Local communities NGOs/ CBOs Local government

Relevent issues:	- Integrated Water Resource Management - Water Quality, Ecosystem Management, Disaster Prevention

Objectives/Challenges:

1. To resist against drought, land degradation, out-migration and poverty in the area
2. Improvement of hydrologialcal cycle by storage of maximum quantity of rain runoff water.
3. To provide potable water to 5 Union Councils of Sindh Kohistan area by constructing new and improving existing rain water harvesting reservoirs, check dams ponds and repairing and remoddeling of community wells.
4. Introduction of Bio Sand Filteration (BSF) technology to clean drinking water from harmful pathogenes
5. To establish and strengthen local community organizations to participate in the water resources development programmes.
6. Enhancement of ground water aqufier through water recharge process during the rainy season with the help of “delay action” dams, in Malir valley
7. Enhancement of agricultrural producation in Union Council Gadap (District Malir) area through enhanced ground water aquifer.
8. Imporvement in livestock conditions by making water avalibale.

Lessons Learned:

1. Community organization is a difficult task, when we deal with different stakeholders having different interests, getting a consensus is great achievement.
2. Community is a heterogeneous entity, usually having more concerned people with fewer resources and less concerned people with more resources.
3. Local knowledge must be respected while planning a project; however, options should be open for improvement.
4. Involvement of women is important in every decision making, particularly about developing water projects.
5. Conflict of interests should be handled carefully, while negotiating a project among different stakeholders and NGOs can play this role with a better position.
6. Government support is very useful to mobilize for community development projects.
7. Project should be built on a very sound eng. Design in order to avoid any failure or mishap.
8. Apart from engineering and science, local knowledge about the project planning particularly in small dams sites should be considered and a consensus between technical people in local people is always to be sought.
9. Building of water resources in the village reduce women’s burden of fetching water saving about 50% time of women daily. Besides, it contributes towards reduction of water borne diseases. The saved time of women is productively be used in generating income to supplement household income. This in turn improves the status and image of women in family and society. The saved time also contribute positively in maintaining the health of women and girls. Women carrying water from near by distance and it is safe especially for those women who fetch water during pregnancy periods.

Policy Options:

1- Local area development should be given priority
2- Local communities should be organized with true democratic spirit and values and politics should not be involved in decision making
3- Jobs should be created in local NRM programmes
4- Small water reservoirs may be promoted over large dam projects

Summary:

This case study is about a long term programme of Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE) which initiated in 1991, with advocacy efforts against commercial sand mining in Malir valley and gradually converted into a rainwater harvesting and local area development programme and spread in Sindh Kohistan.
1. Survey and social mobilization of the local communities about sustainable management of resources in the drought affected area. The most important part of this mobilization process is to make them agree in financial and labour contribution in the projects. For the purpose of project planning, implementation, and maintenance local community organizations are strengthened with proper record and book keeping, with democratic decision making executing bodies.
2. Technical designing worked is done by the qualified engineers with the consultation of community
3. Improvement and expansion and remodelling of existing traditional community reservoir and construction of new rain water harvesting reservoirs, check dams, delay action dams
4. Fund raising for those project component which are not funded by PPAF’s are raised by various resources including local government, philanthropists, and private sector
5. Project implementation with the active involvement of local people at each step of the project.
6. The monitoring of all activities is carried out by SCOPE.
7. Post construction responsibilities are carried by the community.

The funding is allocated on staff training, community training, staff salaries, vehicle fuel and maintenance, 80% of the construction cost of the projects, and management support.