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Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) Initiative: People Shaping their Sustainable Futures
[last updated February 27, 2004 3:37 PM]
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General Information
Partnership website(s) |
Expected TimeframeJune Pre 2002 - Open Ended |
Partners
Governments:
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Major Groups:
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UN System:
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Other intergovernmental organizations:
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Thematic Focus
Primary Themes:
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Secondary Themes:
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Geographic Coverage
Geographic Scope: Global
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented: Albania, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mali, Mexico, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, United States of America, Venezuela, Viet Nam |
National Focal Points
At present, no information is available as to whether the partnership has made contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the relevant countries.
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Goals and Objectives
Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
This is a civil society led, government supported, FAO facilitated undertaking.The preliminary focus of the SARD Initiative has currently been focusing on three themes, which were discussed in the International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions (Adelboden, Switzerland, 6/2002), in the SARD Electronic Forum (6/2002-present) and in a number of local consultations in different regions of the developing world and among some of the NGOs/CSOs attending the World Food Summit: five years later (6/2002). Sub-Initiatives can be organized around the following or other thematic areas of action, based on the interests, priorities, commitment and resources of specific partners involved:
* Access to resources
* Fair conditions of employment
* Good Agricultural Practices for SARD
Given the critical mass of Mountain Governments supporting the SARD Initiative in the Adelboden Declaration, the relevant sub-Initiatives outlined in the Adelboden Plan of Action, and that 2002 is the International Year of the Mountains, it has been proposed that the Initiative should begin with a mountain focus, subject to the interest and resources of concerned stakeholders. The Initiative may capitalize on other key conferences and International Years, for instance, 2003 is the International Year of Fresh Water.
* Access to resources
* Fair conditions of employment
* Good Agricultural Practices for SARD
Given the critical mass of Mountain Governments supporting the SARD Initiative in the Adelboden Declaration, the relevant sub-Initiatives outlined in the Adelboden Plan of Action, and that 2002 is the International Year of the Mountains, it has been proposed that the Initiative should begin with a mountain focus, subject to the interest and resources of concerned stakeholders. The Initiative may capitalize on other key conferences and International Years, for instance, 2003 is the International Year of Fresh Water.
Targets and Progress
Partnership targetsExpected results: Speedier implementation of SARD/Chapter 14 of Agenda 21
* Improved human, animal and environmental health and worker and consumer safety through strengthened local and regional capacity to undertake good practices in the production, handling, transport, and marketing of farm, fish, forest, and animal products; * Improved access of the poor to critical resources for SARD, with a focus in Phase I on access by the poor of mountain regions; * More informed decisions that foster the evolution of farming systems towards more SARD through improved agro-ecological and ecosystem approaches; * Improved negotiating capacity of some Civil Society Organizations; * Fairer and more decent conditions of employment in agriculture and more diversified and sustainable livelihoods associated with the creation of new, stable and fair working opportunities for landless and underemployed wageworkers, including migrant labor. * New ventures and strategic voluntary alliances involving various governments, international organizations, civil society, business and industry and/or other stakeholders to promote sustainable rural livelihoods, sustainable farming systems, and poverty reduction in affected rural areas such as mountain regions. * Improved legal, regulatory, policy and market frameworks by reinforcing the knowledge and choices of policy makers to reduce poverty and promote more sustainable development * Healthier people, environment and economy associated with improved awareness, adoption, testing, monitoring, evaluation and, if applicable, replication of good practices. |
Progress against targetsThe design phase of the initiative is progressing as expected with a milestone Stakeholder Design Consultation to take place at the end of March 2003, marking a key step in finalizing the project document to be submitted to donors for funding.
* Coordination and Administrative achievements include the establishment of interim FAO-Major Group coordinating team; refinement of Principles of Commitment to ensure a particularly strong role for the most segments of the rural population, regular conference calls with FAO-Major Group Working Group, updating a data base of partners (see Annex 1) and the nature of their commitment/ contributions. * Efforts to specify objectives and targets include the development of a costed draft project proposal for the implementation of the SARD Initiative, the summary of which will be shared with and refined by stakeholders at the SARD Initiative Design Consultation; the development of a log frame with verifiable indicators and means of verification. * Fundraising efforts include Donor meetings; Submission of a Proposal to the Swiss government for partial funding of the preliminary activities related to SARD in mountains (in follow-up to the Adelboden Conference, Switzerland, June 2002), and ongoing discussions with the USA, Germany, Canada, and other potential donors. |
Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
- Human resources development/training
- Education/building awareness
- Institutional strengthening, including local participation
Depending on the thematic area, training/capacity building would focus on women, youth, farmers, rural communities, and indigenous peoples, local and customary authorities and front line extension officers focusing progressively at the local and then higher levels. Capacity building is expected to be delivered through:
* targeted information support, training/capacity building workshops/encounters, funding for learning exchanges between communities and/or stakeholder groups (including policy makers) to raise awareness of emerging lessons/good practice and building capacity to use approaches and technologies);
* some brokering services (identifying appropriate capacity building service providers, materials and facilitators for indigenous language and specialized technical requests).
* funding for regional, national and international workshops, conference calls, rural encounters, and experimentation with innovative information and communication technology to reinforce their participation in local, national, regional and international processes.
* rural radio and electronic fora (with semi-autonomous and linked capacity for participating stakeholders) and the establishment of an information network which would provide an array of information and technology support to peasant farmers, indigenous peoples, workers, women, youth, and local authorities through community based approaches and learning exchanges.
* Training and support to strengthen local monitoring and evaluation capacities, for example, to improve accountability in service delivery and sustainable long term monitoring of local SARD initiatives (with a special focus on the capacity of women and youth).
Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
Chapter 14 of Agenda 21
The Initiative contributes to the objectives of the WFS Plan of Action, The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Conventions on Biological Diversity, Climate Change and Combating Desertification, as well as to the action promoted by the UN Forum on Forests, among others. Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
The Initiative contributes to the objectives of the WFS Plan of Action, The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Conventions on Biological Diversity, Climate Change and Combating Desertification, as well as to the action promoted by the UN Forum on Forests, among others. Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development
Coordination and Implementation
Coordination Mechanism of the PartnershipLocation of coordination team and resource center to be defined (tentative: coordination by FAO, implementing decisions of an Inter-Agency Working Group, supported by a multi-stakeholder and government advisory board and a multi-stakeholder monitoring and evaluation unit). Regional and National coordination responsibilities: variable depending upon capacity and stakeholder base of existing institutions (possibilities include UN System Network for Food Security and Rural Development; Mountain Fora; UNDAF, others to be identified. Precise management structure to be defined with inputs from Civil Society (including from the NGO/CSO Forum of the WFS: fyl), Governments, and others.
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Implementation Mechanism of the PartnershipPreliminary Operational Activities include the development of linkages between the SARD Initiative and other projects/programmes and the initial collection of materials for a Resource Centre on SARD .
* Annual Progress and Financial Reports to donor governments and committed stakeholders * 2003 Brief information note on the SARD Initiative to the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) of FAO; * 2005 Mid-Term review of financial and other resources committed by Government, stakeholders, and community based organizations; Stocktaking on SARD in Mountains Regions (Adelboden II: tentative Switzerland) * 2006 progress report on SARD to the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) of FAO and CSD on progress of the Initiative; * 2008 interim report of activities and peer review/evaluation report to be presented at a global meeting on SARD, reviewing progress and possible follow-up (phase II, III). |
Resources
Funding Currently AvailableAmount in US$: 400000
Source(s): NGO
Seed money was mobilized for the launch and other events in Johannesburg and for the March/April 2003 consultation and it is hoped that some additional funds will be provided by donors in 2003 to facilitate preliminary implementation activities. So far the approximate amount spent is $ 400,000.00 (of which approximately 1/3 came from CSOs). Some funds and human resource contributions have already been mobilized for the Initiative¿s design. Tentative arrangements for funding during Phase I of the SARD Initiative: * a Multi-Donor Trust Fund for a five year initial phase (all welcome); * possible arrangements to accommodate separate funding modalities depending upon conditionalities associated with resources; |
Non-financial resources availableType(s):
Source(s):
* mechanisms for in-kind or direct support to specific activities (i.e. to finance and host a series of annual workshops without participating in the Trust Fund; support for sustainable micro financial services or revolving funds, etc.). |
Funding SoughtRequired Amount in US$: not specified
Source(s) already approached: As to how much more money is needed for the implementation of the partnership the precise budgetary needs are still being identified, although a very rough estimate would be approximately $12.5 million over five years. The funding arrangements are still being developed. We are attempting to identify new mechanisms for mobilizing resources from a wide range of sources including, but not limited to, a possible FAO managed multi-donor trust fund.
Financial support contributions/commitments are being developed through relevant links to regular programme activities with FAO, IFAD, ILO (and other UN Agencies) and with the Governments of Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Switzerland, the U.S., and other Governments and Civil Society Organizations. |
Non-financial resources soughtRequirement(s): Office space - Staff
Contributions/commitments of time and human resources are being developed through relevant links to regular programme activities with FAO, IFAD, ILO (and other UN Agencies) and with the Governments of Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Switzerland, the U.S., and other Governments and Civil Society Organizations. Source(s) approached and details: Government - IGO - NGO
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Additional Information
Additional Relevant Information
Update:
• Other Efforts to Raise Awareness and Engage more Partners include (i) Dissemination of a document summarizing the outcome of an E-forum discussion (24 June-17 August 2002) on SARD Implementation Initiatives related to Access to Productive Resource, SARD Good Practices, Principles and Case Studies, and Fair Conditions of Employment in Agriculture; (ii) Finalisation of the summaries of the SARD Initiative Parallel and Side-Events held during WSSD; (iii) presentations and information sessions with representatives of the NGO/CSO International Planning Committee of the World Food Summit: five years later, FAO country representatives, FAO regional officers, Permanent Representatives, communication with all potential partners and interested parties.
Origins:
The current themes and priority needs to be addressed in the initiative emerged at CSD-8 (3/2000), were elaborated at the SARD Forum held concurrently with the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) (4/2001), and were further discussed and refined through the World Food Summit: five years later, the International Conference on SARD in Mountain Regions (Adelboden, Switzerland 6/2002), a SARD Electronic Forum (6/2002-present), a number of local and national consultations (e.g. Venezuela, Kenya, etc.) , and the WSSD preparatory processes (2001-2002) and at the WSSD.
Specific targets of the Initiative and timeframe for their achievement:
(Phases and dates are indicative, subject to interest of participants and availability of funds. Overlapping phases are part of a flexible and iterative programming framework)
Design Phase (4/2001-4/2003): A series of consultations, including two events held on the SARD Initiative during the WSSD: a Parallel Event (26/8/2002) and a Side Event (30/8/2002). A Stakeholder Design Consultation is expected to be held in Rome in late March 2003, prior to FAO's Committee on Agriculture (COAG) meeting. The expected objective of the design consultation is to review and obtain guidance on
i) possible components, outputs, activities and indicators to implement the Initiative,
ii) draft principles of commitment for Implementation Phase I;
iii) alternative Secretariat, resource center, and programme management structures, locations, and modus operandi, and
iv) elements of a monitoring and evaluation system.
Milestones: (Commencement) SARD Forum, COAG (FAO) (Rome, April 2001); (Development) informal meetings at WFS:fyl (Rome, 10-13 June, 2002); informal meetings and Side Events of WSSD PrepComs; SARD E-Forum (24 June-17 August, 2002); SARD Initiative Events at the WSSD (Johannesburg 26 Aug.-4 Sept. 2002), Stakeholder Design Consultation (expected Rome, March 2003).
Inception Phase (6/2002-11/2003): commitment building, resource mobilization, development of eligibility criteria of cases, technologies, information, methods, materials and tools; reception and screening of pilot project/sub-initiative proposals, development of resource center prototype (including stocking the center with easily retrievable databases of good case experiences, training materials, off-the-shelf technologies); links with (services and needs of) existing relevant coalitions, rural networks, institutions, and funding sources; consultation on innovative mechanisms to promote rapid two way communications in rural areas without internet access; project management structure review; monitoring and evaluation responsibilities.
Milestones: International Conference on SARD in Mountain Regions (Adelboden, Switzerland, 16-20 June 2002); World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 26 Aug.-4 Sept. 2002); Bishkek Global Mountain Summit (Kyrgztan, 29 Oct.-1 Nov. 2002)
Implementation Phase I (pending funding, 2003-10/2008): To optimize resources and synergies with other organizations, the resource center and funding support will develop gradually depending upon participant interests, community demands, the availability of funding, and possibly relationship to themes receiving global attention associated with International Years (IY). A set of stakeholders and Governments have already expressed an interest in developing and supporting a set of sub-initiatives and actions focused on SARD in Mountain Regions IY Mountains 2002, Freshwater, SARD for environmental and human health, SARD in semi-arid and degraded regions, indigenous knowledge and practices for SARD, building accountability of agricultural, financial, and social services for SARD, SARD for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Livelihoods are some examples of the many possibilities. In 2006, an external, multi-stakeholder SARD Initiative Review is planned, to coincide with the end of the UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty.
Indicative Programming Sequence (other specific targets/time frames to be determined based on thematic sub-initiatives): 2003-2005
1. establish a coordinating team and resource center to support SARD sub-initiatives, capacity building, consultations, monitoring and evaluation, and local access to information, training, technology, funding and others resources for a 5 year initial phase;
2. develop clear links, joint work plans (if applicable), and defined responsibilities with existing networks, mechanisms, programmes, and institutions (e.g. UN System Network for Food Security and Rural Development; Mountain Fora, Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Life Schools, Regional capacity building networks, etc.); launch awareness raising about the SARD Initiative;
3. for the Resource Center, draw on, develop, and consolidate existing compilations of successful SARD experiences and programmes that have resulted in visible improvements at the local, national and regional levels (possibilities include Integrated Pest Management, Organic Agriculture, Conservation Agriculture, Sustainable Fisheries Management; Sustainable Forest Management, Participatory Animal/Plant Breeding or conservation through use; options for alternative paths of farming systems evolution towards SARD; innovative processing/marketing techniques and chains; worker conditions, knowledge, health; secure natural resource access for the landless; etc.) News bulletin/rural radio featuring select highlights to raise broad awareness of community/national successes and available approaches/techniques/methods.
4. based on community and national requests (including those from non-literate groups), identify and provide seed money and limited funding (range for each $1,000-30,000) and monitoring and evaluation for community/national pilot field initiatives/projects that help to effect the transition to SARD by developing, experimenting with, testing, or replicating SARD good practices that have the potential to achieve rapid, verifiable impacts (focusing initially on mountain regions)
5. on demand, supply of information, targeted training/capacity building, funding for learning exchanges between communities and/or stakeholder groups (including policy makers) to raise awareness of emerging lessons/good practice and build capacity to use approaches and technologies.
6. on demand, strengthen the consultative capacity of civil society groups (e.g. indigenous peoples, women, youth and farmers groups) by funding regional, national and international workshops, conference calls, rural encounters, and experimentation with innovative information and communication technology to reinforce their participation in local, national, regional and international processes.
7. develop a beneficiary and stakeholder monitoring and evaluation system, allowing for timely feedback on progress, strengths and weaknesses of all activities and the establishment of threshold indicators signaling the need for iterative adjustments to the SARD initiative framework, activities, methods, and management structure. As needed, support to strengthen national capacities to monitor local initiatives and exchange experience between governments, international organizations and NGOs/ CSOs, notably through the national thematic groups of the UN System Network on Rural Development and Food Security.
Milestones (tentative): Annual stocktaking through multi-stakeholder SARD Good Practice Workshops (tentative host: Canada/African-based resource center/model farm), followed by SARD Initiative Planning Meetings to review implementation plans, participation, progress made, resource commitment levels, sources, and allocation (2003); ILO International Symposium on Decent Work in Agriculture 2003.
Principles of participation/commitment
The SARD Initiative is a multi-stakeholder umbrella arrangement under which participants can enter into or link up with specific sub-initiatives, including existing projects and networks, according to their willingness, interest and expertise. Actions will be demand driven and sub-initiatives can seek to resolve specific problems, respond to the circumstances of specific disadvantaged groups or communities, agro-ecological zones, regions, or livelihood systems, or overcome specific constraints associated with the interaction of multiple stakeholders in these contexts. Involvement is voluntary, guided by clearly agreed goals and principles of commitment. This Initiative will be based on action-oriented commitments made by partners, which will vary depending on capacity and resources (including knowledge, expertise, and technologies). Each organization itself defines how it wishes to be involved, contributes to the goals of the initiative according to its own priorities and is fully responsible for its own actions, based on the jointly established terms of reference and goals. No organization can claim to represent the views of all the participants.
Monitoring Arrangements (tentative):
The Monitoring and Evaluation System is critical to the Initiative and will be developed and refined in the design and inception phases. The initial monitoring criteria for the SARD Initiative will be prepared in 2003 and additional refinements may be possible at the Mid-Term Review.
* During Implementation Phase I, monitoring and evaluation will support iterative planning.
* Annual assessments of progress with stakeholder inputs.
* Annual progress and financial reports.
* Major external peer review and evaluation at Mid-Term and end of Phase I;
* Major progress reports to Governments and the UN System at COAG 2005 or 2006 and at CSD sessions relating to SARD.
* For the network of pilot projects, short and long term beneficiary monitoring and a feed back system to support iterative planning. Monitoring/reporting on select pilot projects by a multi-stakeholder group to support overall programme development and drawing more in depth lessons to be disseminated through an information bulletin.
* Public monitoring through relevant Internet sites, including that of the Initiative, to provide on-line information on all the activities, promote regular interchange and milestone events through electronic forum conferencing, messaging and news.
* Efforts to support the development of national capacity to monitor sustainability years after the termination of SARD projects/sub-initiatives.
• Other Efforts to Raise Awareness and Engage more Partners include (i) Dissemination of a document summarizing the outcome of an E-forum discussion (24 June-17 August 2002) on SARD Implementation Initiatives related to Access to Productive Resource, SARD Good Practices, Principles and Case Studies, and Fair Conditions of Employment in Agriculture; (ii) Finalisation of the summaries of the SARD Initiative Parallel and Side-Events held during WSSD; (iii) presentations and information sessions with representatives of the NGO/CSO International Planning Committee of the World Food Summit: five years later, FAO country representatives, FAO regional officers, Permanent Representatives, communication with all potential partners and interested parties.
Origins:
The current themes and priority needs to be addressed in the initiative emerged at CSD-8 (3/2000), were elaborated at the SARD Forum held concurrently with the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) (4/2001), and were further discussed and refined through the World Food Summit: five years later, the International Conference on SARD in Mountain Regions (Adelboden, Switzerland 6/2002), a SARD Electronic Forum (6/2002-present), a number of local and national consultations (e.g. Venezuela, Kenya, etc.) , and the WSSD preparatory processes (2001-2002) and at the WSSD.
Specific targets of the Initiative and timeframe for their achievement:
(Phases and dates are indicative, subject to interest of participants and availability of funds. Overlapping phases are part of a flexible and iterative programming framework)
Design Phase (4/2001-4/2003): A series of consultations, including two events held on the SARD Initiative during the WSSD: a Parallel Event (26/8/2002) and a Side Event (30/8/2002). A Stakeholder Design Consultation is expected to be held in Rome in late March 2003, prior to FAO's Committee on Agriculture (COAG) meeting. The expected objective of the design consultation is to review and obtain guidance on
i) possible components, outputs, activities and indicators to implement the Initiative,
ii) draft principles of commitment for Implementation Phase I;
iii) alternative Secretariat, resource center, and programme management structures, locations, and modus operandi, and
iv) elements of a monitoring and evaluation system.
Milestones: (Commencement) SARD Forum, COAG (FAO) (Rome, April 2001); (Development) informal meetings at WFS:fyl (Rome, 10-13 June, 2002); informal meetings and Side Events of WSSD PrepComs; SARD E-Forum (24 June-17 August, 2002); SARD Initiative Events at the WSSD (Johannesburg 26 Aug.-4 Sept. 2002), Stakeholder Design Consultation (expected Rome, March 2003).
Inception Phase (6/2002-11/2003): commitment building, resource mobilization, development of eligibility criteria of cases, technologies, information, methods, materials and tools; reception and screening of pilot project/sub-initiative proposals, development of resource center prototype (including stocking the center with easily retrievable databases of good case experiences, training materials, off-the-shelf technologies); links with (services and needs of) existing relevant coalitions, rural networks, institutions, and funding sources; consultation on innovative mechanisms to promote rapid two way communications in rural areas without internet access; project management structure review; monitoring and evaluation responsibilities.
Milestones: International Conference on SARD in Mountain Regions (Adelboden, Switzerland, 16-20 June 2002); World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 26 Aug.-4 Sept. 2002); Bishkek Global Mountain Summit (Kyrgztan, 29 Oct.-1 Nov. 2002)
Implementation Phase I (pending funding, 2003-10/2008): To optimize resources and synergies with other organizations, the resource center and funding support will develop gradually depending upon participant interests, community demands, the availability of funding, and possibly relationship to themes receiving global attention associated with International Years (IY). A set of stakeholders and Governments have already expressed an interest in developing and supporting a set of sub-initiatives and actions focused on SARD in Mountain Regions IY Mountains 2002, Freshwater, SARD for environmental and human health, SARD in semi-arid and degraded regions, indigenous knowledge and practices for SARD, building accountability of agricultural, financial, and social services for SARD, SARD for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Livelihoods are some examples of the many possibilities. In 2006, an external, multi-stakeholder SARD Initiative Review is planned, to coincide with the end of the UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty.
Indicative Programming Sequence (other specific targets/time frames to be determined based on thematic sub-initiatives): 2003-2005
1. establish a coordinating team and resource center to support SARD sub-initiatives, capacity building, consultations, monitoring and evaluation, and local access to information, training, technology, funding and others resources for a 5 year initial phase;
2. develop clear links, joint work plans (if applicable), and defined responsibilities with existing networks, mechanisms, programmes, and institutions (e.g. UN System Network for Food Security and Rural Development; Mountain Fora, Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Life Schools, Regional capacity building networks, etc.); launch awareness raising about the SARD Initiative;
3. for the Resource Center, draw on, develop, and consolidate existing compilations of successful SARD experiences and programmes that have resulted in visible improvements at the local, national and regional levels (possibilities include Integrated Pest Management, Organic Agriculture, Conservation Agriculture, Sustainable Fisheries Management; Sustainable Forest Management, Participatory Animal/Plant Breeding or conservation through use; options for alternative paths of farming systems evolution towards SARD; innovative processing/marketing techniques and chains; worker conditions, knowledge, health; secure natural resource access for the landless; etc.) News bulletin/rural radio featuring select highlights to raise broad awareness of community/national successes and available approaches/techniques/methods.
4. based on community and national requests (including those from non-literate groups), identify and provide seed money and limited funding (range for each $1,000-30,000) and monitoring and evaluation for community/national pilot field initiatives/projects that help to effect the transition to SARD by developing, experimenting with, testing, or replicating SARD good practices that have the potential to achieve rapid, verifiable impacts (focusing initially on mountain regions)
5. on demand, supply of information, targeted training/capacity building, funding for learning exchanges between communities and/or stakeholder groups (including policy makers) to raise awareness of emerging lessons/good practice and build capacity to use approaches and technologies.
6. on demand, strengthen the consultative capacity of civil society groups (e.g. indigenous peoples, women, youth and farmers groups) by funding regional, national and international workshops, conference calls, rural encounters, and experimentation with innovative information and communication technology to reinforce their participation in local, national, regional and international processes.
7. develop a beneficiary and stakeholder monitoring and evaluation system, allowing for timely feedback on progress, strengths and weaknesses of all activities and the establishment of threshold indicators signaling the need for iterative adjustments to the SARD initiative framework, activities, methods, and management structure. As needed, support to strengthen national capacities to monitor local initiatives and exchange experience between governments, international organizations and NGOs/ CSOs, notably through the national thematic groups of the UN System Network on Rural Development and Food Security.
Milestones (tentative): Annual stocktaking through multi-stakeholder SARD Good Practice Workshops (tentative host: Canada/African-based resource center/model farm), followed by SARD Initiative Planning Meetings to review implementation plans, participation, progress made, resource commitment levels, sources, and allocation (2003); ILO International Symposium on Decent Work in Agriculture 2003.
Principles of participation/commitment
The SARD Initiative is a multi-stakeholder umbrella arrangement under which participants can enter into or link up with specific sub-initiatives, including existing projects and networks, according to their willingness, interest and expertise. Actions will be demand driven and sub-initiatives can seek to resolve specific problems, respond to the circumstances of specific disadvantaged groups or communities, agro-ecological zones, regions, or livelihood systems, or overcome specific constraints associated with the interaction of multiple stakeholders in these contexts. Involvement is voluntary, guided by clearly agreed goals and principles of commitment. This Initiative will be based on action-oriented commitments made by partners, which will vary depending on capacity and resources (including knowledge, expertise, and technologies). Each organization itself defines how it wishes to be involved, contributes to the goals of the initiative according to its own priorities and is fully responsible for its own actions, based on the jointly established terms of reference and goals. No organization can claim to represent the views of all the participants.
Monitoring Arrangements (tentative):
The Monitoring and Evaluation System is critical to the Initiative and will be developed and refined in the design and inception phases. The initial monitoring criteria for the SARD Initiative will be prepared in 2003 and additional refinements may be possible at the Mid-Term Review.
* During Implementation Phase I, monitoring and evaluation will support iterative planning.
* Annual assessments of progress with stakeholder inputs.
* Annual progress and financial reports.
* Major external peer review and evaluation at Mid-Term and end of Phase I;
* Major progress reports to Governments and the UN System at COAG 2005 or 2006 and at CSD sessions relating to SARD.
* For the network of pilot projects, short and long term beneficiary monitoring and a feed back system to support iterative planning. Monitoring/reporting on select pilot projects by a multi-stakeholder group to support overall programme development and drawing more in depth lessons to be disseminated through an information bulletin.
* Public monitoring through relevant Internet sites, including that of the Initiative, to provide on-line information on all the activities, promote regular interchange and milestone events through electronic forum conferencing, messaging and news.
* Efforts to support the development of national capacity to monitor sustainability years after the termination of SARD projects/sub-initiatives.