Download TOR for integration of SLM into Nat Land Use Policy

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Policy Analyst for the Capacity Development and Mainstreaming
for Sustainable Land Management Project
Integration of Sustainable Land Management into the Draft National Land
Use Policy
Background to the UNCCD
The International Community has long recognized that desertification or land degradation is a major
economic, social and environmental problem of concern to many countries in all regions of the world.
It contributes to food insecurity, famine and poverty, and can give rise to social, economic and
political tensions that can cause conflicts, further poverty and land degradation.
On June 17, 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was adopted
in Paris. It entered into force on December 26, 1996.
Guyana ratified the UNCCD on September 24, 1997, and effectively joined the international
community in the recognition that land degradation is a major economic, social and environmental
problem of concern.
Guyana’s Profile
Guyana’s population of 751,223 (National Census, 2002) has a skewed spatial distribution with
approximately 90% residing along Guyana’s coastal strip, which represents approximately 15% of the
country’s land area of 215,000 square kilometres. 75% of Guyana’s land area, approximately 165,000
square kilometres is covered with natural forest. While logging and mining remain Guyana’s principal
natural resource activities, annual deforestation has been recorded at 0.3% with 80% of forest still in a
relatively pristine condition while freshwater resources per capita (cubic metres) is estimated at
281,600 (Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, 2001).
The country has five (5) natural geographic regions: the Coastal Plain, the Hilly Sand and Clay
Region, the Highland Region, the Forested Region and the Rupununi Savannahs. The Coastal
Plain lies about 1.4 meters below mean high tide level and is protected by natural and man-made
sea defences. It is 430 km long and varies in width from 26 to 77 km. Most of the population
resides on the coastal plain which consists of the most fertile lands in the country. The Hilly
Sand and Clay Region varies in height from 2 m to 400 m and is found immediately south of the
coastal belt. The soil consists of sand and is covered with dry evergreen climax vegetation. The
Intermediate Savannah is found in this region. The Highland Region consists of the Pakaraima
Mountains forming a part of the extensive Guiana Highlands that cover an area of 1,300,000 sq
km in Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil.
The Forested Region spans the entire length of the country with elevation southwards, and in
which is located lush, almost pristine, tropical forests and extensive mineral deposits.
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Geologically, the southern section of this region forms a part of the Pre-Cambrian Brazilian
Shield and it is a continuation of the Amazon Forest. The Interior Savannahs are located in the
southwest of Guyana, and are divided into the North and South Savannahs by the Kanuku
Mountains. Cattle ranching and farming are two of the main activities in the Interior Savannahs.
Guyana’s climate has traditionally been uniform and characterized by high temperatures, humidity
and heavy rainfall with temperatures along the coast on an average high of 32oC and a low of 24oC,
humidity around 70% year round and rainfall averaging 250 cm annually with two rainy seasons on
the coast (May-June and December-January) and one in the southernmost region (April-September).
Within the last decade, Guyana has experienced unpredictable changes in weather patterns
characterized by severe El Nino in 1997-8 and extreme levels of precipitation on the coast in 2005 and
2006 resulting in widespread flooding along the coast to the extent that several areas were declared
disaster areas.
The country is well endowed with natural resources including fertile agricultural lands,
diversified mineral deposits, and an abundance of tropical rain forests. The agricultural sector
(mainly sugar and rice) is the most important to the economy, both in terms of foreign exchange
generation and the number of persons employed. Mining (gold, diamond and bauxite) and
forestry also contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which has continued
to grow over the last decade. Per capita GDP for 2009 was US$2,308, up from US$942.4 in 2000
and US$528 in 1990 (Guyana Data Profile, 1996-2009).
Policy Framework
The overall policy is one of sustainable development which emanated from the Rio Summit,
1992. A number of strategies and action plans for sustainable development and sustainable
resources use have been developed and are now in various stages of implementation.
The four principal strategies are:
o Low Carbon Development Strategy
o National Development Strategy (2001-2010)
o National Poverty Reduction Strategy
o National Competitiveness Strategy
In addition, the following Action Plans have been prepared:
o National Biodiversity Action Plan
o National Environmental Action Plan
o National Mangrove Management Action Plan
o Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan
o National Forest Plan.
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National Action Programme for Combating Land Degradation
In 2006, a National Action Programme (NAP) was formulated and adopted by Government.
The main issues identified in the NAP are as follows:o Need for rational planning and management of land resources
o Need to harmonize and rationalize legislation to remove overlaps, and promote
o effective coordination, information exchange and institutional synergies.
o Need for financial resources.
o Need for greater Public Education and Public Awareness.
o Need to increasing Capacities – undertaking skills assessment and training in
sustainable land management.
o Utilising Traditional knowledge – enhancing and incorporating this into systems
of land planning and development.
o Need for sustainable management of drainage basins and watersheds
o Need for Early Warning Systems and Emergency Plans to mitigate drought, flood
and other natural disasters.
The NAP proposes the following actions to address these issues:
o rationalising the planning and management of land resources
o rationalising legislative overlaps
o promoting effective coordination and information exchange
o establishing institutional synergies
o securing financial resources and establishing financial mechanisms
o promoting public education and awareness
o undertaking training and capacity building
o addressing issues of food security, management of agriculture and sustainable
development
o sustainably manage drainage basins and watersheds
o developing early warning systems and emergency plans to mitigate drought
o utilising traditional knowledge and
o promoting regional aspects of preventing land degradation.
Key immediate actions are:
1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of current land use practices and factors
contributing to degradation.
2. Finalisation of a National Land Use Policy and Developing a National Land Use
Plan
Critical long term actions are:
1. Harmonise and strengthen institutional arrangements for land use planning and
management.
2. Identify and Implement Early Warning Systems for disaster preparedness
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Land Degradation in Guyana
Land degradation in Guyana, while perhaps not highly visible at this stage, has been increasingly
occurring and the potential exists for it to expand, corresponding to an increase in the
exploitation of natural resources and coastal erosion. Change in land use has been due to a rapid
upsurge in economic activity over the last ten years, in particular the sectors of forestry, mining,
agriculture with the expansion in state land leases for agriculture and commercial activities.
Guyana’s principal vulnerabilities stem from the low-lying nature of its populated seacoast which
makes it vulnerable to flooding from sea level rise, intense precipitation and breaches of the sea
defences. Factors which contribute to land degradation are loss of forest and vegetation due to
inappropriate logging, forest fires, irresponsible mining and urbanization; improper land management;
changing climatic patterns and coastal erosion due to flooding.
Guyana’ response to the threats of land degradation has been the implementation of the Capacity
Development and Mainstreaming for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Project. The
objective of the SLM Project is to establish an enabling environment to combat and reverse land
degradation through a participatory process of mainstreaming of SLM into national development
strategies and processes.
The overall goal of the Project is to contribute to maintaining and enhancing of ecosystem health,
integrity, stability, and functions by strengthening the enabling environment for SLM at the
institutional and systemic levels through increased and enhanced national capacity to respond to
issues related to SLM. The SLM Project has completed four (4) baseline technical studies under
capacity development and has commenced the mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management
(SLM) into national, policies, strategies and plans.
The four (4) baseline studies are:o A National Diagnostic and Pilot Assessment of Land Degradation
o A Bio-physical and social Assessment of the sub-Demerara Watershed, an important
watershed area with eight sub-basins that recharge groundwater supply for the City and
the coast.
o Valuation study of eco-system services in a pilot area with multiple land uses
o A Framework for a fully functional and integrated Early Warning System.
It is fundamental for SLM Policy to be integrated into a framework for sustainable management
of land and land based resources. The draft National Land Use Policy, 2007 to be updated by the
Development of Land Use Planning Project provides the framework for mainstreaming SLM
Policy component into a national policy. This is highly relevant as Guyana is a country
dependent on the sustained use of natural resources.
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The Need for the Integration of Sustainable Land Management within the context of a
National Land Use Policy
There is need to integrate Sustainable Land Management Policy into a National Land Use Policy
and Plan. It is crucial that exploitation of natural resources does not lead to land degradation
which reduces the health, integrity, stability and functions of eco-systems, thereby reducing the
quality of land and its resources.
Further, Guyana needs to align its national policies, development strategies, national and plans
with sustainable land management policy to support the country’s obligation to reduce land
degradation as part of the national and global strategy to the UNCCD.
The implementation of the Capacity Development and Mainstreaming for Sustainable Land
Management (SLM) Project has received six (6) months extension to its three (3) year cycle to
facilitate the completion of mainstreaming SLM Policy into a National Land Use Policy.
It is proposed that this effort be undertaken in collaboration with the recently initiated
Development of Land Use Planning Project. The Development of Land Use Planning Project
commenced in January with three (3) key experts, an Urban and Regional Planner, a Land Use
Specialist and a Database Specialist. The draft National Land Use Policy and Plan and three
Regional Land Use Plans are to be completed during a twenty-two (22) month period.
This Consultancy is expected to draft an SLM Policy component for incorporation into the
existing Draft National Land Use Policy, 2007 at the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.
The updated National Land Use Policy will then be considered in the formulation of the National
Land Use Plan and the three (3) Regional Land Use Plans.
Objective
To integrate sustainable land management policy component into a draft National Land Use
Policy.
Specific Tasks
1. Discuss and agree on the final set of Tasks and a Workplan with the Commissioner of
Lands and Surveys within one (1) week of award of the Contract.
2. Submit a draft Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Policy component in the draft
National Land Use Policy, 2007.
3. Present the Draft SLM component to a focused stakeholder consultation with the land,
natural resources, energy and environmental Agencies.
4. Finalise and submit a SLM Policy component (in the draft National Land Use Policy),
and a Stakeholder Consultation Report for the consultations completed with various
Agencies.
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Key Deliverables
1. Workplan for the activities to achieve the drafting of the Sustainable Land Management
Policy and the Code of Practice for Sustainable Land Management in the Mining Sector
2. Stakeholder Consultation report for the Draft Sustainable Land Management Policy and
the Code of Practice
3. Final Report consisting of the Draft Sustainable Land Management Policy component
within the updated draft National Land Use Policy.
All deliverables must be submitted both in printed and digital copies (digital copy on a disc)
using Microsoft Word software.
Duration
The consultancy should be executed within one (1) month.
Qualification and Experience for the Consultancy
A minimum of a Masters Degree in Environmental Law, Natural resources or related field, with
experience at policy development level with knowledge and understanding of the UNCCD,
environmental and natural resource management issues in Guyana.
Reporting and Supervision
The consultant will work under the technical guidance of the Chief Executive Officer of the
Executing Agency, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and will liaise with the Project
Associate for all administrative and logistical arrangements.
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