The SARD Initiative serves as a platform for the exchange of good practices and resource materials and people’s initiatives to support SARD. With the further development of our Resource Facility it is hoped that the SARD Initiative can broaden this role to encourage the spread and exchange of practices and concepts compatible with SARD.
The following are a selection of examples, from government policies to local initiatives, from the developed world to the developing world, which illustrate a variety of independent actors working in support of SARD. What they all have in common is that they are based on the vital importance of economic, social, ecological, cultural and scientific sustainability for rural development. We welcome readers’ contributions to this page.
Africa
Developing Local Trading Opportunities through Direct Marketing in Kenya
The Livestock Stakeholder Self-Help Association (LISSA) is a non-profit organisation that brings together pastoralists, butchers, market centre managers, and vendors who sell meat in shops and directly to consumers to ensure fair trade for grassroots stakeholders in the Kenyan meat industry.
•Paper presented at the IFSA Global Learning Opportunity in October 2005
Asia
Recommendations for Participatory Rural Environmental Management in Vietnam
In Northern Vietnam, rapid industrial, population, and urban growth have put great pressure on land and water in rural agricultural areas, yet awareness of environmental issues among decision-makers is quite low. As a result of this, the Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute (VASI) carried out research into Participatory Rural Environmental Management during 2003 and 2004. They produced five main reports and a synthesis report, as follows (click on the titles to read the reports):
• Participatory Rural Environmental Management: Synthesised Report
• Rural Environmental Management at Central Level
• Analysis of agricultural environmental institutions in the north of Vietnam
• Participatory Rural Environmental Management in the Red River Delta
• Participatory Rural Environmental Management: In the Northern Upland Areas
• Assessing Participatory Rural Environmental Management: In the Craft Villages
Sustainable Agriculture Extension Centres in Russia
The International Centre for Sustainable Development of Rural Areas (ICSDRA), Timiryazev Agriculture Academy (Moscow, Russia), various government agencies and the Centre for Citizen Initiatives (California, United States) have worked together to develop a nationwide information system in the form of 67 agricultural extension centres across Russia. These will advise farmers on sustainable agriculture methods, and will be used as a basis on which to build future projects to implement and integrated approach to SARD.
• SARD Initiative Civil Society contribution on this subject
Europe
IFOAM advocate support for organic agriculture at the FAO
Committee on Agriculture 2005
At the “Committee on Agriculture” (COAG) session which took place from April 14-16 2005 at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, an IFOAM delegation advocated increased support for organic agriculture. In addition to actively participating in the plenary session and promoting organic agriculture, the delegation met with supporters of organic agriculture in several FAO departments. IFOAM actively advocated the further integration of organic agriculture into FAO’s policies through the SARD process.
Promotion of Local Food Systems and Fair Trade in Germany
Demand for sustainably produced products is increasing worldwide. An example from Germany demonstrates consumer interest for local food systems and fair trade. UNSER Land is a non-profit umbrella organisation of civil society actors who work to promote locally produced food and global fair trade products in the region around Munich, Germany. A system of recognition has been developed for products produced in an economically, socially and ecologically sustainable way, and these, along with fair trade products from around the world are sold in distinct sections of supermarkets and shops in the region.
Latin America
Capacity Building for Livestock Production in Central America
“Supporting Local Agriculture and Rural Development in Central America: Capacity Building for Livestock Production” is an article by Jennifer Lanier of the Humane Society International (HSI) which describes work being undertaken by HIS. The work seeks to promote humane livestock practices in Central America, and to help protect small, ecologically friendly beef producers in countries which have signed the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) from the potential increased competition from industrial producers.
Global
Report on the Human Wildlife Conflict: Case studies, management strategies and good practices
This report explores the driving forces of human-wildlife conflict, presents an overview of worldwide case studies, and identifies good management practices that can help overcome this conflict.
• Download the appendix to the report
Eco-Village EcoEarth Alliance
The Eco-Village Eco-Earth Alliance is a project whose mission is to help the creation of eco-villages & car-free sustainable development by facilitating dialogues and exploring the feasibility of The River of Trees Project, which has as its goal the development of a unique car-free territory for sustainable development composed of eco-villages, organic farms, and green businesses.
LEAD (Livestock Environment Agriculture Development, FAO)
The LEAD Initiative is an inter-institutional project with the secretariat in FAO. The work of the Initiative targets at the protection and enhancement of natural resources as affected by livestock production while alleviating poverty.
Prolinnova (Promoting Local Innovation)
Prolinnova is an international initiative spearheaded by NGOs to build a global learning and advocacy network on promoting local innovation in ecologically-oriented agriculture and natural resource management. The focus is on recognising the dynamics of indigenous knowledge (IK), builds on and seeks to scale up farmer-based approaches. The website offers an e-platform for exchanging information and experiences.
