CACILM at CRIC 5: a pragmatic approach to SLM

The Central Asian experience provides lessons and ideas to support the advancement of the Convention and facilitate a shift from thought to action.

 

At the request of the Central Asian countries, the GM organized an interactive dialogue on the Central Asian Countries Initiative on Land Management (CACILM), during the 5^th Session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC.5).

 

The panel, consisting of the 5 Central Asian UNCCD Focal Points, the GM, GEF, CCD Project of GTZ, UNDP and UNEP, responded to questions from the floor around the two main themes of how to go about building a programmatic approach and how to ensure sustainability.

 

It clearly emerged from the discussions that the problem of land degradation in Central Asia is of such dimensions that no single source of financing can be relied upon to address it. CACILM is therefore looking to attract multi-source funding consisting of a mix of national allocations, loans and grants from donor agencies and innovative sources of finance.

 

The Central Asian countries highlighted the extensive consultation process led by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to bring together CACILM. Kubanychbek Kulov, National Focal Point of Kyrgyzstan pointed out that at national level, CACILM will facilitate a reform process for improving the policy, legislative and incentive frameworks to support the adoption of SLM practices. 

Nustatullo Nozaninov, NFP of Tajikistan added that while this reform process is ongoing, field level activities will also be undertaken. He highlighted the ADB project on Rural Development and discussed the blend of grant and loan financing, clarifying that the grant component accounted for over 50% of the total USD 23 million.

 

Roshan Cooke, GM Programme Coordinator for Asia & Pacific, said that the most rewarding aspect of CACILM had been the consultation and partnership-building process that involved extensive dialogue, which led to effective collaboration based on trust and transparency.

 

Anneke Trux, GTZ, believes that “CACILM has enhanced transparency with regard to UNCCD implementation.  For the first time we have more or less a complete picture of what is going on in Central Asia and this has positive practical impacts”. In terms of coherence, she cautioned that, “CACILM is a pre-Paris Declaration process and the world keeps changing”. She stressed that, “we need to link up with PRSP processes so that we build coherence”.

 

Walter Lusigi, GEF said, “Farmers are surrounded by a livelihood system – they do not separate water from land or forests. CACILM has wisely drawn on this holistic approach which has the potential to influence other regional processes”. This was echoed by Maryam Fuller, UNDP, “the multi-country aspect of programme is innovative and must be used as a vehicle to look at cross-fertilization and exchange.”

 

Christian Mersmann, Managing Director, GM, concluded, “CACILM is arguably the first real multi-country GEF programme under the focal area on land degradation (OP15) and the GM is very proud to be part and partner of this initiative. CACILM is a process which will now prove its quality in the implementation phase”.

For more information, please contact:

Mr Roshan Cooke, Programme Coordinator, Asia and Pacific
Tel. +39 06 5459 2156
ro.cooke (at) ifad.org