Scaling Sustainable Land Managment Innovations: The African Highland Initiative Devolution Model

Benefits accruing from using sustainable land management (SLM) innovations including technologies, approaches and methods specifically in eastern Africa highlands do not match the scale of their adoption among rural poor communities inhabiting critical ecosystems of global importance. The African Highlands Initiative (AHI), an ecological programme building on more than a decade legacy as an innovator towards development of innovative methods and approaches, unveils an AHI devolution model anchored in policy reforms involving transfer of functions to more localised institutions that empowers stakeholders towards scaling SLM innovations. This paper presents the model whose focus is on multi-stakeholder engagements embedded in a structured process comprising of drivers, facilitators, devolution governance, outcomes and feedback systems. The model capitalises on Innovation Platforms (IPs) to access a large consortium of actors, each playing important roles at multi-scales, and further take advantage of the benefits of decentralisations to leverage support and buy-in necessary for operationalising an effective scaling strategy. Towards operationalising the model, SLM scaling strategy developed and rolled out in Ethiopia and Uganda is described, unpacking its five components: (i) understanding local contexts; (ii) facilitating learning alliances; (iii) monitoring performance; (iv) implementing tangible action including creating enabling environment; and (v) continuous capacity building. Achievements attributed to the model specific to Ethiopia and Uganda include; a systematic strategy for 10 devolution structures (IPs) at multi-scales mainstreamed under decentralised local government authorities; enabling policy environment beyond capacity building; institutional strengthening and human resource development and increased allocation of resources to SLM by local government. Tangible results in Ethiopia include: 1.24 ha fenced for regeneration, seed bulking on 8 community nurseries; distribution of 62, 463 seedlings; 234 km of soil conservation structures; 2 bylaws with 608 households benefiting from Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) technologies. In Uganda results include distribution of 71,903 tree seedlings, nurturing 219 seedlings in 6 community nurseries, building capacity of 153 IP members in seed collection, two bylaws and ordinance; as well as 8,435 ha regenerated. Policy recommendations in support of the AHI devolution model include investment in creating enabling environment, including incentive packages; mainstreaming IPs in local government structures, ; and knowledge management; capacity building; advocacy and awareness building and a political will.Les b\ue9n\ue9fices issus de l\u2019utilisation des innovations de la gestion durables des terres (SLM) incluant les technologies, approches et m\ue9thodes sp\ue9cialement dans les hautes terres de l\u2019Afrique de l\u2019Est, ne correspondent pas au niveau d\u2019adoption parmi les communaut\ue9s rurales pauvres habitant les \ue9cosyst\ue8mes critiques d\u2019importance mondiale. L\u2019initiative d\ue9nomm\ue9e \u201cAfrican Highlands Initiative (AHI)\u201d, un programme \ue9cologique se basant sur plus d\u2019un leg d\u2019une d\ue9cennie comme un innovateur de d\ue9veloppement de m\ue9thodes d\u2019innovation et approches, d\ue9voile un mod\ue8le de d\ue9l\ue9gation d\u2019AHI, ancr\ue9 sur les r\ue9formes politiques impliquant le transfert des fonctions aux institutions plus localis\ue9es renfor\ue7ant les partenaires dans l\u2019application des innovations de SLM. Cet article pr\ue9sente le mod\ue8le focalis\ue9 sur des engagements multi-partenaires implant\ue9s dans un processus structur\ue9 comprenant les chaffeurs, facilitateurs, d\ue9l\ue9gation de la gouvernance, les r\ue9sultats et les syst\ue8mes de restitution. Le mod\ue8le s\u2019appuie sur les plateformes d\u2019innovation (IPs) pour acc\ue9der \ue0 un large consortium des acteurs, chacun jouant des r\uf4les importants \ue0 des niveaux multiples, et prenant avantage des b\ue9n\ue9fices de d\ue9centralisation pour gagner du soutien et du bay-in n\ue9cessaires afin d\u2019op\ue9rationnaliser une strat\ue9gie efficace d\u2019application. Vers une op\ue9rationnalisation du mod\ue8le, la strat\ue9gie d\u2019application de SLM d\ue9velopp\ue9e et largement appliqu\ue9e en Ethiopie et Ouganda est d\ue9crite, r\ue9v\ue9lant ses cing composants: (i) compr\ue9hension des contextes locaux; (ii) facilitation des alliances d\u2019apprentissage; (iii) performance de suivi; (iv) ex\ue9cution des actions tangibles incluant la cr\ue9ation d\u2019un environnement propice; and (v) renforcement continu de capacit\ue9. Des r\ue9alisations attribu\ue9es au mod\ue8le sp\ue9cifique pour l\u2019Ethiopie et l\u2019Ouganda incluent une strat\ue9gie syst\ue9matique pour la d\ue9l\ue9gation des structures (IPs) \ue0 des niveaux multiples int\ue9gr\ue9es dans un gouvernement d\u2019autoritv locale; permettant une politique d\u2019environnement au-del\ue0 du renforcement de la capacit\ue9; renforcement institutionnel et le d\ue9veloppement et d\ue9veloppement des resources humaines et l\u2019augmentation d\u2019allocation des resources au SLM par le gouvernement local. Des r\ue9sultats tangibles en Ethiopie incluent: 1.24 ha cl\uf4tur\ue9s pour r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration, collectin des s\ue9mences sur 8 p\ue9pini\ue8res communautaires; distribution de 62, 463 plants; 234 km de structures de conservation du sol; 2 lois avec 608 m\ue9nages b\ue9n\ue9ficiant des technologies d\u2019 int\ue9gration de la gestion des ressources naturelle. En Ouganda, les r\ue9sultats incluent la distribution de 71,903 plants d\u2019arbres, fournissant 219 plants dans 6 communaut\ue9s, renforcement de la capacit\ue9 de 153 IP membres dans la collection des semences, deux lois et ordonance aussi bien 8,435 ha r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9r\ue9s. Les recommendations des politiques pour l\u2019appui du mod\ue8le d\u2019AHI de d\ue9l\ue9gation incluent l\u2019investissement dans la cr\ue9ation d\u2019environnement propice, incluant des paquets de motivation, l\u2019int\ue9gration des IPs dans les structures des gouvernements locaux et la gestion des connaissances, renforcement des capacit\ue9s; la promotion et la sensibilisation ainsi que la volont\ue9 politique