Introduction

Land degradation and desertification has emerged as a major environmental challenge all over Pakistan especially in drylands constituting more than 80 % of the land area. It is estimated that 61 % of the arable land and more than 80 % of the rangelands in Pakistan are affected by land degradation and desertification. As per World Bank report environmental degradation in Pakistan causes an annual loss of Rs 365 billion (6 % of the GDP), where land degradation and desertification contribute significantly to environmental degradation.  Although causes of land degradation are complex and diverse,  growing socio-economic pressures and climate change impacts are the key drivers. Absence of land stewardship, unregulated use of land, land tenure insecurity, ill-planned infrastructure and industrial development, urbanization, deforestation, overgrazing, poor irrigation, and inappropriate land management practices are degrading prime land and natural resources adversely impacting  their productivity and environmental  functions. The absence of adequate institutional, legal and policy frameworks; weak inter-sectoral coordination; limited institutional capacities; and low awareness and knowledge among public and the farming communities regarding Sustainable Land Management (SLM)  are further compounding  land degradation issues making it  a cause of great national concern. The impact of the land degradation together with extreme climatic events like prolonged drought (1997-2001) and heavy torrential monsoon rains with record river flows and devastating flash floods in 2010 add to the depletion of land and natural resources threatening livelihoods of poor marginalized communities. Land degradation issues and SLM processes in Pakistan unfortunately have neither  been at the forefront of national debate  nor  mainstreamed into national sectoral policies, development plans and budgetary allocation frameworks.

Why SLM is important?

Land is an important natural resource which supports more than 95 % agricultural production feeding 4 billion people around the world. In Pakistan, the livelihood of more than 70 % population is dependent on the quality of  land and its resources through diverse agro-pastoral farming systems in different agro-ecological zones. The sustainability of agricultural production and terrestrial ecosystems, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, filtering of pollutants,  and ground water replenishments  are all associated with the health and quality of land. World over, the adoption of SLM  practices over wider landscape has emerged as an important  tool to promote holistic land stewardship by blending SLM practices, technologies and policies in a way that  environmental concerns are integrated in the overall socio-economic well-being of the people. The concept of SLM not only helps to promote long-term sustainability of the agricultural production systems, it also harmonizes the functioning of other natural ecosystems, building resilience of the communities to adapt to climate change impacts.  SLM is perceived as a management approach towards realization of five inter-linked objectives often referred to as pillars of SLM: productivity, stability, protection, viability, and equity.  It could restore and rehabilitate badly degraded lands and ecosystems.  In fact, practicing SLM principles is one of the few options for land users to generate income without destroying the quality of  land.   As such, adoption of SLM practices and mainstreaming SLM into policies and development processes are fundamental to address the complex issues of land degradation and desertification.

What is mainstreaming?

In the context of SLM, mainstreaming is an approach of integrating environmental and SLM into on-going and new sectoral policies, strategies, development plans, programs and projects to promote sustainable use of land resources. Mainstreaming strives to create an enabling environment so that principles of sustainable development, good governance, and stakeholder participation are integrated in well informed land use management decisions.

Why Mainstreaming SLM is critical?

Mainstreaming SLM is critical because it helps to:

n  create an enabling environment  that helps in incorporating principles of SLM  in land use  management decision making processes at all levels;

n  bring all  land related issues equally into the core of all policy work, development, research, advocacy, legislation, resource allocation, planning, monitoring & evaluation of plans, programs and urban planning & development projects;

n  see SLM as a cross-sectoral approach of all sectors, agriculture, livestock, forestry, water & irrigation, transport, tourism, mining, energy etc; and

n  promote better inter-agency and inter-sectoral coordination for holistic solutions of the land degradation issues;

What is to be mainstreamed, and where ?

Mainstreaming SLM (principles, best land use practices and technologies) into country policies  can take place in the form of policy papers, action plans, strategies at various levels as  elaborated below:

n  National sectoral policies (agriculture, forestry, water, energy, tourism and urban planning),

n  Federal Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP)

n  National strategy documents like Pakistan Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), MDGs, National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Programmes

n  Poverty Reduction Funds, livelihood  and rural support programmes e.g; PPAF, NRSP, RSPN, SRSP, PRSP, BRSP

n  NGO and Civil Society Organizations' strategic documents and programmes

n  National Action  Programme (NAP) to Combat Desertification in Pakistan

n  Drought and flood contingency plans

n  Tenth Five Year Development Plan 2011-15

n  Provincial Annual Development Programmes (ADPs)

n  District Annual Development Programmes (ADPs)

n  Donor funded integrated land management and natural resource management projects

n  National and provincial budgetary development processes

n         National legislative formulation processes for legal frameworks supporting SLM

n         Agriculture productions and resource use plans

n  Political Parties Manifestoes and lobbying in support of SLM

n  National and provincial committees and councils in sectors related to land management

n  Land Use Management Plans

n  Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) of profit based companies

n  Strategies and Action Plans under international conventions, the CBD, UNCCD, UNFCC     (i.e. Biodiversity Action Plan, NAP, and Climate Change Communication Report)

n  Regional commitments- regional plans and frameworks e.g. SARC

What does SLM mainstreaming entail?

n  Political commitment at national level

n  Policy reforms for integration of SLM into sectoral  policies and development  planning 

n  Improved coordination mechanisms among stakeholders, especially among line ministries and departments

n  Institutional set-up for SLM at Federal/Provincial level

n  Legal reforms for supporting SLM interventions

n  Capacity building of institutions in promoting SLM

Mainstreaming SLM by Whom?

National

n  National  legislative bodies, including national parliament, senate, and their Committees

n  National Planning Commission and its decision making bodies

n  Ministry of Finance and its budgetary process

n  Economic Affairs Division and its donor assisted programmes                                

n  Federal Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Livestock, Water and Power, Tourism, Energy and their attached Departments/Institutions

n             

Provincial

n  Provincial legisilative bodies, including provincial assemblies, councils and boards

n  Provincial Planning and Development Departments

n  Provincial Revenue Departments

n  Provincial departments of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests, Wildlife, environment, Water and Power, Tourism, Energy and their attached Departments/research Institutions

n   

n   

District and Tehsil Levels

n  District Governments/Councils

n  District Revenue departments and their staff

n  Urban Planning Departments and city master plans

n  Municipalities and their Committees

n  Housing Societies and their housing Projects

n   

Local Level

n  Union Councils and their Committees

n  Village development programmes and activities

n  Land settlements and records

n  CBOs and Village Organizations

n  Rural Planning and Village Land Use Plans