Projects and Consultancies

Some Examples

 

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Smart Footprint Farming

ETC Advisory Group completed its ongoing dairy farming projects in the Dutch province of Drenthe and received positive appreciation from farmers, project partners and representatives of the province. Independent monitoring by the province showed convincing improvements in water quality. Farmers maintained their income levels at a slightly lower milk-production level and had healthier cows. The activities were built on evidence-based technology, developed with farmers' experiential knowledge. In 2008 the same province asked ETC Advisory Group to develop a four-year expansion of the project, and our proposal was approved. Meanwhile other farmer groups, provinces and municipalities showed interest and some have already approved smaller projects. Furthermore we invited the Boerenverstand Consultancy to become an associate of ETC Advisory Group, thereby strengthening our implementing capacity. Last but not least, we have re-branded our 'Low External Input Sustainable Farming' as 'Smart Footprint Farming', reflecting the relevance of this approach to climate change adaptation.

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Chemical free agriculture

In June 2008, the Sri Lankan government asked the World Health Organisation (WHO) to study the high incidence of kidney disease in North Central province of Sri Lanka. The WHO invited scientists to produce any research papers they knew of. The only scientific study available was the one conducted by Professor Bandara of Peradenya Agricultural University - produced with support from COMPAS. This study suggests that kidney disease may well be a result of high cadmium levels in rice caused by excessive use of chemical fertiliser in paddy cultivation. The WHO requested Peradenya University to repeat the same research with a bigger sample and in a wider area in 2008-2009.

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Review of national health-sector programmes

Health-sector programme reviews are usually commissioned by Ministries of Health and their multi/bilateral funding partners (development partners), which often pool their funding in pursuit of one overall health strategy. Periodic joint reviews, which involve international and national consultants, play an important part in the collaboration between these stakeholders.

ETC Crystal is currently synthesising the outcomes of the four reviews conducted in 2008 for learning and dissemination purposes. Experiences so far point at 'added values' of sector reviews such as: stock-taking of health sector performance; providing a yardstick against which progress can be measured over time, and highlighting constraints that are sensitive and that are not sufficiently addressed by any of the stakeholders.

The reviews also expose 'challenges': health-sector performance is partly determined by a complex of political factors within and outside the health sector; a significant disconnect between the central level  at which policies and strategies are compiled and budgets are allocated and the realities at the operational (district and below) level, where health services are delivered; changes in the role and commitment of the development partners, which impairs sector planning and financing.

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Enhancing quality of care

Upgrading knowledge and skills of midwives in Georgia.

This three-year project aims to contribute to the reduction of infant and maternal mortality in Georgia by enhancing quality of care, through a formal recognition of the professional status of midwives and strengthening of their knowledge and practical skills. The project is implemented by ETC Crystal in conjunction with two local partners in Georgia: HERA XXI, a not-for-profit NGO specialised in sexual and reproductive health, and the Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development of Tbilisi State Medical University. The Georgian National Reproductive Health Council, of which the First Lady of Georgia is the chairperson, plays a valuable role in drawing attention to the poor state of maternity care and the very high rate of (unsupervised) home deliveries in Georgia. Technical support to help establish the 'Georgian Association of Midwives' is being provided by the International Confederation of Midwives (in The Hague). The Rotterdam Academy of Midwifery (Verloskunde Academie Rotterdam) assists in curriculum development and skills-based training. The project is funded by MATRA and PSO.

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Building researchers' capacities in Uzbekistan

The Centre for Development Research (ZEF) at the University of Bonn in Germany is implementing a project on ecological land and water use in Uzbekistan. The objective is to promote the 'Follow the Innovation' (FTI) approach, which envisages closer collaboration between the project's researchers and local stakeholders. ETC EcoCulture designed a capacity building programme to enable ZEF researchers to gain relevant skills for working in inter-disciplinary teams and engaging with local stakeholders. Three of the five workshops were conducted in 2008 and focused on ways to put theory into practice and operationalise the FTI approach. Starting with the concepts of agricultural innovation and inter-disciplinary research, the workshops deepened the participants' understanding of the FTI approach and its application, including participatory monitoring and evaluation. The first experiences in implementing the FTI approach were shared and reviewed, and ways of improving were discussed. Most of the researchers had attempted to use the newly gained skills and were positive about the outcomes. They are becoming more confident about working together with local stakeholders in testing and adapting their innovations. The participants will continue implementation and learn through doing before coming back together in 2009 for reflection and evaluation.

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Gender analysis of renewable energy in India

The gender audit in India was conducted by a national team led by Integrated Research and Action Development (IRADe), in close collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Planning Commission of the Government of India. The appreciation of the audit was expressed in a letter to IRADe/ENERGIA from Mr. V. Subramaniam, Secretary of MNRE, part of which is printed here: 'India is now on a growth-path that has given hopes to the citizens for a better future. Accessible, affordable and cleaner energy is an integral part of that dream, especially for the poor. Unfortunately, despite the rapid economic growth, more than 500 million people still do not have access to modern energy services, which further increases the drudgery for the already overburdened women who struggle to provide food, fuel and water for their families.' 'I am happy to see that the IRADe-ENERGIA team has taken up the challenge of making the energy sector gender-sensitive by executing a gender audit of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). This was done in the overall context of the Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) that provides a way forward for India's energy policy in the wake of the 11th Five-Year Plan. The Plan envisages the economic empowerment of women and improvements in the conditions that affect their health. As part of the gender audit exercise, a methodology has been developed for rating the various programmes of MNRE with a view to making such programmes gender-inclusive.'

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Linking relief and rehabilitation

In 2007 ETC-UA started to explore a new field of work: the role of urban agriculture in linking relief, rehabilitation and development following a disaster or in emergency situations. A number of new contacts have been established and explorations undertaken on how to develop further activities. Similarities exist between food production in camp settings and in urban and slum areas. Experiences with urban food production, like community gardening, may offer good practices and approaches. In 2008 a special issue of the UA-Magazine was published: Linking Relief and Rehabilitation, the Role for Urban Agriculture, with contributions from UNHCR and several NGOs involved in relief work in fragile states. ETC has explored collaboration with local actors in Liberia, DRC and in Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone ETC-UA, together with the Italian NGO COOPI and the RUAF Foundation, formulated a four-year Urban Food Security project in Freetown/Western Area. This EU-funded project is being implemented in partnership with Sierra Leone Youth Empowerment Organisation and the Sierra Leone National Association of Farmers and in close cooperation with Njala University and local and national institutional and civil society stakeholders under the umbrella of the Freetown Multi Stakeholder Forum on Urban and Peri Urban Agriculture (FUPAP).

 

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