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COMMISSION INTERNATIONALE
DES GRANDS BARRAGES
------INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
ON DAMS FOR MULTIPLE
PURPOSES
Brasilia, June 2009
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INTEGRATING LOCAL INITIATIVES IN PLANNING OF SOCIAL MITIGATION
MEASUREMENTS IN WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS(*)
Amparo Ismodes
Phil. Lic., SWECO International
SWEDEN
1. INTRODUCTION
Water resources development schemes including hydropower dams and
reservoirs often force small scale poor farmers and indigenous people to
abandon their homes and lands. There is an increased international interest to
find good forms of cooperation between hydropower developers and the local
people living in the surrounding areas. A well executed participatory process
supported with poverty approaches and an inventory of local development
initiatives, have proved to be an effective method to define impacts and mitigation
measures. The use of such tools gives important insight and information which
can then be used as part of the planning process of hydropower projects.
The poverty approach helps to understand the perspective of the local
population and to set up a poverty alleviation strategy. The inventory of local
development initiatives gives detailed information about projects that may form
part of a mitigation programme and long term cooperation with the local society.
In this paper, some general features of social impacts in water resources
development projects, their mitigation and the involvement of the local population
in these activities is discussed. A case study from Latin America is presented as
an illustration of how a social mitigation program can be developed in relation to
(*) « Intégrer les initiatives locales dans la planification des actions sociales
préventives dans les projets de développement des ressources en eau »
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major water development projects. The study highlights the necessity of
coordination between different social actors, the requirements of financing local
initiatives, the possibility of higher participation of the community-based
organizations in the development process. At the end of the paper some
concluding remarks are given.
2. MITIGATION OF SOCIAL IMPACTS
Dam projects can cause a variety of social impacts, positive as well as
negative. Negative impacts can be for example loss of land and resettlement due
to reservoir impoundment and impacts on cultural values due to influx of workers
during construction phase. Positive impacts may be employment opportunities
and better infrastructure such as roads and better social services.
In order to mitigate negative social impacts and be able to take advantage
of the potential positive impacts, it is important to include a social mitigation plan
as an integrated part of the environmental management plan of the project.
Today these kinds of mitigation measurements are normally implemented in
response to environmental policies and legal frameworks.
3. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
However, in practise there are many cases were the traditional mitigation
approach has showed to be insufficient in order to get public acceptance for dam
projects. Scarcity of natural resources, poverty and marginalization among
certain population groups, such as ethnic minorities, can be reasons for
opposition among the local population. There are negative social impacts which
are difficult to assess and mitigate using traditional impacts assessment methods.
These include impacts associated with historical and sentimental values rooted
among the local population. There may be an opinion among the affected
population, mostly in rural areas, that the situation is unfair, and that others will
obtain the project benefits, for instance people of urban areas benefited by the
hydropower, while they will stand the risk of negative impacts. This extends not
only to dam projects but also to other natural resource development projects such
as mining projects.
Therefore, there is a tendency today to put more emphasis on how to get
acceptance among local population when planning and constructing dams and
other large-scale water development infrastructure. Development programs with
incorporation of the local community is seen a possible solution.
There are different forms of how development programs with the local
community can be planned and implemented. One option is that the project
owner sets up a development fund that can help to finance development projects
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and other activities in the project area. Another alternative could be that the
project transfer financial resources to local authorities for instance municipalities,
to be used for certain public works and services in the area. A final option is to
establish development agreements with the local population own organizations.
This last alternative may be of particular interest when the project is affecting
areas with marginalized population groups.
When implementing the development programs, it is of vital interest, that
those are reflecting the true needs and priorities of the affected people. The
active participation of the population in the design of the development program is
therefore of most importance. The purpose of the following chapter is to illustrate
how such local development program may be designed in close cooperation with
the population, using the case study of the Mira River Basin project in Ecuador.
4. INVENTORY OF LOCAL INITIATIVES IN THE RIVER MIRA BASIN
The Mira Basin is located in the northern part of Ecuador. The water
resources in the upper part of the basin is depending on glacier water and high
altitude wetlands called páramos. 60% of the rural population does not have
access to drinking water and water scarcity is a critical problem for farmers. This
situation is leading to high poverty levels in rural areas.
The population in the basin is mostly rural, with predominant agriculture
and commercial activities but incipient industry. The area is inhabited by
populations groups with different cultural traditions. In the upper part of the basin
indigenous communities are present.
The main overall objective of the project Mira River Basin Development
Plan is to improve the natural resources management and to reduce the poverty
levels in the area. In this sense, the area is in need of investments in productive
infrastructure, social services, building of institutional framework and
strengthening of community based organizations. The construction of a number
of medium size dams was included in the Development Plan in order to improve
the water balance in the area.
As a part o the Development Plan for the Mira Basin, an inventory of local
development initiatives was carried out. A participatory approach was used for
the study with a locally recruited field team. As part of this, and in order to work
directly with the local people, a Participatory Working Group (PWG) was formed.
The PWG was composed by community leaders among farmer
organisations and indigenous groups from the area. The group’s goal has been
the mobilisation of the population around the project objectives, and to identify
relevant social actors and local development initiatives (projects) in close
consultation with the local population. The PWG worked also facilitating collection
of baseline data for the study.
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The study was made through interviews conducted with representatives of
community based organizations (CBO) and public institutions. Among CBOs
water users associations, indigenous federations and farmer associations were
included. Examples of public institutions included municipalities, local public
development agencies and NGOs.
Workshops with development institutions took place, where project
presentation and activities to be implemented were discussed. Development
governmental institutions, municipalities and community organisations were
invited to deal with management and administration of natural resources and
water. Socio-economic data collection included 40 workshops with the
participation of 850 persons and 140 interviews with authorities and community
based leaders
The aim of this participative process was the creation of a solid ground for
the more important decisions, which will result on empowerment and
appropriation of the project and generating a co-management dynamic with the
different actors of projects to be proposed in the Plan.
During the project studies new cooperation forms were developed between
the institutions, municipalities, communities and consultant team, setting new
principles for water management. The discussions consisted of a) improvement
of water management through a holistic vision of the basin problems, need of
cooperation and socialisation of the experience; b) negotiation of different
interests in order to prevent conflicts, and c) an empowerment approach
especially oriented for community actors, and based on water management
democratisation.
From the workshops, specific information about the problems in the area
and potential solutions were extracted. The information allowed observing an
extensive poverty situation and gave the Consultant valuable data to identify how
poverty was widespread in the basin.
The inventory of local social actors included relevant institutions and
community based organizations in the region. This included information on
geographical location, working areas, years of existence, number of members,
their capabilities (skills), activities performed, financing and institutional support,
coordination with other relevant actors (NGOs, aid agencies or other institutions).
The results revealed a vast variety of organizations and institutions present in the
project area. Table 1 summarize the type and number of organizations identified
in the Imbabura province forming part of the project area.
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Table 1
Local Key Actors in the Imbabura Province.
Type of Organization/Institution
CBO, Community level
CBO, Municipal level
CBO, Provincial level
NGO
Public Institutions
Total
Number
9
12
4
8
10
43
The inventory of local development initiatives was focused only on natural
resources management. This included collection of data on project objectives,
planned activities, population benefited, geographical area, time schedules and
budget. In Table 2 and 3, different type of development initiatives identified by
interviews with CBOs and Institutions in the Imbabura area are presented.
Table 2
Local initiatives by CBOs in the Imbabura province.
Activities
Number
Management of natural recourses: river
13
basin, wetland, forest, environment
Productive projects: agriculture, agro3
industry, handicrafts.
Training, organizational strengthening
9
Total
25
Table 2
Local initiatives of NGO:s and Public Institutions
Activities
Management of natural recourses
Productive projects
Tourism
Training
Total
Number
2
7
2
6
17
The performed inventories was used as base in the formulation of a local
development program for the upper part of the Mira River Basin to be executed
associated to other water resources development activities in the area.
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5. CONCLUDING REMARKS
The Mira River Basin study illustrates how a local development program
can be developed connected to water resources development activities, taking
into account the needs and priorities of the local population. Such a program may
for example be supported by a development fund linked for instance to a
hydropower project.
The Mira Basin study showed that the various community based
organisations were able to prepare and present different development initiatives
comprising natural resources management oriented to poverty reduction.
An important factor in the project was the inclusion and strengthening of
key actors. Water management is about partnerships which essential ingredients
include focusing on common interests, respecting each participant’s view point,
being willing to learn about others’ needs and positions, and building trust. The
important thing is to pull together a partnership of manageable size, creates
synergy and represents the key interest in the watershed. Partnership comes in
different shapes and sizes, some are loosely structured and others are more
formal. Some groups are open while others are closed. Partners can include any
one who has interest in the watershed. The important thing is to include all the
key actors in the project process, which increase projects credibility, reduce
duplication of efforts and make optimal use of limited resources.
The participatory methodology used inducing the set up of the Participatory
Working Group were local community leaders were represented, made the
involvement of the locals possible and helped to safeguard that the development
program is reflecting the needs and priorities of the population. In the process of
formulation needs and priorities, the consultant could act as a facilitator seeking
balance and reducing conflicts between all key actors.
REFERENCES
[1]
Mira, Mataje, Carchi-Guitara River Basin Development Plan, Sweco
International, 2006
1.1
SUMMARY
The article presents some general remarks on social impacts and motives
for including a local development program in dam construction projects. The
experience of the Mira River Basin in Ecuador on formulating a local
development program as a part of water resources development activities is
presented. In this case, the use of a participatory study approach is highlighted.
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The approach included the set up of the Participatory Working Group were local
community leaders were represented, made possible the involvement of the
population and helped to target the program towards local needs and priorities of
the population.
Keywords : dams, mitigation, social impacts, local population
1.2
RÉSUMÉ
L’article présente quelques notions générales d’impact social et explique
l’apport d’un programme local de développement dans les projets de construction
de barrages. L’expérience du basin de la rivière Mira en Equateur dans la
formulation d’un programme local de développement est présenté. Dans ce cas,
l’usage de l’approche participative est mis en exergue. L’approche incluait la
mise sur pied d’un Groupe de Travail Participatif où les leaders des
représentants communautaires locaux étaient représentés, ce qui a rendu
possible l’engagement des populations et a contribué à orienter le programme
vers les besoins locaux et les priorités de la population.
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