Embracing Complexity: How to Implement Integrated Land-Use Initiatives for Sustainable Development

26 January 2022. Embracing Complexity: How to Implement Integrated Land-Use Initiatives for Sustainable Development

Integrated land-use initiatives challenge practitioners to look beyond traditional sectoral development projects and engage with the complexity of entire landscapes to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time: poverty, climate change, biodiversity loss, and deforestation, among others. Reflecting the promise of this approach, the number of initiatives has grown substantially over the last decade or so, leading to a wide range of approaches and a large amount of innovation. However, there is limited consensus on best practice in integrated land use.

To fill these gaps, the BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes (ISFL) has taken stock of best practices and lessons learned from more than 150 initiatives implemented globally in a new report, “Toward a Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development: A Guide to Integrated Land-Use Initiatives” and accompanying “Resource and Case Studies Booklet.”

This event, marking the launch of the report, seeks to open this conversation by convening practitioners, academics, and other experts around the world to share insights and discuss the way forward. The launch will take place over two virtual sessions, each focusing on four of the eight themes identified in the report.

• Why these initiatives represent promising solutions to local and global challenges
• How integrated land-use initiatives have been implemented around the world, including key challenges practitioners have faced and lessons learned
• In what ways each of the eight themes are key to the success of these initiatives
• The future of integrated land useSession 1: Multistakeholder Engagement, Environmental Focus, Economic Focus, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

Session 1: January 19, 2022 | Multistakeholder Engagement, Environmental Focus, Economic Focus, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

Session 2: January 26, 2022 | Boundary Setting, Land Tenure, Financing Strategies, Cross-Sectoral Coordination

Speakers:

• Dr. Jeffry Sayer, University of British Colombia
• Semaly Kisamo, USAID Tanzania
• Paolo Cerruti of CIFOR. Toward a Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development: a guide to integrated Land-use initiatives. Yangambi, DRC, supported by the European Union 
• Tuuli Johanna Bernadini (World Bank) - Sustainable low carbon development - Orinoquia Region Colombia

Resource:

New financial solutions for farmers

In November, the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and ISFL wrapped up an innovative Sustainable Agricultural Banking Program that worked with banks from seven African countries to scale up sustainable value-chain financing in the agricultural sector.

During this five-week online program, participants – including lending staff and senior bank managers – worked with leading financial experts and mentors with decades of experience in the agricultural banking sector. Under their guidance, participants conducted in-depth value-chain analyses and developed new types of financial products tailored to existing or potential agricultural clients.

Through interactive sessions and hands-on, practical assignments, the program’s four modules explored the principles of agricultural value-chain financing, product development, client assessment and credit policy for sustainable lending, as well as loan monitoring and administration for climate-smart agriculture.