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Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPCS)

SPCS Phase-I (1992–1995)
SPCS Phase-II (1995–1998)
SPCS Phase-III (1998–2001)

In order to tackle the deteriorating environmental situation at the global level, a World Conservation Strategy (WCS) was launched in 1981 with the major initiatives and support of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Wide Fund for Nature and IUCN-The World Conservation Union. The strategy embodies wide-ranging suggestions to confront environmental challenges across the world.

Like many other countries, the Federal Government of Pakistan, with the technical assistance of IUCN, formulated a National Conservation Strategy (NCS) after a lengthy exercise, involving technical studies, debates at various levels and consultations with the Provincial Governments, The Federal Cabinet approved the NCS in March 1992 with the following major objectives;

i. Conservation of natural resources

ii. Sustainable development (Development that meets the needs of present generation without damaging the ability of future generation to meet their needs)

iii. Greater efficiency in the use and management of natural resources

In order to implement the National Conservation Strategy (NCS) in a manner compatible with the needs and ecological conditions of the Province, the Government of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) took a leading role in the preparation of “The Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPCS)”. The SPCS provides a policy framework for sustainable development in the NWFP. The history of SPCS comprises three phases, so far.

 

SPCS Phase-I (1992–1995)

During the first phase, the IUCN was requested to help develop a conservation strategy for the Province. The IUCN responded by establishing a small unit, namely, the IUCN-SPCS Support Unit in January 1992 with the assistance of Canadian Intentional Development Agency (CIDA) which was further strengthened, through Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) funding, to develop the Provincial Conservation Strategy and proposed mechanism for its implementation. The IUCN-SPCS Support Unit, in collaboration with the Planning, Environment & Development Department (PE&DD) and other line agencies, started work on the preparation of SPCS, involving consultations with the Key stakeholders, including line departments, research institutions, NGOs, private sector and academia. In addition, consultative sessions were held in each distinct of NWFP, including 40 villages in different parts of the Province. As a result, the SPCS document was ready, which was approved by the Provincial Cabinet in June 1996. The NWFP Chief Minister launched it as a sustainable development agenda of the Province in November 1997.

The fundamental goal of the SPCS is to ”secure the social, economic and ecological well-being of the people of NWFP through the conservation and sustainable development of the province’s natural resources”. The core areas of the SPCS are:

• Good Governance
• Poverty Alleviation and Population
• Community Participation
• Communication and Environmental Education
• Urban Environment
• Sustainable Industrial Development
• Natural Resource Management
• Biodiversity
• Cultural Heritage & Sustainable Tourism and
• Institutional Development

The SPCS contains sub-strategies/action plans for sustainable development of the relevant key sectors/thematic areas.

 

SPCS Phase-II (1995–1998)

In order to facilitate the implementation of SPCS, a support project, namely SPCS Support Project Phase-II was implemented under a contract between SDC and IUCN, supported by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the latter and Government of NWFP. The second phase of SPCS Support Project focussed on strengthening of key institutions having primary responsibilities for SPCS implementation. During this phase of the project;

SPCS Focal Points were placed with the concerned line departments to facilitate the refinement and implementation of the relevant sectoral/thematic strategies;

• Sectoral and cross thematic Roundtables were established to build an interface amongst various stakeholders in the public sector, private sector and civil society and, through their collective wisdom, to guide and advise on SPCS implementation;
• Work on development of two District Conservation Strategies (in Abbottabad and Chitral Districts) was initiated in order to foster the process of decentralization of development planning;
• Various initiatives were undertaken for strengthening the civil society institutions and awareness raising on sustainable development issues.

 

SPCS Phase-III (1998–2001)

An Appraisal Mission was mounted by SDC in March 1998 to assess the progress achieved under the second phase of the Support Project and to identify the areas for further collaboration between IUCN-SDC and Government of NWFP for promoting effective implementation of SPCS. In the light of the recommendations of the Appraisal Mission for a third phase of the Support Project, the Government of NWFP agreed to the launching Partnerships for Sustainable Development in NWFP (PSDN) project with IUCN and SDC continuing as key partners for technical and financial support respectively. A PC-I project, titled Operationalization of Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (OSPCS) was approved at a total cost of Rs. 56.240 million, including a contribution of Rs. 10.00 million by Government of NWFP and the rest as grant from SDC.

The main objectives of the OSPCS/PSDN are;

i. ”Enhanced management and implementation capacity within the institutions having primary responsibility for the environmental agenda in the NWFP with regard to continued strategy development and environmental assessment;

ii. Improved institutional capacity of partners with sector-specific policy formulation, project financing, integrated resources management as well as strengthened capacity in management and implementation at both provincial and district levels;

iii. Strengthened networking and collaboration amongst civil society partners as well as government agencies with a view to achieving more effective working at the community level;

iv. Sustained support to the private sector through commitment and action for sustainable development.”

The Project activities are carried out in various areas through several line departments of Government of NWFP, with pivotal role of PE&DD, and a select number of civil society organizations, supported by Focal Points and Roundtables. Main operational sectors of the project are;

• Capacity Development (Public and Private Sector)
• Strategic Planning · District Conservation Strategies
• Communication
• Environmental Education
• Financing Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Forestry
• Bio-diversity
• Primary Environmental Care
• Sustainable Industrial Development
• Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism
• Assessing progress towards sustainable development
• Gender

In order to facilitate the implementation of SPCS, integration of environmental concerns into developmental planning and participation of civil society in debates for input into policy/decision making process, following operational approaches have been introduced;

• Capacity Building;
• Institutional Strengthening;
• Networking and facilitation;
• Demo Projects; and
• District Conservation Strategies.

The following institutional mechanisms have been put in place for implementation of the third phase of the project;

• A Project Review Board, headed by Additional Chief Secretary and comprising representatives of concerned line departments, NGOs, academia, IUCN, SDC and reps of Federal Government in the Ministry of Environment, has been constituted to approve the workplans and oversee the implementation of the project;

• The Roundtable mechanism is being further strengthened;

• CPOs/Additional Secretaries of the concerned line departments/agencies have been designated as Government Focal Points to gradually take over the responsibility for project implementation, with IUCN-SPCS Project Focal Points acting as facilitators;

• A Project Coordinator has been appointed in the PE&DD for coordinating and monitoring the project activities.

Contact:

IUCN SPCS Support Unit
PE & D Department
3rd Floor, SDU Building
Khyber Road, Peshawar,
Pakistan
Tel: ++92 (91) 9210550, 9210930
Fax: ++92 (91) 9210339, 9212951
Email: spcs@iucn2.pwr.sdnpk.undp.org