SPCS Support
Projects
Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPCS)
In order to implement the Pakistan 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 the lead and initiated the development of Sarhad Provincial
Conservation Strategy (SPCS) with the technical assistance of IUCN
- The World Conservation Union and financial assistance of the Swiss
Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC).
The work on the formulation of SPCS started in 1992. After development
through public consultation in 1995, the Strategy was approved by
the Provincial Cabinet in June 1996 and was formally launched by
then Chief Minister NWFP in November 1997.
The Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy is a pioneering effort
in NWFP in developing a broad-based sustainable development strategy,
rooted both in the public sector and civil society. 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."
Over the years, SPCS has raised the profile of NWFP as being the
leading environmental conscious province at the national scene.
In addition, this province also pioneered in introducing many innovative
sustainable development related concepts in Pakistan.
IUCN - SPCS Support Projects
Right
from its inception, IUCN is providing technical assistance to a
variety of partners in formulation and implementation of SPCS through
grants from SDC.
IUCN-SPCS
Support Projects did not have an overall mandate to implement the
SPCS; their purpose was to work around a variety of Processes and
Mechanisms to enable key partners having the mandate to implement
the SPCS through undertaking necessary actions
The
Planning & Development Department GoNWFP remained the main counterpart
with the responsibility to facilitate involvement of key line departments
of GoNWFP in the SPCS Process. IUCN was responsible for civil society
component while ensuring an interface with the public sector
The
IUCN-SPCS Support Projects comprised of the following phases:
Phase
I: Strategy Formulation (1992 – 1995)
-
Putting in place operational arrangements and development of an
Inception Report
-
Broad based Public Consultations in each district of NWFP as well
as 40 villages in different parts of the Province
-
Separate consultations with key stakeholders including line departments
of GoNWFP; research institutions; NGOs; private sector; media
and academia
-
Development of draft SPCS with extensive review and input of various
fora
-
Parallel efforts on capacity building of key players (Environment
Section of PE&DD) and support to design a few Projects (Kabul
River Pollution Studies etc.)
Phase
II: Transition to Implementation (1996 – 1998)
-
Approval of SPCS by the Provincial Cabinet in June 1996 and formal
launching in November 1997
-
Creation of Environment Wing in the PE&D Department as the
lead institution to facilitate SPCS implementation
-
Creation of SPCS Focal Points and Roundtables in key priority
sectors and themes as a means to influence and infuse SPCS concerns
in development planning and implementation processes
-
Development of draft NWFP Environment Act and Good Governance
Act as legislative tools to foster sustainable development in
NWFP
-
Facilitation to institutional reforms in the Forestry Sector and
corresponding legislative reviews
-
Capacity building of key partners through inter alia a modular
SPCS Partners Training Programme
-
Initiation of two pilot District Conservation Strategies (Chitral
& Abbottabad) as a means to develop local sustainable development
action plans and decentralize development planning
-
Facilitation to creation of umbrella institutions in civil society
organizations (FRC, FFEJ etc.) and interaction with the private
sector to promote the SPCS and its underlying principles
-
Development of indicators for measuring sustainable development
Phase
III: Partnerships for Sustainable Development in NWFP (1998 –
2001)
-
Formal operationalization of SPCS by GoNWFP through a PC-1 with
an allocation of Rs. 10 million out of ADP mechanism
-
Designation of a Project Coordinator within the PE&D Department
and senior staff from line departments as SPCS Government Focal
Points (GFPs) with the purpose to gradually takeover SPCS implementation
and foster proper institutionalization
-
Capacity building of key players in environment and sustainable
development concepts and approaches
-
Initiation of Internship and Environmental Awards Programmes as
a mean to create a resource pool for sustainable development and
encourage actions by different stakeholders
-
Testing of the concept of Demonstration Projects in key priority
areas of SPCS to disseminate the theories of sustainable development
into on-ground practices
-
Continuous formulation of District Conservation Strategies (Abbottabad
& Chitral) through a consultative process; commissioning of
background sector papers while keeping a pace with emerging trends
on decentralization & devolution
-
Greening ongoing programmes of key civil society partners (SPO,
SRSP, AKRSP etc.)
-
Commissioning of 8 case studies on key SPCS processes and mechanisms
undertaken under the SPCS process with a view to learn from the
past and develop a capitalization strategy to feed into the future
IUCN- SPCS Support Project
-
Provision of equipment support to partners
-
Capacity building of judiciary for promotion of PEPA 1997
SPCS
Phase IV – The Exit Phase (2001-2004)
-
Developed on the basis of synthesis of past experiences as an
exit and final phase of IUCN-SPCS Support Projects
-
Foresees increased ownership SPCS amongst relevant institutions
of the province, taking over SPCS implementation through the following
objectives:
1. Facilitating, reforming and strengthening key institutions
(structures, procedures, policies and legislations);
2. Developing skills of individuals and for relevant parts of
organizations of these institutions;
3. Securing finances for large scale SPCS implementation; and
4. Generating, managing and promoting use of sustainable development
related knowledge for the informed decision making.
-
Technical support in this phase is being provided in the following
sectors:
1. Forestry
2. Agriculture
3. Urban/Industrial Development and
4. Development planning
-
Framework of support for technical backstopping includes the following
six (6) focus areas:
1. Institutional Strengthening
2. Development of Core Competencies
3. Mobilizing Finances
4. Knowledge Management
5. Decentralized Planning
6. Networking & Catalyzing and Awareness
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