O contributo das parcerias no desenvolvimento local : O caso de agrupamento o Monte

Num mundo complexo e globalizado como o de hoje, as instituições não sobreviverão se tiverem visões que não ultrapassem seus obstáculos. Elas precisam descobrir parceiros que possam ajudá-las a atingir resultados mais amplos e eficazes. A complexidade dos problemas do mundo rural, ultrapassam as capacidades institucionais das organizações, com e sem fins lucrativas, de isoladamente darem as devidas respostas. A cooperação emerge como espaço de novas possibilidades. Nenhuma entidade isolada possui todos os elementos necessários para abordar e dar resposta aos problemas com que as zonas rurais estão confrontadas. A busca de soluções a nível local sem descurar o intercâmbio de ideias a nível nacional é o caminho viável. Trata-se de mobilizar os atores locais para que se envolvam no futuro da sua zona e de abrir os espaços rurais a outros territórios. Neste contexto nas regiões menos favorecidas como é o caso do Alentejo, com falta de população, as parcerias aparecem como instrumento fundamental para levar a frente projetos ligados ao desenvolvimento local. ABSTRACT: ln a complex and globalized world like the one we are currently living in, institutions are not going to survive if they have visions that do not extrapolate their obstacles. They need to look further in order to discover partners that can help them in achieving higher and more efficient results. The growing extension and complexity of social and economical challenges go beyond the institutional capacities of organizations, which have to deal with them individually - whether they are profit-seeking or not. Cooperation emerges with space of new possibilities. No isolated entity has all the necessary elements for discussing and answering the problems which rural zones face. The search for solution on a local level without mentioning the exchange on national level ideas is a save way. This is about mobilization of local actors with the purpose of a major involvement in the future of the zone and opens the rural spaces to other territories. ln this context the regions less beneficiaries through the lack of enough population like the Alentejo case, the partnerships show up as a fundamental instrument to bring forward projects connected to the local development.

Use of Coarse-resolution models of species' distributions to guide local conservation inferences

Distribution models are used increasingly for species conservation assessments over extensive areas, but the spatial resolution of the modeled data and, consequently, of the predictions generated directly from these models are usually too coarse for local conservation applications. Comprehensive distribution data at finer spatial resolution, however, require a level of sampling that is impractical for most species and regions. Models can be downscaled to predict distribution at finer resolutions, but this increases uncertainty because the predictive ability of models is not necessarily consistent beyond their original scale. We analyzed the performance of downscaled, previously published models of environmental favorability (a generalized linear modeling technique) for a restricted endemic insectivore, the Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), and a more widespread carnivore, the Eurasian otter ( Lutra lutra), in the Iberian Peninsula. The models, built from presence–absence data at 10 × 10 km resolution, were extrapolated to a resolution 100 times finer (1 × 1 km). We compared downscaled predictions of environmental quality for the two species with published data on local observations and on important conservation sites proposed by experts. Predictions were significantly related to observed presence or absence of species and to expert selection of sampling sites and important conservation sites. Our results suggest the potential usefulness of downscaled projections of environmental quality as a proxy for expensive and time-consuming field studies when the field studies are not feasible. This method may be valid for other similar species if coarse-resolution distribution data are available to define high-quality areas at a scale that is practical for the application of concrete conservation measures

Local Understandings of Soil Fertility, Rainfall and Conservation Agriculture in Laikipia, Kenya: A Qualitative Analysis.

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is mostly referred to in the literature as having three principles at the core of its identity: minimum soil disturbance, permanent organic soil cover and crop diversity. This farming package has been described as suitable to improve yields and livelihoods of smallholders in semi-arid regions of Kenya, which since the colonial period have been heavily subjected to tillage. Our study is based on a qualitative approach that followed local meanings and understandings of soil fertility, rainfall and CA in Ethi and Umande located in the semi-arid region of Laikipia, Kenya. Farm visits, 53 semistructured interviews, informal talks were carried out from April to June 2015. Ethi and Umande locations were part of a resettlement programme after the independence of Kenya that joined together people coming from different farming contexts. Since the 1970–80s, state and NGOs have been promoting several approaches to control erosion and boost soil fertility. In this context, CA has also been promoted preferentially since 2007. Interviewees were well acquainted with soil erosion and the methods to control it. Today, rainfall amount and distribution are identified as major constraints to crop performance. Soil fertility is understood as being under control since farmers use several methods to boost it (inorganic fertilisers, manure, terraces, agroforestry, vegetation barriers). CA is recognised to deliver better yields but it is not able to perform well under severe drought and does not provide yields as high as ‘promised’ in promotion campaigns. Moreover, CA is mainly understood as “cultivating with chemicals”, “kulima na dawa”, in kiswahili. A dominant view is that CA is about minimum tillage and use of pre-emergence herbicides. It is relevant to reflect about what kind of CA is being promoted and if elements like soil cover and crop rotation are given due attention. CA based on these two ideas, minimum tillage and use of herbicides, is hard to stand as a programme to be promoted and up-scaled. Therefore CA appears not to be recognised as a convincing approach to improve the livelihoods in Laikipia.