Program of Integrated and Sustainable DevelopmentArea of Environmental Protection of Pratigi

What it is: Innovative matrix of participatory

governance promoting the human, social, environmental and productive capital of a region in an integrated manner

What it does: Aims to achieve the 8 Millennium

Development Goals in a complementary way

Overall Characteristics

Geographical Location

Region south of Salvador, capital of the State of Bahia

Covered by the dense Atlantic Forest, with humid tropical climate

Hosts a very rich eco-system with great bio-diversity and excellent regenerative capacity

It spans from the mountains to the river estuary to the Atlantic coast

It hosts a very rich hydrological system and it is conducive to diversified agricultural production

Geographical Characteristics

Region with excellent economic potential In 1998 was designated an “Area of

Environmental Protection” (APA) by the Federal Government

Geographical Characteristics ( cont.d)

Endemic poverty Inequality Social exclusion Deforestation due to primitive agricultural

methods Endangerment of the fauna Endangerment of the hydrological system

Problems to be Addressed

Citizenship

Human capital

Social capital

Environmental capital

Productive capital

Problems require comprehensive and multi-pronged solution to rebuild:

The solutions must come from the community itself and not from the outside

Community engagement and mobilization is essential

Ensuring accuracy of personal documentation for all citizens

Accurate recording of land ownership Improving access to justice Developing new legislative frameworks Establishing IDC (Institute for Rights and

Citizenship) Establishing the Inter-Municipal Consortium

of the APA Pratigi Developing local leadership

Rebuilding citizenship by:

Providing new educational opportunities to young generations

Providing basic, technical and professional training

Providing training in modern agricultural methods

Establishing educational focal points such as “Youth Houses” or “Family Houses” where the community meets and learns (Pedagogia de la Alternancia)

Rebuilding Human Capital By:

Promoting the creation of civil society organizations

Promoting participation of the community in decision making

IDES – Institute for the Sustainable Development

AGIR – Association Warden of the APA Pratigi, which represents more than 40 civil society organizations

Rebuilding Social Capital By:

Halting the process of deforestation Recovering and reforesting land with the

involvement of the local population Creating ecological corridors of total

protection Utilizing clean and eco-friendly agricultural

methods Producing clean energy utilizing water

resources Promoting agro-eco-tourism

Rebuilding Environmental Capital By:

Promoting the utilization of efficient and eco-friendly agricultural methods

Promoting the creation of cooperatives which unite the small producers of the region

Strengthening capacity to transform raw agricultural products into high quality commercial products

Forging alliances with the private sector for the commercialization and distribution of the products

Rebuilding Productive Capital By:

Active community involvement in building its own future

New educational opportunities for young people

New economic opportunities for the population and increased household income

High agricultural productivity - reducing land used for agricultural purposes

Dramatic reduction of poverty Recovery and protection of forest area

Results

Changing the population’s cultural attitudes (from passive to engaged) required time and constant effort

Lack of confidence in political and administrative authorities

Need to establish or activate legislative frameworks Changing focus from subsistence agriculture to

cooperative production and marketability Harmonizing agricultural production and methods

with environmental protection Lack of coordination among the various levels of

government

Obstacles and Difficulties Encountered

Need to coordinate small fragmented interventions and projects

Need to harmonize the vision and action of all the actors involved (community, government, private sector)

Further Obstacles

The introduction of a bottom-up participatory approach through which the community is the main actor in determining its future, rather than the recipient of assistance from the top down

The action of a “catalyst,” an organization which sets in motion the process with advice and resources, in this case the Odebrecht Foundation

Partnership among the various levels of Government, Civil Society Organizations and the private sector

Keys to success

Pratigi Participatory Governance Model